wfn.org | ABCUSA: General Board Receives Budget Covenant for First Reading

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

American Baptist News Service (11/15/02)--The General Board of American
Baptist Churches USA last night received for first reading the Common Budget
Covenant that has been prepared and approved by the denomination's General
Executive Council (GEC).

The draft version of the Common Budget Covenant and the related Operating
Guidelines are the result of a process spanning a decade that has included
review of the existing Budget Covenant and the ultimate development of a
proposed new covenant the GEC feels is more responsive to mission priorities
and giving opportunities.

The new covenant presents two plans, the United Stewardship Plan and the
Flexible Stewardship Plan.  The GEC proposal calls for each of the 34
American Baptist regions to choose one.  The United Stewardship Plan follows
the general pattern of the current Common Budget Covenant, with United
Mission a core component and with UM funding to American Baptist regions
increased to 65%.  Under the Flexible Stewardship Plan local churches
determine the percentage allocation of their mission dollars and
individualize their mission giving.

The Operating Guidelines provide the protocols for implementing the
principles outlined in the covenant.  Designed to be changed more readily
than the Common Budget Covenant, the Operating Guidelines is the document
where details responsive to changing situations and values are addressed. 

All 39 covenanting organizations within American Baptist Churches USA must
approve the Budget Covenant.  The General Board will be the first of those
organizations to consider changing the existing covenant.  The GEC has set a
target date of Jan. 1, 2004 to implement the provisions of the new covenant.

A second reading and subsequent action will be scheduled for a future
meeting of the General Board. 

02ABN160	

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (610)768-2077; fax:
(610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org; richard.schramm@abc-usa.org