Title: ELCA Council Acts to Strengthen Mission Funding ELCA NEWS SERVICE
April 20, 2007
ELCA Council Acts to Strengthen Mission Funding 07-065-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) received and took a series of actions surrounding a report submitted by the Blue Ribbon Committee on Mission Funding -- a committee the council constituted to study the funding policies and practices of the ELCA.
The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. The council met here April 14-16. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-11.
In 2006 a 10-member committee was appointed to study mission support -- funds from congregations through synods to the churchwide organization -- stewardship education, planned giving, and designated and restricted giving, all aimed at strengthening the future financial resources of the ELCA. The idea to create the committee originated with the ELCA Conference of Bishops, an advisory body of the church consisting of the 65 synods bishops, secretary and presiding bishop of the church, and a proposal was approved by the Church Council in November 2005.
In presenting the committee's report and actions to the council, Grieg L. Anderson, Portland, Ore., council member, noted that, although members of the church have continued to increase financial giving in congregations, there has been a decline in mission support over the years. Anderson was also co-chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee.
"We need to turn that (decline) around to do mission in the church as a whole. That's what we're here for and why we were called on to act," said Anderson, a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee. He said recommendations contained in the report are "not a quick fix" but are "fundamental, foundational actions, something that will serve the church for a long time." Anderson expressed gratitude for those who are taking immediate action in making the "recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Committee active and alive even as we speak."
The report -- "Mission Flowing from God's Abundance" -- includes a history on patterns of giving in the ELCA and its predecessor church bodies, a description of the pattern of decline in mission support, a theology of stewardship, a philosophy of mission funding, mission support outcomes and goals.
The Rev. Jennifer J. Thomas, Milwaukee, a member of the council and the Blue Ribbon Committee, specifically highlighted mission support outcomes and goals.
"We're expecting rostered leaders to lead, and that this will change the culture of the church of how we are stewards and how we support the expressions, institutions and agencies of this church," Thomas told the council.
The council commended members of the committee for their "creative and diligent efforts" on behalf of the church. It requested that the presiding bishop implement recommendations related to the church's 2008 expenditure and staffing outlined in the report. The council delegated oversight and coordination of the report's implementation to the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop with "specific measurements and evaluation cycles" to be presented to the council at its November 2007 meeting, along with progress reports through April 2008. It also urged the Office of the Presiding Bishop to develop, with the council's support, ways to foster a "deeper understanding" of the ELCA's "ecclesiology, polity and philosophy" on mission funding.
In a separate action, the council transmitted the report to the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly and asked that it adopt a resolution intended to give thanks for the "faithful members and abundant resources" in the church, acknowledge "God's summons to be good stewards" and maintain responsible management of resources, commend the content of the report for study and reflection throughout the church, foster renewed commitment to "vigorous mission support" efforts and more.
Seeking participation from the Conference of Bishops, the council offered to "assist the bishops in their role as leaders in fostering support for the work of this church by being a forum for discussion of annual mission support plans and serving as a means of providing advice and counsel to the Church Council in the council's responsibility for approval of those plans."
Council Approves Feasibility Study of Fund Appeal
The council initiated work on a feasibility study of a fundraising effort that would benefit the ELCA churchwide organization and the church's 65 synods. The council asked several units of the churchwide organization "to proceed with the steps required for a professionally conducted feasibility study."
The ELCA Grand Canyon Synod, which includes congregations in Arizona and southern Nevada, asked the 2005 Churchwide Assembly to authorize an appeal to raise money "for the establishing of new congregations." The assembly referred the request to several units of the church, asking for a report to the council. The council referred the Grand Canyon Synod's request to the Blue Ribbon Committee.
In background material provided to the council, the Blue Ribbon Committee affirmed the feasibility study and recommended initially that it study an appeal that would benefit "new congregations, theological education and global mission."
"The committee believes that this appeal will give this church a burst of focused energy and thus is worth the expenses related to organizing and implementing the appeal. The appeal will be a tangible reminder that this is one church and that the responsibility to assist key areas of our ministry in taking on new life is shared," it said.
The background material suggested a committee of synod and churchwide representatives be constituted immediately after the 2007 Churchwide Assembly, that the feasibility study be conducted in 2008, and that a proposal for an appeal be brought to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. It also suggested using the 25th anniversary of the ELCA in 2012 as a focal point for the appeal.
The Church Council asked that a report on the results of the feasibility study be given at its April 2009 meeting.
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