The Office of Leadership Development and Recruitment for Leaders of Color, plans, coordinates and promotes leadership institutes for leaders of color and women. Leadership institutes identify, equip and connect leaders of color, who are Ministers of Word and Sacrament and Ruling Elders, with leadership opportunities in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This ministry also strengthens and nurtures the gifts of leaders or color and women and inspires them to greater leadership roles in congregations, mid councils and in General Assembly agencies. This ministry implements the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Leader Formation goal by seeking, developing, and energizing diverse leaders, who are answering God’s call to equip the church to be a welcoming place of worship, mission, and spiritual nurture for all of God’s children, especially those who have been marginalized.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has an institutional relationship agreement with three historically Presbyterian Institutions Equipping Communities of Color, that educate students of color for professions of their choice, taking into account their racial and cultural heritage. The office provides staff support to the Presidents Roundtable of the historically Presbyterian Institutions Equipping Communities of Color.
The ministry also assist church leaders in starting new and transforming existing worshiping communities through mission program grants. The Office of Mission Program Grants carries out this work in conjunction with the Mission Development Resources Committee, which is responsible for allocating funding to projects and the development of policies and procedures for grants in the program.
The Leadership Development & Recruitment for Leaders of Color office recruits people of color for leadership opportunities in the PC(USA). The ministry also empowers leaders of color and women to serve fully in the life of the church through opportunities to explore vocational discernment and networking. The office works to create an awareness of systemic racism in the church, and create an environment where Presbyterians of color, new immigrants, and women in congregations, mid councils and other groups can serve fully in ministry and leadership.
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