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Presbyterian Church (USA)

"Reorganizing" racial ethnic and women's ministries

Witherspoon joins others in concern over “reorganization” in racial ethnic and women’s ministries and advocacy groups

[12-19-08]

Responding to the recent “reorganization” affecting racial ethnic and women’s groups and programs, the Witherspoon Society has sent a short letter to the leaders of the Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns, the National Network of Presbyterian College Women, and Racial Ethnic Young Women Together, with copies to staff and members of the General Assembly Council.

Here's the full text of the letter >>

The Witherspoon Society

Presbyterians Working for Peace, Justice, & the Integrity of Creation

www.witherspoonsociety.org

Jake Young, Moderator
4200 Liberty Highway
Anderson, SC 29621

Phone: (864) 225-3575
E-mail: jakeayoung@yahoo.com

December 12, 2008

Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns
Jerri Rodewald, F. William (Bill) Gray, and Adeline deCastro, Co-Chairs

National Network of Presbyterian College Women
Hailee Barnes and Rachel Whaley, Co-Moderators

Racial Ethnic Young Women Together
Shivonia Singleton, Co-Moderator

Dear Members of ACWC, NNPCW, and REYWT,

On behalf of the Executive Committee of the Witherspoon Society and leaders of Voices of Sophia (which is in the process of merging with WS), we write to share our shock and dismay regarding the recently announced reorganization of women’s and racial ethnic advocacy conducted by our national offices. We lament the loss of exceptional staff leadership and long-term staffing plans that are completely inadequate to support your ministries effectively. We fear that this decision undermines the great history of our denomination’s commitment to advocacy on behalf of gender and racial justice in church and society. It also disregards the past ten years of strategic efforts to develop the leadership of young women.

In our most recent Executive Committee meeting, we resolved to move beyond shock, dismay, and lament to action. We stand ready to support you—and to ask our members to support you—in any way that will be helpful. If we work together, perhaps we can take appropriate steps to redress this decision in ways that honor God, your ministries, and the ministries of the three amazing women who have served us all so admirably.

With the hope that the Advent season brings,

Jake Young

Moderator, Witherspoon Society

CC: Ann Ferguson, Coordinator, PW Program
Catrelia Hunter, Moderator, PW
Rhashell Hunter, Director, Racial Ethnic & Women’s Ministries
Linda Valentine, Executive Director, GAC
Curtis Kearns, Executive Administrator, GAC
Members of GAC

If you have comments to share on this matter
or suggestions of possible courses of action,
please send a note,
to be shared here.

One GAC member questions the “redesign” of racial ethnic and women’s offices
[12-13-08]

The Rev. Melissa DeRosia, a member of the General Assembly Council, and pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Caro, Michigan, has written to other members of the Council, with copies to staff members involved, expressing deep concern about the changes being made, and the dismissal of staff. She notes especially the concern of young women whose programs are most seriously affected, the lack of consultation in the process, and the lack of any rationale for the changes being made.

The full text of her letter >>

If you have comments on this matter,
please send a note,
to be shared here.

GAC office of racial ethnic and women’s ministries reorganized

Hunter says focus is on strengthening ties to congregations

by Jerry L. Van Marter, Presbyterian News Service
[11-25-08]

Note: The Witherspoon Board has discussed this development briefly, and sees many reasons for concern. We are seeking more information and will offer comments as soon as we are able to.

If you have comments to share, please send them to us, and we'll share them here if you permit.

Just send a note.

LOUISVILLE — November 18, 2008 — The Rev. Rhashell Hunter, director of the General Assembly Council’s Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries/Presbyterian Women has announced a redesign of the office to focus on racial ethnic and women’s leadership development.

Five new positions have been created as a result of the redesign, and five existing positions have been eliminated.

The new positions are:

	Coordinator, Racial Ethnic and Women’s Leadership Development/Racial Ethnic Schools and Colleges;
	Associate for Women’s Leadership Development;
	Program Specialist for Women’s Leadership and the National Network of Presbyterian College Women (NNPCW) and Racial Ethnic Young Women Together (REYWT);
	Associate for Gender and Racial Justice; and
	Support for the Advocacy Committees, a position in the Executive Director’s Office which will be filled initially on an interim basis, to staff the Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns (ACREC) and the Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns (ACWC).

The positions which have been eliminated are:

	Associate for the NNPCW (Noelle Gulden)
	Associate for Racial Ethnic Young Women Together (the Rev. Bridgett Green)
	Associate for Women’s Advocacy (the Rev. Molly Casteel)
	Ministry Operations Manager (vacant)
	Associate for Racial Justice and Advocacy (vacant)

A new coordinator position will oversee the leadership development area, which will have two primary emphases: Women’s Leadership Development and Gender and Racial Justice. It will also provide support for racial ethnic schools and colleges.

The redesign comes 18 months after Hunter assumed her position as director of Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries/Presbyterian Women and after extensive dialogue with members of the ministry area’s constituencies about the best way to meet the needs of a changing church.

“I am excited about the opportunities before us to engage our constituencies and to serve the Church in new ways,” Hunter said in announcing the changes Nov. 17. “This redesign provides us with the opportunity to position ourselves so that we can strengthen our connection to our congregations.”

Reflecting upon the previous organizational structure, Hunter said, “We are aware that the way we have engaged in our work, supporting women and racial ethnic members in our church, has a long history and legacy. We are pleased with the successful efforts in which we have been engaged in the past. We are also aware that this new era requires new strategies.”

The Women’s Leadership Development office, with a new associate position, will focus its ministries on serving all women in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Hunter said, adding that specific attention will be given to women ages 30-55, “who are now underserved in the church.”

A program specialist will facilitate ministries with young women’s networks, such as the NNPCW and REYWT, in partnership with part-time field representatives who will visit college campuses and build relationships with the networks.

Presbyterian Women, the PCUSA’s national women’s organization in covenant relationship with the GAC, is not affected by these changes and will continue its mission and ministries with women in the church.

The Gender and Racial Justice ministry office, staffed by a new associate position, will be responsible for developing and directing programs that implement PC(USA) policies for becoming an inclusive, diverse, and racially just church.

The new position being created in the GAC Executive Director’s office will coordinate the work of the church’s two advocacy committees: ACREC and ACWC. Previously, each committee was staffed by a position that had shared responsibilities: 50% committee work and 50% mission program work.

In this new model, committee work will be supported by a position reporting to the GAC Executive Director’s office, and mission programming will be the focus of the position in the Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries/Presbyterian Women ministry area.

“We are strongly committed to serving ‘people in the pews,’” Hunter said, assessing the redesign. “Unfortunately, we have not always served the whole church, seeking to focus narrowly in small pockets as opposed to providing programs and ministries that impact women across the board and racial ethnic members in racial ethnic community churches, multicultural churches, and in predominantly European American churches.”

Hunter said the redesigned office “will give us flexible options for providing the ministries that congregations are seeking, while also preserving our ability to resource the needs of existing constituencies.”

The changes include two positions that have been revised as part of phase one of the redesign, which took place in late October:

	Associate for Ministry & Educational Financial Support (formerly Associate for Racial Ethnic Schools and Colleges, Beneva Bibbs); and
	Administrative Support Team Manager (formerly Administrative Assistant, Leigh Harper).

The staffing changes are effective immediately. Hunter said she hopes to have the new positions in Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries/Presbyterian Women filled by February 2009.