| GCF Committee meeting on 16 – 17 June 2010 in Chicago, USA |
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As in previous meetings in 2008 and 2009 the committee devoted much of its time to the
question of the future of the Global Christian Forum, in terms of funding and operational capacity of the Secretariat. In view of the fact that the next important stage of the Forum process is the second global gathering to take place on 4 – 7 October 2011, the committee
approved a short-term plan for the period July 2010 – December 2011. The plan provides for a staff structure made up of a full-time Secretary, a half-time Assistant and a half-time Secretary for Communication. This is the minimal staffing needed to implement the activities
until the end of 2011 and to make the GCF better known, in particular for the purpose of fundraising. The positions for administrative assistance and communication are to be filled through secondments by churches or organisations which participate in the GCF. The six
months until the end of 2010 will be used to make the arrangements and raise the funds. The plan presents for the first time a consolidated budget combining income and expenses for activities and administration.
In another important action the committee approved the establishment of two Foundations, one in Switzerland and one in the USA, for the purpose of providing legal entities to support the work of the Global Christian Forum. The Foundations will facilitate the reception of financial contributions and the employment of personnel without institutionalizing the GCF itself as an organisation.
The committee reviewed the activities for 2010 which, by coincidence, will all take place in the second half of the year. Besides the already highlighted meetings in Europe, Asia and Latin America (Click on bold) there will be a small meeting in the Middle East to follow up on the Team Visit of last year, and a Team Visit to North America. More news about those two events will be posted soon on the website.
2011 will be the year of the second Global Christian Forum Gathering, four years after the first was held in November 2007 in Limuru, Kenya. The committee confirmed the dates, 4 – 7 October 2011 and decided on the venue : Indonesia ! Click here for more ...
In the first half of 2011 a regional consultation in the Pacific will take place and a sub-regional meeting for Central and Eastern Europe. It was decided to postpone a regional consultation in the Caribbean until after 2011.
Very important also was a decision of the committee to state from now on in all invitation letters for Forum meetings addressed to church leaders that "Every meeting of the GCF includes both women and men, young people as well as more experienced leaders. We encourage you, therefore, if you do not attend yourself, to consider nominating one of the women or young people in your church’s (organisation’s) leadership".
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