General Board Meeting News: From DKB's Desk

[Esther]

Originally Posted by notofworks

Boy isn't that the truth.

I prefer, however, to be called a "Zero-stepper". From what I gather, Christ took all the steps!

He took all the steps He needed to take, but man has take his as well.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Jon Carl

The United Pentecostal Church is in trouble. I have a friend who works at the headquarters building and he said that the Media Division and Publishing House were shut down. He said that the Sunday School department laid off the promotions man, Robbie Knox and that many others were asked to take a pay cut.

The whole new age of digital publishing is affecting them. With all of the outsourcing that they've gone to there really isn't a need to maintain the expensive overhead of a central publishing and printing shop.

I don't think that this is a sign of "trouble" - just change. However they will inevitably have a "shuttered" and closed down look for a while.

But the loss of a "headquarters culture" may be something that they need to address. With an operating publishing house and printing plant even the lowliest minion can contribute to the over all out out and the general tone and perceived image of the national organization.

Now what we may end up seeing is just a couple of guys calling all of the shots on what gets into print.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Sam

Are you saying that the UPC has employed Chicago style politics or ACORN style voting procedures?

I've been in the midst of the "confusion on the floor" and I've served on tabulating committees. The actual vote counting always appeared to have been done with the utmost integrity.

Those who controlled who was allowed to speak and those who orchestrated the "confusion on the floor" have been the only ones that I ever had a problem with.

[Sam]

Today I went online to the PPH to see what books were available by A.D. Urshan. The only book by any author named Urshan was "Jacobs Ladder, A Worship Manual" by Nathaniel Paul Urshan. There was nothing by A.D. Urshan nor by Nathaniel Urshan.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Sam

Today I went online to the PPH to see what books were available by A.D. Urshan. The only book by any author named Urshan was "Jacobs Ladder, A Worship Manual" by Nathaniel Paul Urshan. There was nothing by A.D. Urshan nor by Nathaniel Urshan.

Well, you could...

"Join Grandpa Jones on his Time Traveler and learn about the history of the real Pentecostals - who we are, how we started, what happened, and where we are going. Visit Azusa Street, meet G. T. Haywood and A. D. Urshan, and find out how to become real Pentecostals."

That might be worth the cost of the book. Now just what would old A.D. Urshan say about the New Birth? Just how did they baptize at Azusa Street?

I went through the whole tract listing and didn't find the classic by NA Urshan, "Why I Don't Have a Television." Maybe he's got one now?

[WyoPastor]

Originally Posted by Jon Carl

The United Pentecostal Church is in trouble. I have a friend who works at the headquarters building and he said that the Media Division and Publishing House were shut down. He said that the Sunday School department laid off the promotions man, Robbie Knox and that many others were asked to take a pay cut.

While there have been changes some of your facts are wrong.

Media is shut down

Word Aflame SS lit has been moved to Sunday School. The Publishing House is still open, but a lot has been out sourced like it should have been years ago.

Bro. Knox is the SS sec. and his position has been made a non-paid position. The Promotions Director, Bro. Sheerin, has been non-paid for several years.

Other hours have been cut and I expect more to come in other departments as Bro. Bernard is trying to make people accountable.

[DAII]

Who holds the executives responsible? What will cover the 5 million dollar debt that has resulted in the last 6 years between PPH and MMD? Who authored the 12 page resolution that was sandbagged through at Columbus almost 3 years ago to create an executive position, Division of publications, that continued the money out these 2 divisions created?

As PPH becomes primarily a design team and with slumping sales , how will the other divisions who receive funding through PPH survive?

Aren't there other exec salaries dependent on PPH?

Who covers the shortfall? Will the 5 million be recovered from PIMs? Will the org declare a perhaps a million dollar budget deficit for the first time in its modern history?

Originally Posted by WyoPastor

While there have been changes some of your facts are wrong.

Media is shut down

Word Aflame SS lit has been moved to Sunday School. The Publishing House is still open, but a lot has been out sourced like it should have been years ago.

Bro. Knox is the SS sec. and his position has been made a non-paid position. The Promotions Director, Bro. Sheerin, has been non-paid for several years.

