From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


United Methodists lift suspension of NCC funds


From NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>
Date 16 Dec 1999 10:05:50

Dec. 16, 1999	News media contact: Linda Bloom·(212) 870-3803·New York
10-21-71B{672}

NEW YORK (UMNS) - The temporary suspension of United Methodist funding to
the National Council of Churches (NCC) has been lifted.

The Rev. Bruce Robbins, chief executive of the United Methodist Commission
on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, said the commission's
executive committee approved the action during a Dec. 14 conference call.

He told United Methodist News Service he was "relieved and glad" to resume
funding. "I'm appreciative of the hard work that staff members of the
council have done to address the issues at stake," he added.

In response to the commission's action, the Rev. Joan Brown Campbell, the
NCC's top executive, said the council's leaders have "identified historic
problems in the financial infrastructure of the NCC and have recognized
severe difficulties in making much needed changes."

"The United Methodists, quite rightly, pushed us to complete this task," she
said. "Their concern for fiscal stability of the council is appropriate for
a member communion."

In October, the commission had voted to temporarily suspend NCC funding from
the United Methodist Church's Interdenominational Cooperation Fund until it
received answers from the ecumenical body about questions of "past and
future fiscal policies and management." At that point, the NCC had received
a little less than half of the $670,000 to be allocated from that fund this
year. The money was designated for the council's Ecumenical Commitment Fund,
budgeted at $1.5 million for 1999.

The NCC's executive board and general assembly worked to address financial
issues during the agency's 50th anniversary celebration in November, and
Robbins said he was hopeful that funding would resume before the end of the
year. He noted then that the executive committee "made large strides" by
adopting a financial framework for 2000 that included making staff
reductions and setting aside 10 percent of projected income in a reserve
fund.

In a statement issued Dec. 16, the commission said the lifting of the
suspension was effective immediately. "The executive committee received
regular reports on progress over the past two months and believes that the
(council) has made extensive changes and is now essentially in compliance
with these requirements," it reported.

A mutual agreement between the commission and NCC leadership also has been
reached "regarding continuing implementation of policies and practices
providing assurance of the future health of the council."

Campbell said the council has dedicated time and money to answering the
"difficult questions" posed by United Methodists. "We are grateful that we
are able to close 1999 with the blessing of one of our major contributors,"
she added.

Robbins said the executive committee asked him to work with other
denominational leadership "to search for ways to provide our share of
support for (financial) recovery of the National Council."

During an Oct. 5 NCC executive board meeting, Bishop William Boyd Grove,
ecumenical officer for the United Methodist Council of Bishops, made a
"statement of intention" to seek denominational approval for a $700,000
contribution to the NCC's financial recovery plan.

The plan was adopted by the NCC executive board to meet approved but
unbudgeted one-time expenses of nearly $4 million for 1998 and 1999. It asks
for a $2 million commitment from member communions to help meet the debt.

Robbins said the goal is to contribute the additional $700,000 toward the
recovery plan.  

# # #

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://www.umc.org/umns


Browse month . . . Browse month (sort by Source) . . . Advanced Search & Browse . . . WFN Home