The Vision/Mission Task Force (VMTF) was formed in February 2023 by action of the Coordinating Cabinet (CC), to help the Presbytery of the Western Reserve (PWR) live into its Vision and Mission Statements.  Specifically, the Task Force was asked to examine three areas of the Presbytery’s life – finances, committee structure, and staffing – and discern how we might approach these areas in new and innovative  ways.  

As one result of this work, the Vision Fund was created from a collection of Board Designated Funds; the purpose of the Vision Fund is to provide grants to entities of the Presbytery that are engaged in Matthew 25-centric ministry.  A selection team (the Vision Fund Team, or VFT) was formed and the granting has begun.  You can read more about the Vision Fund here. 

In early 2024, the VMTF engaged Corey Schlosser Hall (PCUSA  Deputy Executive Director of Vision, Rebuilding and Innovation) to serve as coach and mentor in this journey.  Corey suggested a tentative timeline from which the Task Force could work. Although the timeline has been modified to accommodate reality, it continues to serve as a guide for our work. We are grateful that Corey is generously serving our Presbytery in his capacity as a PCUSA national staffer, making him a very affordable consultant.

Now, after many months of conversation with members of the Presbytery, in-person and virtual meetings with Corey,  and a lively Presbytery-wide gathering, the VMTF is diving into how we currently accomplish our multi-faceted and necessary work,  finding ways we can best utilize our people and resources.  Evolution is a healthy part of everything that gives and brings life.