Other hours have been cut and I expect more to come in other departments as Bro. Bernard is trying to make people accountable.

[DAII]

Originally Posted by DAII

News Bulletin from the General Superintendent
General Board News

Report from the March 2010 General Board Meeting

The Board of General Presbyters met at Hazelwood, Missouri, on March 3-5, 2010, to hear reports from various divisions, departments, and committees and to conduct regular business. Among its actions were the following significant items.

1. Editor in Chief. Robin Johnston was appointed as editor in chief (director of the Division of Publications), subject to ratification by the General Conference. This position has been vacant since the death of Robert Fuller. Brother Johnston, a native of Canada, has served as associate editor for the past three years and has finished the dissertation for his PhD program.

2. Marketing Director (Division of Publications). Mark Christian resigned from this position to become pastor in Leesville, Louisiana. Billy Babb, Pentecostal Publishing House administrator, was appointed to fill the unexpired term. In the last two years, PPH has reduced its number of employees by outsourcing customer service and printing, thus reducing management time and enabling Brother Babb to fill a dual role. The adjustments in PPH were made necessary by changed economic conditions and the transformation of the entire publishing industry by digital technology and other innovations. The Division of Publications is now in the process of developing a comprehensive marketing strategy.

3. Media Missions. Due to an increasing cumulative deficit with a continuation of annual deficits, the General Board voted to suspend operations of this division at the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2010, and to submit a resolution to the General Conference to remove this division from the UPCI Manual. (This action was taken pursuant to UPCI Constitution, Article VI, Section 1, Paragraphs 2-4.) The UPCI will continue to be involved with media but in a revised format, and announcements will be forthcoming soon. In the meantime, it is important to continue existing programs and support. The Home and Foreign Missions Divisions are exploring ways to continue and increase media outreach in their respective areas. Church Administration will oversee the recording, archiving, duplication, and sales of CDs and DVDs of UPCI conferences. The districts will continue to be responsible for their own media needs and can continue to operate Media Missions as a district department.

4. Word Aflame Publications. This department is responsible for producing Sunday School literature, and it is distinct from Word Aflame Press, the label used for publishing books and tracts. The General Board has recommended that the Word Aflame Publications Department be transferred from the Division of Publications to the General Sunday School Division, subject to approval by the General Conference. The transfer will give Sunday School oversight of the writing process beginning with promotion, planning, and budgeting. The Sunday School director is currently the chair of the Curriculum Committee, which plans the literature, and with the change he will now oversee the implementation of these plans. Through the Sunday School Division, Word Aflame Publications will now have district and sectional representatives to assist in promoting the Sunday School literature. The editor in chief will continue to give final approval of the text, the Division of Publications will continue to arrange for printing, marketing, and sales, and net income from sales will continue to be spent as designated by the General Board.

5. Global Impact. The Global Impact Committee will continue to plan the Sunday night of General Conference and to produce a monthly e-newsletter. It will focus on providing resources and assistance to the districts for evangelism and church growth. Each district will develop its own plan to double the number of churches, daughter works, and ministers. For reporting purposes, Global Impact will begin tracking data as of 2010.

6. Talk Points. These small group meetings for younger ministers will continue as planned by the districts.

7. Manual and Directory. For 2011, the UPCI Manual and Directory will be provided digitally, with ministers having the option to request a paper copy.

8. General Conference. Electronic voting will begin in Houston in 2010. The schedule for 2010 has been revised to include instruction and panel discussions on Friday and Saturday afternoons. Sessions will be sponsored by the Youth Division (for young ministers), Home Missions Division, Foreign Missions Division, Sunday School Division, Stewardship Department, New Beginnings, and Urshan Graduate School of Theology.

9. Points of Refuge. This confidential counseling ministry for UPCI ministers and their families will be advertised in the Forward, directory, manual, and UPCI website.

Sincerely in Christ

These talking points have started according to a young minister who attended one.. Gurley and the STD just had an 8 hour "re-indoctrination" meeting where the likes of Fauss and others sat with small groups of ministers to "set them straight".

I understand the Talking Points meeting here TOOK 8 HOURS and the "emergent" label thrown about the room without abandon.