wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Approves Budgets for 2006 and 2007

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ELCA Assembly Approves Budgets for 2006 and 2007
CWA-46-05-JI

     ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) -- The 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) approved budget proposals
for 2006 and 2007 Aug. 13 with no discussion on points of the
proposals.  However, voting members did bring up the need for more
emphasis on tithing, especially from pastors and other church
leaders.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, met here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott
and Convention Center.	About 2,300 people participated,
including 1,018 ELCA voting members.  The theme for the biennial
assembly was "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."
     The adopted budget for 2006 includes a "current fund fiscal
year income proposal" of $81,228,515 and a World Hunger income
proposal of $16,750,000.  For 2007, approval came for a current
fund fiscal year income proposal of $81,539,500 and a World
Hunger income proposal of $17 million.
     The 2006-2007 proposal takes into consideration structural
and organizational changes voting members approved at this
assembly.
     In discussions and reports earlier in the week, leaders of
the churchwide organization emphasized that in recent years,
"flat" or declining revenue available for church operations,
coupled with increased costs, have curtailed the possibility of
expanding ministry and outreach in a number of areas.
     The Rev. Charles S. Miller, executive for administration,
office of the ELCA Presiding Bishop, pointed out in a plenary
session Aug. 9 that such realities have meant that ELCA budgets
have essentially remained at about the same level since the
church body was formed in 1987.
     ELCA Treasurer Christina Jackson-Skelton told the assembly
that if members of the church want balanced budgets, they must
continue to increase revenues and identify new opportunities for
"cost containment."
      In discussion just before the vote on the 2006 and 2007
budgets, Shirley Gangstad, voting member, ELCA Southeastern
Minnesota Synod, said that in her more than 50 years of attending
Lutheran worship services, she had only heard the word "tithing"
mentioned from the pulpit once.
     "I fully realize that tithing is more of a spiritual nature
than a monetary nature," Gangstad said.  "However, if we were
tithing, I don't think we'd be talking about what might we be
able to do with our limited budget.  But I think we might be able
to talk about ... how can we spend all this budgetary money.
What good works can we do all around the world? ... I strongly,
strongly urge ... our pastors and our bishops to use that word--
to use it verbally and to use it spiritually as they live their
lives [and] freely speak to all of us lay people about doing the
same."
     Knute Ogren, voting member, ELCA New England Synod, told the
assembly, "I do like to go around and talk to people about money.
And when I've had the opportunity to visit with people around New
England to talk about money, I've found some of the folks who
need to know about tithing the most are people who wear collars,
who go to seminaries. And I ask questions about how ... the
seminaries talk to their students about money and how to engage
members of our Lutheran congregations on issues of justice
regarding money.  I've heard on several occasions that the
seminaries don't spend much time at all talking about money."
     "Boy, wouldn't it be great," Ogren asked the assembly, "if
our seminaries were challenged with coming up with intentional
programs to help our pastors help the folks in the pews to be
incredibly generous with money?"
     Ogren's next comment got laughter from the assembly.
     "Lutherans are awful, awful givers," he said, adding,
"except for all of us who are here and anyone who happens to be
watching this on the Internet."
     "Well, sir," ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson said to
Ogren, "I think you're going to make the highlights reel."
     The vote to approve the budget proposal was 911-26.
---
     Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/05 on the Web.

For more information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org 
http://www.elca.org/news