wfn.org | Begin to study funding

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3232 notes).

Note 3230 by UMNS on Oct. 15, 1996 at 15:49 Eastern (3729 characters).

SEARCH: study, task force, funding, ministry, connectional
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Joretta Purdue                      516(10-30-71B){3230}
          Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722           Oct. 15, 1996

New task force begins 
study of funding ministry

                 by United Methodist News Service

     A broad study of funding the United Methodist Church was
launched by a new 18-member task force Oct. 10-11 in Tampa, Fla.
     Authorized by the 1996 General Conference, the Connectional
Ministries Funding Task Force was established by the
denomination's General Council on Finance and Administration
(GCFA) to study the manner in which the church's connectional
ministries receive financial support.
     The task force will study a wide variety of options for
funding connectional ministries with a first draft to be offered
for feedback from GCFA members at a May 1999 meeting and a revised
draft presented to GCFA in the fall of 1999. The final report will
go to the 2000 General Conference in Cleveland for action.
     At the Tampa meeting, "the task force identified societal and
church issues that impact church giving and began identifying
resources that would help in addressing those issues," said John
Schreiber, GCFA associate general secretary.
     Funding for the task force is coming from the GCFA operating
budget.
     In an earlier teleconference, the task force selected Bishop
Alfred L. Norris of the Northwest Texas-New Mexico Area to be
chairperson. Tracy R. Merrick of Erie, Pa., is vice-chairperson.
     Four members of GCFA serve on the task force, including one
person who is a liaison to the churchwide Connectional Process
Team, also authorized by the 1996 General Conference.
     Other members selected by GCFA include one lay and one clergy
member from each of the five U.S. jurisdictions and three people
selected for special expertise. The General Council on Ministries
(GCOM) named one member.
     Included on the task force are four annual conference
treasurers, two district superintendents and one seminary
president.
     The task force is staffed by Schreiber and Sandra Kelley
Lackore, GCFA general secretary. The Rev. Arvin Luchs, an
associate general secretary of United Methodist Communications,
will resource it for the communications agency.
     Schreiber said the task force invites comments. They may be
directed to any member of the body or to him at the GCFA office in
Evanston, Ill.
     The task force will meet again by teleconference before the
end of the year and will have a face-to-face meeting in the
Chicago area in February 1997.
                              #  #  #

NOTE TO EDITORS: The membership of this task force has not been
reported in whole or in part so all names are listed
alphabetically below, with their annual conferences.
     
David H. Dolsen -- Rocky Mountain
James Ehrman -- East Ohio
The Rev. Edward F. Ezaki -- California-Nevada     
The Rev. Patricia E. Farris --California-Pacific
The Rev. Jonathan Holston -- North Georgia
Donald R. House -- Texas
Aquilino Javier -- Northern Illinois
The Rev. Duk Kyu Kwon -- Northern Illinois
Michael J. McConnell -- New England
Tracy R. Merrick -- Western Pennsylvania
Bishop Alfred L. Norris -- Northwest Texas-New Mexico
Martha A. Scarborough -- Mississippi
The Rev. Lee B. Sheaffer -- Virginia
Mary Silva -- Rio Grande
Jeannie Trevino-Teddlie -- Central Texas
The Rev. Frank E. Trotter Jr. -- Baltimore-Washington
The Rev. Lovett H. Weems, -- Missouri West
The Rev. John W. Woodruff -- Illinois Great Rivers

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