In December 2005, the six entities of the General Assembly (the Office of the General Assembly, Board of Pensions, General Assembly Mission Council, Presbyterian Interest and Loan Program, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation and the Presbyterian Foundation), along with representation from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and representatives from the Synods of the Sun and Living Waters, came together to form an Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for Congregational Recovery.
The Inter-Agency Task Force is charged with reviewing and recommending to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) approvals of church rebuilding requests that are developed by the affected presbyteries.
Funding will be provided by PDA out of the designated giving for 2005 hurricane response, but only after consultation with each of the presbyteries making a request and endorsement by the Task Force. This includes a percentage of funds given to DR000169; funds given to DR000163 to help repair or rebuild churches that have been damaged; and funds given to DR000161 to help Presbyterian pastors and clergy whose congregations have been impacted or who have personally been impacted. This will particularly help pastors of smaller congregations and may include salary continuation.
A recent meeting of the IATF considered proposals totaling $832,000 from the Presbytery of Mississippi and the Presbytery of Tropical Florida. |
