The following acronyms and abbreviations may be encountered in Presbyterian publications, including General Assembly minutes. Those with more than one meaning have multiple entries. We update the list periodically to keep it as current as possible.

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- M -

MBF: Medical Benevolence Foundation - For over 40 years MBF has provided support to the international health ministries of the Presbyterian Church (USA). As a General Assembly validated mission support group. It serves hospitals and clinics in thirty-three countries around the globe, most often in places not on any tourist map. In doing so, MBF is the connection between our Christian commitment to minister to those in need and our doing so through the hands and dedication of medical missions staff. (validated mission support)

MCC: Montreat Conference Center (Montreat): One of three national conference centers of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), located in Montreat, N.C. (CMD, also MTR: Montreat Conference Center)

MCE: Ministries in Christian Education

M/CW: Mission Co-worker

MDRC: Mission Development Resources Committee - An advisory committee approved by the GAC that strives to provide synods and presbyteries with resources and training needed to effectively make applications for Mission Program Grants. These Grants support new work in the areas of new church development, congregational transformation (redevelopment), congregational revitalization and specialized ministries. The grants are supplemental sources of funding, and must be matched by synod/presbytery contributions. (NMD)

MECC: Middle East Council of Churches

MENA: Middle East and North Africa

MEP: Mission Education and Promotion (formerly Mission Interpretation and Promotion - CMD)

MGB: Middle Governing Bodies (synods and presbyteries)

MHE: Ministries in Higher Education (NMD)

MI: Mission Initiative (see JHH, GAC)

MINUGUA: United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Team

MIP: Mission Interpretation and Promotion (CMD)

MLP: More Light Presbyterians - More Light Presbyterians are both individual members and congregations within the PC(USA) who are faithful to God's call and believe that God continues to open new understandings of scripture and the Word in the life and teachings of Jesus. As a Christian community, they believe that the church must seek "more light" and strive to live out those understandings in our lives together. (affinity group)

MM: Monday Morning Magazine - A publication for ministers (no longer in print, OGA/OC)

MMP: Mary Magdalene Project - This project is a non-profit residential program designed to provide the programs and resources to bring wholeness and hope to women who have been victims of prostitution. Since the project began in 1980, more than 150 women and children have turned to the program for help. The program's success rate has been more than 90 percent. (NMD, Women)

MPB: Presbyterian Mission of Brazil

MRA: Migration and Refugee Assistance

MRA: Trustees of Stock for the Mountain Retreat Association at Montreat (Montreat Conference Center - MCC - CMD)

MRTI: Mission Responsibility Through Investment Committee - Monitors corporations whose stock is owned by Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) entities to insure that their corporate behavior is in compliance with General Assembly policies; recommends shareholder actions or divestment when non-compliance is determined; recommends corporations for commendation when their activity is particularly exemplary. (NMD)

MS: Mission Specialist

MSS: Mission Support Services - Provides administrative, corporate and financial services to the General Assembly Council, management accounting and auditing services, budgeting and forecasting, property management, information services, and distribution of denominational resources.

MUC: Ministry Unit Committee

MWC: International Convention on the Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (WMD, PHP)

- N -

NACC: Native American Consulting Committee (NMD)

NACE: Native American Congregational Enhancement (NMD)

NACUC: National Association of College and University Chaplains (NMD)

NAE: National Association of Evangelicals

NAES: National Association of Ecumenical Staff

NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement (PWO, WMD, NMD, PHP)

NAICU: National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities

NAMI: National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NMD, Health Ministries, PHEWA)

NAPC: National Asian Presbyterian Caucus (NMD)

NAPS: National Association of Presbyterian Scouters (CMD)

NAPW: National Asian Presbyterian Women (NMD)

NASAG: North American Securities Administrators Guidelines (PILP, FDN, BOP, MSS)

NATA: Native American Theological Association (NMD)

NATEC: Native American Theological Education Consortium NMD)

