About the General Assembly Mission Council

What are the responsibilities of the GAMC?

Learn about the General Assembly Mission Council at a glance.

The Book of Order G.13.0201 states the GAMC is:

• to cultivate and promote the spiritual welfare of the whole church;
• to provide resources to support equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for members of racial ethnic groups, for women, for various age groups, for persons;
• regardless of marital condition (married, single, widowed, or divorced), and for persons with disabilities;
• to develop and propose, for General Assembly approval, the mission directions, goals, objectives, and priorities of the General Assembly Mission Council, doing so by taking into account the mission work being done by sessions, presbyteries, and synods, and to propose for General Assembly approval an accompanying budget that will implement the mission work plan of the General Assembly Mission Council;
• to act in those specific matters assigned to the General Assembly Mission Council by the General Assembly or this Constitution, acting always according to previously enacted General Assembly policies, reporting fully to each subsequent General Assembly its actions;
• to perform such additional responsibilities and duties as may be assigned by the General Assembly.

GAMC Overview:
Offering the World a Visible Witness of Jesus Christ

This 19-minute program features stories from the seven ministry areas of the General Assembly Mission Council. Learn how the PC(USA) is involved in evangelism and church growth, leadership training, vocation discernment, world mission, racial ethnic ministries, peace and justice, relief and development and theology, worship and education. These stories show how we as Presbyterians are disciples of Jesus Christ — locally and globally.

Free • PDS #1010007001

Add this video to your Web site or blog

Get instructions for sharing this video.

How is the staff structured?

The GAMC is organized as follows:

• Mission
  • Compassion, Peace and Justice
  • Evangelism and Church Growth
  • Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries/Presbyterian Women
  • Theology Worship and Education
  • Vocation
  • World Mission
• Communications and Funds Development
  • News Service
  • Executive Office Communications
  • Creative Services
  • Mission Communication
  • Mission Interpretation
  • Development Services
  • Funds Development
• Shared Services
  • Information Technology
  • Distribution
  • Human Resources
  • Finance & Accounting
  • Facilities

Each area is led by a Deputy Executive Director.

Download the organizational chart.

Read the Mission Work Plan

The Mission Work Plan guides the work of the General Assembly Mission Council as it implements the mission directives of the PC(USA) General Assembly.

• 2007–2008 Mission Work Plan was adopted in April 2006 and endorsed by the 217th General Assembly.
• 2009-2012 Mission Work Plan was approved by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC) Feb. 15, 2008, and is pending the approval of the 218th General Assembly (2008).

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Giving Patterns Research

A study in Spring 2008 analyzed giving patterns among Presbyterians with history of giving to PC(USA) national church.

Highlights of the findings

• An overwhelming majority (nearly 80 percent) of Presbyterians support six or more charities.
• Local church is favorite/first charity followed by five other PC(USA) mission programs.
• 77 percent of donors said giving to PC(USA) nationally had no impact on giving to the local church.
• 82 percent view gifts to PC(USA) nationally as above and beyond their local church pledge.
• 85 percent indicate “through church” and “mail” share top national contact preferences.

Download this report for the full results of the study.

Get the 2008 Annual Report

Collaboration, cooperation and change marked the ministry and mission of the General Assembly Mission Council in 2008. This year a focus on mission and evangelism charted a new path of partnership for Presbyterians. Learn what the GAMC has accomplished through God’s grace — download the new 2008 annual report.

Alphabet Soup? Acronym list provides definitions

Our committees and ministries all have them. More are spawned every day. They are those very helpful (and sometimes confusing) acronyms. To help you learn the PC(USA) lingo, we’ve published this list of frequently used acronyms. [Learn more]