Leadership Conference Update

February 25-27 was the 2010 Women's Leadership Training Conference. The conference was held in Atlanta.

As a first time attendee, I wasn't quite sure what to expect! It was a great time of learning and fellowship. Jarram Barrs, professor at Covenant Theological Seminary was the featured speaker. Each of his sessions were focused on the book of Ruth. I strongly urge you to contact CEP and get CDs of individual sessions or the flash drive of the entire conference.

The individual sessions that were offered throughout the day on Friday were another source of information (much of which I am still processing!) and fellowship. Regional sessions gave women the chance to connect and share ideas with other ladies from their particular area of the country.

While there was much good information, and I do want to share more of that soon, there was one item that I particularly felt necessary to share with you now. CEP is the umbrella over several ministries of the PCA. Overall, giving to CEP is down significantly.

Some items from the fact sheet given at the conference:

Each year the General Assembly approves the CEP budget and the "ministry ask" for the coming year. Currently the ministry ask is $7 per communicant member per year. If every church gave this ministry ask, CEP would be 100% funded.

Due to the recent economic downturn, CEP's support from local churches has declined significantly as many churches have had to reduce their giving in order to balance their own local budget. Consequently, CEP is having to reduce staff which reduces ministries.

Facts specifically regarding Women's Ministry:

The Women's Ministry budget represents approximately 10% of CEP's overall budget and receives over 15% of the funds that are contributed to CEP. Funds for women's ministry are used to pay for the following:
*costs associated with planning and carrying out conferences and training events
*costs associated with developing new (and screening potential) Bible studies and curriculum
*printing and mailing the Women's Resource Quarterly
*building and equipping a team of advisors and trainers
*efforts to assist local churches in establishing new women's ministries or revitalizing existing ones.

In 1996, CEP received a donation of $300,000 from a woman (who is now with the Lord) who believed women's ministry at the denominational level was essential for the PCA and beneficial for women in the Kingdom. She gave that gift with the intention that it would partially fund the ministry for 5 years--through 2001. Due to God's goodness and careful stewardship, those funds actually lasted through January, 2010.

Over the past several years, the Women's Ministry department of CEP has been funded as indicated:
Conference fees--$56,000
Annual funds used from donor--$30,000
Designated support by women's groups--$11,600
Designated by individuals--$1,630
CEP General Fund Subsidy--$73,955

Now that the $300,000 donation has been exhausted (along with the economic distress) CEP is faced with an urgent need to replace the lost funding with new donations--either to CEP in general or designated to Women's Ministry. CEP believes with concerted prayer and an intentional communication effort, the women of the PCA could more than provide all the financial resources needed to fund women's ministry at the denominational level.

Some specific ideas:

Please encourage your session to give the "ministry ask" of $7 per communicant member per year or incrementally give until, in God's providence your church is able to meet this goal.

If you or you local women's group is already giving to CEP, please continue to do so. If you are not, please consider "tithing" from your local women's ministry budget to the denominational women's ministry.

Continue (or increase) giving to the PresWIC offerings and gifts that support CEP. (Warrior PresWIC's designated offering for CEP is the Atlanta Budget offering which is due September 15.)

Please, above all, pray for CEP and women's ministry within the PCA. Also, prayerfully consider individual support of CEP.

I know that this has been lengthy, but I really felt that everyone should know about this need. Please join the PresWIC Executive Council in prayer (and giving as you are able) for this.

*Written by Dana Miller (Riverwood Presbyterian), PresWIC President-Elect. Gail Rankin (Faunsdale Presbyterian), PresWIC Historian also attended the conference--and will hopefully share some of her experiences with us!! More on the conference to come...