Action Plan – To Develop a Synod Wide Strategy for Higher
Education
A Strategy for Mission (or Ministry) in Higher Education in the Synod. The Charge to this Team (or
Task Force) is to prepare a strategy for mission in Higher Education within the bounds of the Synod of
Alaska Northwest. The motivation for this charge is based on the following factors:
• College and university students (and young adults) are a somewhat neglected population in terms of
the mission of our church, although we have (and have had) many chaplains, campus ministers, and
churches within the Synod who serve faithfully.
• College and university students represent a strategic population in that the future leadership (both lay
and clergy) of our church and its mission will come from this population.
• The colleges and universities of our region have a strategic role of being a source of information and
advanced thinking about the future welfare of the region. And they welcome and need the voice of
values and faith as they pursue their mission.
• The context of our church’s mission in higher education has changed dramatically in recent years, and
therefore a new strategy that accounts for these changes needs to be developed.
• We have congregations that are leading the way in student ministries within out bounds.
• We have congregations that are adjacent to campuses that are being called to engaged in ministry.
A group of experienced people from within our Synod have been selected to prepare this new
mission strategy. These people are:
1. Doug Dye, pastor Chapel by the Lake in Juneau and former chaplain at Whitworth University. Doug is a
member of the Alaska Presbytery. He also served on the history faculty of Grand Canyon University in
Phoenix for ten years.
2. Joyce Emery, Transitional Synod Executive and staff to the Team. Joyce is a member of the Olympia
Presbytery.
3. Duncan Ferguson, former senior officer for mission in higher education for the denomination and
moderator of the Team. Duncan is a member of the North Puget Sound Presbytery.
4. Roger Irle, a member of the Synod Council, and a retired profession of sociology.
5. Rick Melin, Stated Clerk of the Synod
6. Paul Rodkey, Moderator of the Cooperating Ministries in Higher Education, pastor in Spokane and
campus minister at Eastern Washington University
7. Gail Sterns, campus minister at Washington State University
8. LaVerne Sugamele, retired campus pastor and marriage and family counselor
9. Arne Stueckle, Moderator of the Synod.
Many others will be selected as a second tier of consultants.
The Team has met twice and has made some progress in fulfilling the expectations of its charge. For
example:
• The Team has requested funds from the Synod Council in order to carry out its work. The Team is
profoundly grateful for the support of the Synod Council, but will likely need a continuation of funding
through 2011.
• The Team has begun a review of the various documents on mission strategy in higher education that
have been approved by the General Assembly over the past three decades. A brief summary of these
documents is enclosed, and the Team plans to engage in more study of past documents with an
understanding that these documents may have some elements that are dated, but also contain
wisdom that is not time bound.
• The Team has reviewed the ways that the church’s mission in higher education has been funded over
the past several decades. A brief summary of these approaches is enclosed, and the Team plans to
study various approaches for funding this strategic mission. At its recent meeting on April 16, 2009,
the Team explored several strategies for funding, including an increased emphasis on seeking
assistance from private foundations.
• The Team has a tentative timeline for its work (see below).
• The Team will be preparing relevant and helpful ‘tools’ and resources which will assist those engaged
in our mission in higher education.
• The Team is currently reviewing the ways in which the mission of our church in higher education will
be undertaken with ecumenical partners. This particular aspect of our mission is going through some
stressful change.
• The Team is requesting the privilege of making a preliminary report to the Synod Assembly this
summer in Spokane and hopes to arrange for Synod Commissioners to engage in discussion of the
mission.
• The Team has prepared a preliminary list of ‘talking points’ that represent the beginning of the Team’s
effort to listen well all across the Synod about the current status of our church’s mission in higher
education in the bounds of the Synod (see enclosure). The Team’s hope is to arrange for conversations
in small groups in those regions of the Synod in which institutions of higher education are present.
The tentative timeline, still in process, has the following features:
1. 2009:
• Make a preliminary report to the Synod Council in late April. At this meeting, ask for
permission to inform the Synod Assembly of the Team’s charge and invite the commissioners
to the Synod Assembly to engage in discussion about our responsibilities to carry out the
mission in higher education within the Synod.
• Build a second tier of people informed about and engaged in ministries in higher education
across the Synod. If possible, arrange for a retreat or conference for these people in the fall in
order to gather ideas and perspective for the strategy for mission that will be contained in the
report. Be especially sensitive to the purview of the Presbyteries within the Synod and make a
special effort to collaborate with them in this endeavor.
• With this group of people, arrange for conversations in strategic locations within the Synod
about the past, present, and future of our church’s mission in higher education within the
Synod.
• Collect and collate the information gathered from these conversations in order to begin the
preparation of the strategy report.
• As possible, have conversations and consultations with people who are engaged in the higher
education ministries and those who serve institutions of higher education.
• Explore new streams of funding for the mission and begin the preparation of securing these
funds from a variety sources including private foundations.
• Meet as a Team in both late summer and mid-fall to continue to monitor the progress being
made in the formation of a strategy for mission in higher education.
2. 2010:
• Continue through the winter and spring with the small group discussions across the Synod.
Make a concerted effort to reach across the boundaries of theological outlook,
denominational affiliation, and religious tradition. Include conversations with students, faculty
and administrators in the institutions.
• Meet as a Team in January or February in order to collate the information received from the
small group discussions across the Synod with the full awareness that the small groups will
continue. Arrange for meetings of the Team on a quarterly basis through 2010.
• Make appropriate reports to the Synod Council on the progress that Team has made in
fulfilling its responsibilities. Report, as possible, to the Presbyteries of the Synod, and to the
Synod Assembly.
• Begin the writing of the Report and circulate the preliminary draft to key people for their
guidance and suggestions.
• Arrange for conversations with the ‘second tier’ and seek their guidance in the preparation of
the Report.
• As the strategy begins to take shape, begin the work of arranging for the funding of the
mission. This will include conversations with individuals with the resources to help, in local
churches, Presbyteries, the Synod, the many partners in the mission, and private foundations.
3. 2011:
• Finalize the Report and invite ‘readers’ from across the Synod, denominational partners, and
those who care about aspects of the mission in higher education, but may represent other
frames of reference.
• Present the initial Report to the Synod Council and seek approval for its presentation at the
Synod Assembly. Gain formal approval.
• Be sure that the Report has at least the following dimensions: biblical and theological
foundations, a brief history of the Reformed Church’s commitment to higher education, a brief
discussion of the mission of the Presbyterian Church’s mission in higher education, a
description of the current ‘realities’ within which the mission must be undertaken, a clear
mission statement that is both inspiring and realistic, and a three to five-year plan for
implementation that includes yearly goals and objectives and a means to measure success in
reference to the goals and objectives.
• As far as possible, point the report toward the future rather an attempt to preserve the past.
For example, suggest ministries that are central to our calling to mission, but which have not
been fully developed such as serving particular populations (Native American, Alaska Native,
etc.), service opportunities for students that are regional, national, and international, lectures
and seminars that invite reflection on the central issues of faith and the contemporary world,
consultation for those engaged in the mission, etc.
• Continue to seek adequate funding and staff to carry out the mission.