Title: ELCA Treasurer Tells Bishops 2005 Financial Year Positive ELCA NEWS SERVICE
March 15, 2006
ELCA Treasurer Tells Bishops 2005 Financial Year Positive 06-039-JB
LAKE GENEVA, Wis. (ELCA) -- The treasurer of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) reported that the ELCA churchwide organization received $3.5 million in operating income over expenses for the fiscal year that ended Jan. 31, 2006. In addition, total contributions in 2005 to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal reached $17.7 million.
Christina Jackson-Skelton reported the positive news March 5 to the ELCA Conference of Bishops. The conference is an advisory body of the church, consisting of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, presiding bishop and secretary. It met here March 2-7.
Unrestricted receipts totaled $81.8 million for fiscal year 2005 compared with $81.2 million in 2004. Related 2005 expenses were $78.3 million, up $1.5 million from 2004, Jackson-Skelton said. Revenue for 2005 was $800,000 ahead of the Church Council- approved budget, while 2005 expenses were below the council's authorized level by $2.6 million.
Mission support funds -- income from congregations through synods to the churchwide organization -- were $65.5 million, down $200,000 from the previous year, the ELCA treasurer said. Thirty- three synods increased mission support in 2005; mission support from 32 synods decreased, Jackson-Skelton said.
Other sources of income supporting the 2005 budget totaled $16.3 million compared with $15.6 million in 2004. These funds included gifts designated for missionary sponsorship and Vision for Mission, income from bequests, trusts and endowments, support from the ELCA Mission Investment Fund, fraternal grants and other income, Jackson-Skelton said.
Of the total $17.7 million given to the World Hunger Appeal, a record $17 million was for the general World Hunger Appeal, as compared to $16.2 million one year ago. Some $700,000 was designated, most of which was given to "Stand With Africa," a churchwide effort to support specific ministry projects in Africa. ELCA world hunger income was "especially gratifying" in light of the significant contributions members gave in response to disasters in 2005, she said.
ELCA members' 2005 contributions to disaster response were "unprecedented," Jackson-Skelton said.
"Disaster response once again dominated both the world and church news last year, with ELCA members contributing $36.8 million in 2005 compared to $10.5 million in 2004," Jackson- Skelton wrote in her report, adding that an additional $900,000 was provided through external grants. Nearly $26 million of the 2005 funds were designated for hurricane relief, and $6.2 million was designated for response to the South Asia tsunami which occurred in December 2004.
In 2006 ELCA Domestic Disaster Response expects to receive $5.6 million in federal grants for hurricane relief, she said.
Jackson-Skelton concluded her report by thanking the synod bishops for the work they did to contribute to the church's overall financial success in 2005.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog