wfn.org | New PPC Offerings Concern Hubbard Press and Church Officials

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19-May-1998 
98182 
 
    New PPC Offerings Concern 
    Hubbard Press and Church Officials 
 
    by Julian Shipp 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.-The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC) recently 
announced the addition of an offering envelope service and an electronic 
funds transfer stewardship program to its growing list of congregational 
resources. However, Hubbard Press and church officials say the new 
additions could threaten other church publishing entities, are confusing to 
customers and offer a questionable means of practicing stewardship. 
 
    PPC has contracted with American Paper Group's AmericanChurch division 
to offer the new resources under the name "Presbyterian Offering Systems." 
According to PPC officials, the systems feature weekly offering envelopes 
in a variety of styles that can be imprinted with a church's own message 
and the option of electronic funds transfer (EFT). PPC officials say these 
services help church members develop good stewardship habits and, in turn, 
help them reduce budget strains by improving fund-raising efforts. 
 
    "The Presbyterian Offering Systems is a comprehensive program of 
offering resources for Presbyterian congregations," said the Rev. Thomas G. 
Long, director of Congregational Resources and Geneva Press. "[It's] very 
versatile and gives many choices to Presbyterian congregations, large and 
small, urban and rural." 
 
    PPC is the official publisher of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and 
produces educational resources for Presbyterian congregations and members, 
theological and religious books, and other material for a wider audience. 
 
    Founded by the Rev. William H. Hubbard  in 1911 and turned over to the 
Presbyterian Church in 1913, Hubbard Press produces a variety of envelopes 
and record forms, but is mandated to sell products solely to PC(USA) 
congregations. 
 
                    The Offering Envelope Service 
 
    According to PPC officials, this service includes an envelope mailing 
program, customized and basic boxed sets, standard message or custom 
message boxed sets, special offering envelopes (including seasonal and 
special funding), pew envelopes, visitor cards, multicolored envelopes for 
adults and a children's stewardship series. 
 
    Davis Perkins, PPC president and publisher, said the competition factor 
with Hubbard Press is "negligible" since Hubbard  has a strong market niche 
with boxed offering envelopes and PPC does not compete with them because 
Hubbard's product is cheaper. 
 
    Moreover, Perkins said, PPC never claimed it would not compete with 
other church publishing entities - except on the official denominational 
curriculum - since it is the PC(USA) publisher by order of the 208th 
General Assembly (1996). 
 
    "Our program is much more expansive and allows congregations greater 
diversity and customization," Perkins told the Presbyterian News Service. 
"The electronic funds transfer component in particular will be a tremendous 
benefit to our congregations who choose to use it, and this is something 
Hubbard doesn't offer. So, as with our Congregational Resources in the 
curriculum arena, we are simply providing PC(USA) churches with choices." 
 
    But Robert D. McKee, interim director of the General Assembly Council's 
(GAC) Technology and Finance Office (TAFO), said his greatest concern is 
the fact that Hubbard Press contributes most of its earnings to the GAC's 
mission budget through unrestricted funds. "We've already received $50,000 
this year from Hubbard Press," McKee said. "At this point, I don't believe 
we're receiving anything from Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, so I 
would hope that nothing would happen to destroy the ability of Hubbard 
Press to continue that contribution." 
 
    Actually, PPC does contribute to the denomination. For instance, the 
corporation donates staff time for production of the every-household 
publication "Presbyterians-Being Faithful to Jesus Christ" and recently 
initiated the Price H. Gwynn Leadership Series that it sends free of charge 
to PC(USA) leaders. PPC also publishes denominational material at a loss as 
a service to the denomination (such as the forthcoming Spanish-language 
hymnal). Moreover, PPC produced the "Great Ends of the Church" video on 
behalf of all six General Assembly entities at its expense. 
 
    McKee also noted that what PPC produces today is not necessarily what 
it will produce in the future. For instance, he said, "what if church 
members tell PPC they want products that  Hubbard Press currently provides? 
Will PPC recommend they order from Hubbard Press or adapt to customer 
demand?" 
 
    Debbie Sexton, general manager of Hubbard Press and associate director 
of TAFO's Presbyterian Distribution Service, said the fact that PPC has 
entered into an agreement with AmericanChurch, one of Hubbard Press's 
direct competitors, concerns her for several reasons. 
 
