wfn.org | Women of the ELCA Budgets $3.9 Million

[ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 13, 1996

WOMEN OF THE ELCA BUDGETS $3.9 MILLION
96-WO-17-BC

     MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Delegates approved a $3.9 million 1997
budget for the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) here July 13 at the organization's Third Triennial Convention.
The convention continues through July 14.
     The vote approving the budget was 462 to 4.  The budget reflects
program expenses of $1.7 million, a gift of $1 million to the ELCA,
almost $600,000 for administration, $340,000 for grants and
scholarships and about $100,000 for the work of the executive board
and travel.
     While there was little discussion of the budget and one minor
amendment offered at the convention's plenary session, delegates
raised questions in an earlier budget hearing about salaries, the gift
to the ELCA and the cost of the convention.  The amendment, which was
approved, called for switching $10,000 from mission and other funds to
support the organization's Braille and tape service.
     At the hearing several women commented that others in their home
synods wanted to know the salaries of Women of the ELCA officials.
Some said they felt salaries should be public to participants because
their contributions go to pay the salaries.
     Dr. Charlotte E. Fiechter, executive director of Women of the
ELCA, told the approximately 30 persons at the hearing, that it is the
policy of the ELCA to protect the confidentiality of employees by
keeping salary amounts private.
     She said she understood the philosophical questions on salaries
but added that the right of confidentiality is held very strongly.
     On the issue of the gift to the ELCA, one woman objected to the
size of it and suggested the gift be reduced.  Jonathan Kalkwarf, the
organization's director of finance and administration, noted the
amount is smaller than in the 1996 budget by $100,000.  He added that
half of the gift was designated to ELCA ministries such as world
hunger, missionary support and works all around the world.
     He explained that Women of the ELCA is provided many services and
office space, data processing and telephones without charge by the
churchwide organization.
     A participant thanked him for the details and asked that such
information be sent out to members.  Kalkwarf told the hearing that he
is planning to provide more financial information in the
organization's next regular publication.
     Another woman commented that participants at home are so curious
that if they don't know what they're paying for they say: "We don't
want to give."  A delegate added that women from her synod felt that
they were "getting double dipped" when they donated to both Women of
the ELCA and to the church because of the women's gift to the ELCA.
     "We are all one," replied another delegate, "Women of the ELCA is
part of the church.  We shouldn't feel badly about giving to the
ELCA."
     As for the cost of the convention, Fiechter told the questioner
that there are many hidden costs to a convention -- insurance,
security, provision of first aid resources for instance -- and
those planning the convention felt they should ask attendees to bear
half the cost of the convention rather than take funds away from
programs and resources.

     For information contact: Ann Hafften, Dir., ELCA News Service,
(312) 380-2958; Frank Imhoff, Assoc. Dir., (312) 380-2955; Lia
Christiansen, Asst. Dir., (312) 380-2956