wfn.org | Not-for-profit organization established for

["Wilma Shuffitt"<wshuffit@oc.disciples.org>]

Disciples building projects
Date: March 16, 1999
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Clifford L. Willis
Email: CWillis@oc.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

99b-16

	INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The governing body of Board of 
Church Extension, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 
March 10, approved establishment of a not-for-profit 
corporation to manage and coordinate volunteer activity of 
new building construction projects.

	BCE is the building planning and financing unit of the 
Indianapolis-based denomination.

	Other partners in the formation of Vision Builders, Inc., 
are the Office of General Minister and President and the 
Homeland Ministries division. Erick D. Reisinger, executive 
vice president, and the Rev. Vertie L. Powers, director of 
New Congregation Establishment, were approved as 1999 BCE 
representatives to the board.  
 
	Others who will serve on the Vision Builders, Inc., board 
are the Rev. Donald B. Manworren, associate general 
minister for administration, Christian Church (Disciples of 
Christ), and two Homeland Ministries representatives still 
to be named.

	The new organization presently is carrying out volunteer 
construction this summer of a first building for New 
Fellowship Christian Church, Columbus, Ohio. Also, Church 
Extension directors approved a building construction loan 
to New Fellowship to finance the project, in cooperation 
with the congregation, region and other partners.

	Board of Church Extension directors also accepted, in 
principal, new operating procedures that include moving 
from four to three meetings annually to exercise better 
stewardship of cost and time. Another significant change in 
directors' meeting procedures will be diversifying 
policy-making from an executive/policy committee to four 
existing committees.

	"A careful process of reorganizing the work has brought 
directors to the point where they will be even more 
effective in focusing on policy and direction -- to do what 
they're called to do," explained the Rev. James L. Powell, 
president, Board of Church Extension.

	Implementation of the new procedures will begin in 2000.

	Reports received during BCE directors' first quarterly 
meeting of the year noted that loan requests of $4.9 
million have been approved in the past three months by 
staff and directors. Loan requests to help finance building 
expansion and improvements for Christian Church (Disciples 
of Christ) congregations and related institutions came from 
17 states plus Puerto Rico.  Requests, ranging in size from 
$3,700 to more than $1 million, will finance 25 projects 
valued at $7.2 million for new construction, remodeling, 
and debt refinancing.

	In other actions, directors confirmed four interest-free 
loan requests totaling $220,000 for congregations in 
California, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Seven congregations 
now have outstanding commitments totaling $387,500 in 
interest-free loans.

	As of Feb. 28, reports showed loan balances of $93.1 
million while the board's assets stood at nearly $113 
million. Investments placed with the board, a primary 
source of loan funds, totaled $89.2 million.

	Other reports showed 562 field visits were made by staff 
and special consultants to provide services to 371 
congregations during 1998. Included were 62 building and 
combined funds campaigns that produced $14 million in 
pledges. The pledges helped to fund capital expansion 
projects and, in some instances, to underwrite combined 
capital and operational budgets.

	First steps were taken in a year-long process of strategic 
planning for ministry by directors and staff with a report 
by Disciples General Minister and President Richard L. 
Hamm. Hamm outlined a profile of the Christian Church 
(Disciples of Christ) and his sense of the future needs and 
directions of the denomination.  

	James E. Morey, president, Morey and Waddell, 
Indianapolis, also spoke to directors as they began 
planning for the coming three years. Morey reported 
highlights of a recently completed marketing audit, looking 
at the effectiveness of BCE services, investments and 
communications in meeting the future needs of Disciples 
members and congregations.

	Other actions by directors included:
	-- Recognizing Linda L. Nodley, who has resigned from the 
BCE staff, for nine years of dedicated service including 
seven years as assistant treasurer and assistant 
secretary.
	 -- Naming Ellen L. Mitchell, assistant vice president for 
development, to serve also as interim assistant secretary 
of the corporation.

	The directors' next meeting will be June 25 - 28 in 
Raleigh, N.C.
 
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