On June 11, 2011, the Board of Directors of the Washington Association of Churches, along with the Statewide Council of the Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State, voted to approve the following proposal to merge the two organizations and become Faith Action Network: A Partnership for the Common Good. The remainder of 2011 will be a transition period as the new Governing Board works to transform these two esteemed organizations into a more efficient and effective new entity.

Lutheran Public Policy Office (LPPO) of Washington State &
Washington Association of Churches (WAC) Unity Proposal
June 11, 2011

Intro:

The following proposal to merge LPPO and WAC was developed by a Union Committee comprised of members empowered by each organization’s governing or advisory boards. The committee members include Director Paul Benz, Ron Moe-Lobeda and Bill Grace representing the LPPO Advisory Council and Executive Director Alice Woldt, Sharon Moe (UMC) and Rich Gamble (UCC) representing the WAC board of directors.

The vote for uniting the organizations will occur with an up or down vote on the entire proposal by the gathered assembly of delegates at the Constituting Assembly. This vote will occur at a meeting on June 11, 2011, 12:00 noon-3:00 PM at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 19030 8th Avenue South, SeaTac.

Mission Statement:

“A statewide partnership of faith communities striving for a just and sustainable world through community building, education, and courageous public action.”

Name:

Faith Action Network:  A Partnership for the Common Good

Staffing Plan:

The staff of the two organizations will be retained in the union at current salary levels, with Paul and Alice working as co-directors. In the first six months the new Governing Board will create an appropriate ongoing staffing arrangement consistent with the Vision and Mission of the new organization.  By January, 2012, the Governing Board will have developed a just and equitable compensation plan for all staff.  Current staffing configuration of the two organizations consists of: two FTE Executive Directors, one 0.5 FTE administrator, one FTE administration/communications/development staff person, one 0.75 FTE congregational organizer, and one 0.4 FTE shared seminary intern. LPPO is also seeking a Companis volunteer requiring some financial support.

Governance:

501(c)(3) status will be retained by the WAC and used for the combined organization.

A Constituting Assembly comprised of the Board of Directors of WAC, the Advisory Council of LPPO, and the denominational executives of all member denominations of both organizations, will meet on June 11, 2011. At the opening caucus of that meeting WAC and LPPO will each elect 3 members from their existing board/council to a Governing Board.  Each group of 3 will have Governing Board members who will commit to 1, 2, or 3 years of service (one board member will commit to one year, one member will commit to two years, and one will commit to three years on the board). The members of the Governing Board should represent traditions that actively support the missions of the two organizations with human and financial resources, and should be actively committed to the success of the new organization. Governing Board members should be chosen also for the particular gifts they bring to the board.

The board selection will also strive to have diversity in the following attributes:

• Gender
• Clergy/Lay
• Culture
• Geography
• Generations
• Faith Traditions

Those members of the Constituting Assembly who do not become part of the first 6 members of the Governing Board for the combined organization will be offered the opportunity to serve on an Advisory Council. The 6 members of the Governing Board will then, with recommendations from the Advisory Council, elect 3 more members, for one-, two- and three-year terms, to the Governing Board for a total of 9. The Governing Board should complete its roster by the celebration of the new organization in September if possible, but no later than December 31, 2011.

The Advisory Council, comprised of self-selected members of the Constituting Assembly (former members of the organizations’ boards and denominational executives or their proxies), will advise the work of the combined ministry and its Governing Board, as well as serve as a channel for communication with the wider community. It will determine where and how often it meets. It may also offer positions on the Advisory Council to directors of selected ecumenical organizations who were not part of the Constituting Assembly.

Program:

The new organization will incorporate the current programmatic work of the two organizations:

• Education and community-building

The Faith Action Network will promote projects and activities that build relationships between faith communities as well as between faith communities and other community groups. Through these relationships the organization will develop and encourage supportive networks of shared concern (e.g. training on mental health and veteran issues).

• Advocacy

This will include training and organizing faith communities to participate in public policy advocacy and broader social justice witness. The Faith Action Network will continue the commitment to advocate for the values of our constituent communities as they impact public officials and organizations.

The organization will also add a new dimension to its work:

• Cultural Transformation

The Faith Action Network will develop and utilize the power of our shared theological resources and community relationships to frame public discourse, promote progressive values, and inspire action for justice. This will include providing training, resources, and organization to support a grassroots network of cultural engagement.