wfn.org | NCC sees solvency ahead, seeks ways to do more with less

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

June 4, 2001      News media contact: Joretta Purdue ·(202)
546-8722·Washington    10-71B{255}

NOTE: This report may be used with UMNS story #256.

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - The National Council of Churches of Christ (NCC) is
expecting black ink instead of red and exploring new partnerships to further
its ecumenical goals.

The council's executive board, meeting May 30-31, heard that the
organization expects to end its fiscal year June 30 with a deficit of about
$730,000, which will be covered by the NCC's approximately $3.45 million in
reserves. The board approved a budget for the year starting July 1 that is
expected to produce almost $11,000 in surplus and result in 10 percent of
the operating budget being placed into reserves. The budget is 2 percent
smaller than this year's.

After experiencing financial problems that depleted reserves by about $6
million, the NCC asked its member churches in 1999 to contribute millions to
restore its solvency. Some of the larger churches, including the United
Methodist Church, required changes in NCC financial administration and
accountability before releasing money to the council.

During this period, the NCC and Church World Service, which was the
council's relief and witness arm, restructured into mostly separate
organizations. The Rev. Bob Edgar, a United Methodist and former college
president and congressman, took over as chief executive at the beginning of
2000. Other changes have included reductions in staff.

The NCC is in its first year of a 10-year initiative to mobilize Christians
and the interfaith community against poverty. The organization is exploring
new partnerships as it continues working in traditional ones, such as with
the Children's Defense Fund.

A new, informal relationship has been established with Habitat for Humanity
International, a 25-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to making
decent housing available to poor families. Millard Fuller, founder and
president, told the NCC board May 30 that by working together, the council,
its member churches and Habitat for Humanity could use "the theology of the
hammer" to eliminate poverty or substandard housing. 

"For 25 years, I have desired a relationship with the National Council of
Churches," he said. He announced that Edgar would be joining a group that
includes former President Jimmy Carter and the president of South Korea to
build a Habitat house in that country in August.

The board received on first reading a proposal for cooperative efforts with
Families USA regarding the issue of health care for the poor. 

The board also authorized exploratory conversations with the American Bible
Society, with an eye to the next ecumenical translation of the Bible. The
NCC holds the copyright to the Revised Standard Version and the more recent
New Revised Standard Version. At the same time, the board committed the
council to examine its own expectations for continued ecumenical translation
and use of Scripture. 

Other explorations have begun that could result in the formation of a
broader, more ecumenical organization to replace the NCC, in line with an
intent expressed last year. Conversations with the National Conference of
Catholic Bishops' committee on ecumenical and religious affairs and the
Salvation Army are slated for September.

The Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. presented the
report of the board's Vision Committee, which was formed last year to
explore ways of building a new ecumenical ministry on a broader base than
the NCC. The board affirmed the report, which included urging rededication
to the "marks of commitment" the churches had adopted in 1992 as well as
seeking new partners. The board asked the committee to continue to play a
role in developing ecumenical relationships until it is replaced.

During this meeting, the board members also heard:
·	Hannah Rosenthal of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs urge them
to ask policymakers to talk about eliminating poverty instead of eliminating
welfare.
·	Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of
Reform Judaism, highlight crossroads issues such as human rights and
sustainable economic development in foreign policy, and church-state
relationships in domestic policy.
·	Ziad Asali, chairman of the American Committee on Jerusalem, note
that the city is sacred to Muslims, Christians and Jews, and that it should
be shared, with no monopoly for any group, equal rights for all people and
no privileged religion or nationality.

NCC board members also participated in an observance of the 1,700th
anniversary of Armenia's conversion to Christianity. 
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United Methodist News Service
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