NATF: Native American Task Force (NMD)

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (PWO, NMD, WMD, PPP)

NAWPC: Native American Women of the Presbyterian Church (NMD)

NBPC: National Black Presbyterian Caucus (NMD)

NBPW: National Black Presbyterian Women (NMD)

NCAMP: National Coalition Against the Use of Pesticides (NMD, WMD)

NCC: National Council of Churches in Christ (NCCC)

NCCR: National Council of Churches in Korea

NCD: New Church Development (NMD)

NCMA: National Campus Ministers Association (NMD)

NCMAF: National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces

NCPM: National Council of Presbyterian Men (CMD)

NCTC: New Covenant Trust Company N.A. (FDN)

NECC: New Earth Covenant Community - A major goal of this group is to help nuclear weapons workers make the transition to peace-oriented jobs. (affinity group)

NePAD: New Program for Africa's Development

NGISC: National Gambling Impact Study Commission

NGO: Non-Governmental Organization

NHCA: Nursing Home Care Assistance (BOP)

NHPC: National Hispanic Presbyterian Caucus (NMD)

NHLPW: National Hispanic/Latin Presbyterian Women (NMD)

NICs: Newly Industrialized Countries

NIH: National Institute of Health - US Government department in charge of medical research.

NIWG: Northern Ireland Working Group (WMD)

NKPC: National Korean Presbyterian Council

NKPW: National Korean Presbyterian Women

NMD: National Ministries Division - One of three ministry divisions of the General Assembly Council, responsible for social justice and social welfare ministries, evangelism and church development, higher education ministries, churchwide partnerships, churchwide personnel services, racial ethnic ministries, women's ministries, and the Presbyterian Washington Office.

NMDC: National Ministries Division Committee

NMEPC: National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus (NMD)

NMEPW: National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Women (NMD)

NMPF: National Mission Partnership Funds

NNPCW: National Network of Presbyterian College Women (NMD, Women))

NPCM: National Presbyterian Church of Mexico

NPM: National Presbyterian Mariners (no longer in operation - CMD)

NPT: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (PWO, NMD, PPP, WMD)

NPYC: National Presbyterian Youth Council (CMD, Youth Ministries)

NPYMC: National Presbyterian Youth Ministry Council (CMD, Youth Ministries)

NRA: National Rifle Association (NMD, PWO)

NRSV: New Revised Standard Version (of Bible)

NSCC: New Sudan Council of Churches

NTPYAC: National Taiwanese Presbyterian Young Adult Coalition

NVO: National Volunteers Office (NMD, WMD)

NVOAD: National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters

NVRA: National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NMD, PWO)

- O -

OCC: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (MSS)

OED: (See EDO, GAC), Office of the Executive Director - Headed by the Executive Director of the General Assembly Council, provides executive leadership to the Council and directs the programmatic work of the General Assembly; responsible for churchwide planning for General Assembly Council operations.

OGA: Office of the General Assembly - Headed by the Stated Clerk, plans and conducts the General Assembly meeting, oversees the church's ecumenical relations with other churches, administers the ecclesiastical business of the church - property, litigation, nominations, judicial process, constitutional interpretation, statistics and minutes and the Department of History.

OGHS: One Great Hour of Sharing Offering - Since 1949, Presbyterians have joined with millions of other Christians through OGHS to share God's love with people experiencing need. Our gifts support ministries of disaster response, refugee assistance and resettlement, and community development that help people find safe refuge, start new lives, and work together to strengthen their families and communities. Recognizing the hope that we have in Christ is lived out in our hope for one another, we respond with gifts that help our sisters and brothers around the world find the hope for a brighter future.

OIP: UN's Office of Iraq Program

OIS: Office of Information Services (computer systems and support at 100 Witherspoon) (MSS)

OPEC: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

OPT: Occupied Palestinian Territories (PWO, NMD, WMD, PPP)

OS: Old School