wfn.org | NCC, Church World Service look to 'new relationship'

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Oct. 6, 1999	News media contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York
10-21-71B{514}

NOTE: This report may be used as a sidebar to UMNS story #513.

NEW YORK (UMNS) - The development of a "new relationship" between the
National Council of Churches (NCC) and one of its units, Church World
Service and Witness, was approved Oct. 5 by the council's executive board.

A negotiating team will meet Oct. 13 to begin that work. United Methodist
Bishop Melvin Talbert, who heads the church's San Francisco Area, will be
part of the team. He is an executive board member and a past president of
the council.

The goal, Talbert said, is to allow Church World Service and Witness to
focus its energies primarily on its relief and mission work, freeing the NCC
to concentrate more on promoting unity among its member communions.

Talbert added that the re-configuration also would allow the unit full
authority over the expenditure of its funds, which had been a point of
tension in the past.

Mia Adjali, a United Methodist executive board member who has been active in
that unit, believes the new arrangement will provide a greater ability to
implement program responsibilities and relate to U.S. constituencies "that
have been so faithful in raising funds for the ecumenical community to be
present around the world." 

She noted that Church World Service and Witness works not only in times of
disaster and work, but also with reconstruction and development and by
witnessing for peace, justice and the protection of human rights.

The executive board approved a "statement of common assumptions and
principles" to help guide the negotiating team. The assumptions hold that
the two bodies:
	*	Agree to share a common vision, ecumenical partnership and
common public policies, and will be linked through inter-related boards;
	*	Will implement the reconfiguration of the operational
relationship as soon as possible and share proportionately in any costs
associated with that task;
	*	Will allow the combined finance committees to identify and
negotiate division of assets.

All international relationships of the NCC that have links through Church
World Service and Witness will remain as relationships of the whole entity.

Under the principles adopted, the two bodies will speak with one public
voice in matters of policy; develop a joint communications strategy; share
common management policies; define shared costs; maintain financial
integrity and clarify leadership roles.

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