In the 1997-2000 quadrennium, the Native American Comprehensive Plan (NACP) will continue to focus its work around the four goals, developed in this quadrennium:
Congregational Development
To develop in partnership with the Native American International Caucus, National United Methodist Native American Center, Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, four general program boards and agencies, annual conferences, and local Native American communities, new churches and/or ministries and revitalize and strengthen existing churches in each jurisdiction.
Work with the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) to develop criteria and a manual related to Native American congregational development, using the Rural/Reservation Initiative developed by the NACP; work with the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) to hold a Native American Convocation on the Ordained Ministry within the next quadrennium, to look at ways to recruit more Native Americans into the ministry, and to learn how to support present pastors; work with GBHEM and GBGM on a Seminarians' Educational Assistance Program to provide seminarians with tuition assistance in exchange for providing pastoral leadership for reservation/rural Native American churches/ministries for a stated number of years; work with seminaries to develop ways to recruit more Native Americans by designing a scholarship package to develop specialized programs which focus on Native American ministries through ordained, diaconal, chaplaincy and Course of Study programs; work with Annual Conference Boards of Ordained Ministry to develop a mentoring program to assist Native Americans who are in seminary and course of study; continue to work with all program agencies to strengthen the Native American Intern Program.
Leadership Development
To identify, recruit, train and provide for the whole support of Native Americans interested in the ministry and mission of Christ in and through The United Methodist Church.
Work with the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) on a Native American Justice Issue Training Program to assist local Native American congregations on how to confront and advocate for justice issues in their communities; develop a Native American Lay Witness Mission Training Program through the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD); develop a Native American Health Ministry Program with the assistance of Health and Welfare Ministries of the GBGM and to plan an AIDS Training Program for pastors and laity; work with the GBHEM to hold a Native American Diaconal Consultation to discuss Native American Diaconal recruitment and intern program; work with the GBOD to plan a National Native American Lay Speakers training school, the curriculum developed to include a Native American perspective to be used in annual conference training; work with the GBOD to plan another Native American School of Evangelism, with an emphasis on curriculum and resource development; work with the GBCS to schedule open forums on Native American issues across the denomination, particularly in the area of Social Witness and Sovereignty, and to develop a process by which information on Native American issues could be distributed routinely to The United Methodist Church and ecumenically; work with all four program boards regarding the rural/reservation Chaplaincy Program, and conduct a quadrennial Gatherers Training; and to develop a Native American Parish Assistance training program, the curriculum to include a Native American perspective.
Native American Spirituality
To help Native American United Methodists and The United Methodist Church develop an understanding of Native American Spirituality and Native ways of life.
Continue and strengthen the theological forum coordinated by the NUMNAC; assist program agencies to develop curriculum and resource materials for the general church which are culturally sensitive and include appropriately Native American culture, history and heritage. Support the continuance and the strengthening of the dialogues coordinated by the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns; develop a Native American Theological Mission Statement to be the foundation for mission and ministry with Native Americans which will affirm tribal identity, sovereignty and leadership styles of Native Americans and Native American cultural and spiritual values. These affirmations will enable the appropriate forming of ministries and leadership programs sensitive to, and compatible with, Native American spiritual and cultural traditions.
Denominational Presence
To help annual conferences establish Committees on Native American Ministry as required by ¶748 of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church. Also, to work with program boards and agencies in the formation of board-wide Native American Advisory Committees.
Work with all four general program boards to utilize Native Americans as consultants whose responsibilities would include, but not be limited to, conducting local need assessments, working with annual conference Native American Committees on Ministry, and utilizing the gifts and talents of Native Americans to work with non-Natives and Native American ministries; encourage all entities of the General Church to hire Native American staff in elected and support staff positions, especially the GBHEM and the GBCS; encourage the entities of the Church to utilize resources such as the Native American Communications Office and The Echo of the Four Winds; request the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women to include in their quadrennial strategy an opportunity to hear the needs of Native American women, (clergy and laity) and how those needs can be incorporated in the Commission's existing program directives, especially in the area of networking opportunities for strengthening self-esteem and professional/spiritual development; request that the General Commission on Race and Religion (GCORR) sponsor a training event at the beginning of the 1997-2000 quadrennium for Native Americans who will be representatives on general board and agencies regarding their roles and responsibilities; request the GCORR to continue to monitor boards and agencies with an annual report on their findings to the NACP Task Force; continue the Office of Native American Communications, especially its work with the Fax Network; work with each jurisdiction to develop a Native American Jurisdictional Structure and to establish Native American staff position (full or part-time) to work with the Jurisdictional structures to ensure that Native American ministries will continue in the jurisdictions beyond this Native American Comprehensive Plan; to help Annual Conference Committees on Native American Ministry within the Northeast and North Central Jurisdictions understand their roles and responsibilities.
It is recommended that by the end of the 1997-2000 quadrennium, the work of the NACP be a part of an existing church entity to make sure that Native American ministries and issues are a part of the work and life of this denomination.
It is recommended that General Conference approve the following budget for the 1997-2000 quadrennium:
Proposed Budget - 1997-2000
Administration
Full-time Coordinator ($ 60,000 x 4 years) $ 240,000
Benefits (computed at 25% of total) 60,000
Total salary for 4 years $ 300,000
Administrative Assistant ($ 37,500 x 4 years $ 150,000
Benefits (computed at 25% of total) 50,000
Total salary for 4 years $ 200,00
Total Administration $ 500,000
General Operating Expenses
Phone, conference calls, facsimile network ($ 4,000/yr.) $ 16,000
Postage and printing ($ 2,000/yr.) 8,000
Office supplies ($ 1,500/yr.) 6,000
Travel and related expenses
Coordinator ($ 7,000/yr.) 28,000
Task Force Meetings ($ 12,000/yr.) 48,000
Task Force Committee Meetings ($ 9,900/yr.) 39,600
Rent ($ 3,000/yr.) 14,400
Total operating expenses 160,000
Programs 540,000
Grand Total Requested $ 1,200,000
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21345-GM-NonDis-O$
1996 United Methodist General Conference