The General Assembly Council Core Values

The General Assembly Council is a community of believers centered in Jesus Christ and grounded in scripture, prayer, and our confessional heritage. Relying on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, the General Assembly Council is guided by these core values:

• Celebration—Embracing our Reformed tradition through Word and Sacrament
• Proclamation—Listening for and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ
• Stewardship—Giving, working, and living faithfully and responsibly
• Nurture—Supporting and caring for each other
• Trust—Communicating with integrity
• Openness—Expecting to be transformed by the God of Justice and Love
• Partnership—Living in community with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and people of the world
• Vision—Serving with joy, living in hope, hearing and responding to diverse voices, and obeying God’s will

2005–2006 Mission Work Plan Priority Goals

We are called to forge a vital partnership with one another, marked by mutual respect, openness, and daily repentance and forgiveness.

Evangelism and Witness

We are called to invite all people to faith, repentance, and the abundant life of God in Jesus Christ, to encourage congregations in joyfully sharing the Gospel, and through the power of the Holy Spirit to grow in membership and discipleship.

Justice and Compassion

We are called to address wrongs in every aspect of life and the whole of creation, intentionally working with and on behalf of poor, oppressed, and disadvantaged people as did Jesus Christ, even at risk to our corporate and personal lives.

Spirituality and Discipleship

We are called to deeper discipleship through scripture, worship, prayer, study, stewardship, and service, and to rely on the Holy Spirit to mold our lives more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Leadership and Vocation

We are called to lead by Jesus Christ’s example, to identify spiritual gifts, and to equip and support Christians of all ages for faithful and effective servant leadership in all parts of the body of Christ.

I was fortunate to work with the Mission Work Plan core staff team for 2005–2006. We began our assignment with a little apprehension, some anxiety, and a few reservations. But as we poured ourselves into the work, we began to claim, affirm, and support the values and goals of our church articulated by the General Assembly Council. The work energized us for new collaborative efforts and revitalized our central commitment to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed. 

The priority that the Mission Work Plan places on spirituality and discipleship is especially noteworthy for church educators. This emphasis relates in a very direct way to congregations, since congregations nurture members from cradle to grave and provide members with their earliest memories of welcome and acceptance into the household of God. These early experiences set the tone for more learning and more revelation over the course of one’s life. The emphasis on spirituality and discipleship calls congregations to participate in the theological quest—starting with understanding ourselves as children of God. Knowing that we belong to God leads us not only in seeking our own spiritual growth but also to support Christian education and experiential opportunities for others who have not yet discovered their place in God’s family.

Highlighting spirituality and discipleship means that our denomination is now stating explicitly: “We are called to deeper discipleship through scripture, worship, prayer, study, stewardship, and service, and to rely on the Holy Spirit to mold our lives more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ.” In essence, congregations, church schools, Christian educators, and tools such as curriculum are at the heart of the Mission Work Plan’s list of priorities. The Mission Work Plan proposes to integrate the priorities (evangelism and witness, justice and compassion, spirituality and discipleship, leadership and vocation) into the General Assembly’s work through a number of projects. Among them is the spirituality and discipleship project team, led by the Rev. Tammy Wiens, appointed to prepare a plan for lifelong growth in discipleship. The lifelong plan will facilitate a better understanding in local churches of how General Assembly programmatic resources can assist them in designing and implementing church school programs, worship services, and mission opportunities. This is encouraging news from the standpoint of curriculum publishing because we share the Mission Work Plan vision for a lifelong strategy of growth in discipleship. Our We Believe curriculum intentionally and enthusiastically provides tools for our church to use as the framework for our lifelong journey. We envision a church that knows the Bible, is able to pray, understands how the church in the Reformed tradition has historically articulated its faith, is able to articulate personal faith, and is eager to proclaim the gospel in word and deed. Please join me in strengthening this work that claims we know whose we are and whom we serve.

Sandra Albritton Moak is publisher for Congregational Ministries Publishing. She can be reached at (888) 728-7228, ext. 5200.

For more information concerning the Mission Work Plan visit our Web site.