GAC09023
July 24, 2009

“Mission” is our middle name

General Assembly Mission Council is new name for PC(USA) mission agency

Contact:
Susan Lindsey, (502) 569-5060

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Linda Valentine, executive director of the General Assembly Mission Council of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is pleased to announce that the new name was approved by presbyteries and is now official.

“For more than 200 years, Presbyterians have been faithfully responding to the call of Jesus Christ, taking the gospel into the world and bearing witness to Christ’s saving love to the ends of the earth,” said Valentine. “Our new name is a more accurate reflection of the work we do as the mission agency of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), in partnerships with all of our congregations, presbyteries and synods.”

The change – from the General Assembly Council – became official June 28, 2009, one year after the adjournment of the 218th General Assembly where the action was first taken. Presbyteries voted overwhelmingly – 160 to 11 – in favor of the change.

The name change will be implemented over time with a cost-conscious approach to new printed materials such as business cards and letterhead. The new name has already been applied to information on the church’s Web site.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) comprises 2.2 million members in more than 10,000 congregations, answering Christ’s call to mission and ministry throughout the United States and the world.