    "[Hubbard Press] obviously has a limited market," Sexton told the 
Presbyterian News Service. "But my biggest concern is that customer 
confusion will impair our ability to service our customers efficiently. 
Customers are calling. They're confused. They're not sure who they've 
placed their order with now or who they're supposed to place their order 
with." 
 
    "The provider we are using for our program, AmericanChurch, is an 
industry leader among mainline Protestant denominations," Perkins said. "We 
felt it was time the PC(USA) had the same range of stewardship tools the 
United Methodists, ELCAs, Disciples and Southern Baptists have." 
 
              Electronic Funds Transfer Stewardship Program 
 
    "EFT," or electronic funds transfer, is a process by which money is 
automatically deducted from a contributor's bank account each month and is 
deposited directly, in this case into a church's account. According to PPC 
officials, EFT creates a reliable source of funds for a church and can 
significantly increase fulfillment of pledges. 
 
    PPC officials say the most apparent benefit is a dependable cash flow, 
even from church members who are not able to attend church every Sunday, 
such as retired people who travel or live in other areas during the winter 
months and business people who spend a great deal of time on the road. 
 
    Perkins said EFT is a "simple and convenient" program for both the 
denomination and its members. Contributors find it attractive because it 
reduces paperwork and helps keep track of yearly pledges and contributions, 
which appear on monthly bank statements. Churches benefit from reduced 
overhead costs because there is no need to process checks or send reminder 
notices. Regular giving helps churches create budgets that reflect 
fund-raising revenues. 
 
    Perkins said PPC discussed its program with GAC personnel before it was 
launched. He said Long talked to Sexton and Sandra Sorem, associate 
director for stewardship in the Congregational Ministries Division (CMD), 
in the hope that PPC could integrate stewardship themes from Sorem's area 
into the material offered via PPC's program. 
 
    "The bottom line is that we think the PPC program provides additional 
tools for our churches as they endeavor to thrive and not simply survive," 
Perkins said. "The electronic funds transfer is an especially exciting 
application of an existing technology, but it's a totally new application 
for our churches. In short, we believe our program is a creative response 
to the needs and expectations of our members." 
 
    Keith Wulff, the CMD's associate for research services, said that of 
the denomination's 2.6 million members, 35 percent are ages 65 and older 
and 43 percent are ages 50 and under. Given that, McKee said he wonders how 
PPC's EFT program will be received by Presbyterians, who may or may not be 
comfortable with using electronic means for making church pledges or 
offerings. 
 
    "One of the things that I think people are beginning to look at is how 
much of this [EFT] stuff is automatically going to hit their bank account 
and how do they keep track of it," McKee said, adding many people already 
pay their monthly mortgage, auto and insurance payments through EFTs. 
 
    Claude Godwin, the GAC's associate for mission funding, said he wonders 
what will happen to the offering segment of church worship if the majority 
(or a significant minority) of a congregation shifts toward EFTs. "Are 
people going to feel strange not putting something in the plate?" Godwin 
asked. 
 
     "There's been some discussion around providing envelopes or a card 
even for people who are doing electronic funds transfer, just so they can 
put something in the plate," he said. "I don't have any hard data for you, 
but I've heard conversations from people who say that already a majority of 
their members are either using electronic funds transfer or are writing one 
check a quarter or one check a year." 
 
    It would appear offering envelopes and/or electronic funds transfers 
are theologically neutral, and that anything that makes it easier for 
Presbyterians to contribute to their church would be Reformed tradition 
friendly. But that's not necessarily so, according to the Rev. David 
McCreath, the CMD's coordinator for stewardship education. 
 
    That's primarily because the "Directory for Worship" section 
(W-2.5003c) of the "Book of Order" states, "During public worship, at an 
appropriate time, and as an act of thanksgiving, the tithes and offerings 
of the people are gathered and received." 
 
    "That's why I think we have to do something to reclaim the offering," 
McCreath said. "The actual act of doing an electronic funds transfer is no 
problem, but how do you do it as a worshipful experience if you don't have 
anything to put in the offering plate? That's where Reformed people get in 
a bit of a bind." 
 
    The debate is sure to continue, but for the moment many church 
officials agree EFTs are not stewardship programs, but another method to 
help people pay church pledges. "EFTs should not take the place of 
stewardship," Godwin said. "For a church to think `Ah-ha! Now we don't have 
to do anything about stewardship - we have electronic funds transfer' would 
be a serious mistake." 

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