wfn.org | Congregational Ministries Division Balances 1998 Budget

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20-November-1996 
 
 
96467    Congregational Ministries Division Balances 1998 
         Budget Without Cutting Mission Programs or Staff 
 
                         by Julian Shipp 
 
MONTREAT, N.C.--During a Nov. 13-16 meeting here lauded for its Christian 
spirit despite its weighty nature, the Congregational Ministries Division 
(CMD) Committee and its affiliated covenant groups balanced the division's 
1998 budget without eliminating any of its 29 mission programs or staff. 
 
     Continuing its September discussion on ways to diminish the impact of 
shrinking unified or unrestricted giving on its mission programs, CMD 
Committee members prayerfully devoted a full day of their time together to 
mission prioritization and future budgets. 
 
     "It is my belief that the Holy Spirit truly does work in the 
collective mind of those who come together in an openness and willingness 
to solve a problem," said the Rev. Eunice Poethig, CMD director. "It has 
worked. The Holy Spirt has truly been at work for us to have gone through 
this difficult process without the kind of conflict, outward hostility or 
residue of hurt that could have resulted. 
 
     "Nobody got hurt, though nobody at this table got everything they 
wanted to get," Poethig said.  "We have come through this, I think, much 
stronger. Very often church prioritizing activities come out with a very 
odd selection of things, so that you can't really determine what the 
priorities are. That didn't happen. The CMD Committee has come out with a 
set of priorities which have integrity and which make some sense."  
      
     With more than 25 percent of the division's $20 million budget covered 
by unified funds, a projected $2.4 million decrease in unified giving to 
the 1998 General Assembly mission budget spells potential problems for CMD. 
However, division officials hope to stem the tide of this continuing 
economic decline by developing a plan of action and implementation. 
 
     In order to balance its 1998 budget, CMD trimmed $465,000 from its 
portion of unified funding.  According to the Rev. John G. McFayden of 
Woodbridge, Va., CMD Executive Committee member and Stewardship Committee 
chair, that figure represents the division's relative percentage of the 
overall decline in unrestricted giving. 
 
     The CMD's budget comes with the following three recommendations: 
 
     *     that a comprehensive plan toward self-support be approved and 
           encouraged for the following programs: 
      
          Theological Education Fund (1% Plan) Support 
          Presbyterian Book and Resource Center/Conference Sales 
          Institute for Christian Formation 
          Asian-American Leader Development 
          Conference Center Ministries 
          Ministry to Men 
          Family Ministry Team 
          Older Adult Ministry 
 
     *    that staff redirect funds from Stewardship Support for Middle 
          Governing Bodies to higher priorities in the Stewardship program 
          area 
     *     that the Office of Theology and Worship be encouraged to seek 
select funds (i.e., extra 
          commitment opportunities, individual gifts and endowments) for 
expanded leader 
          development programs and broader theological representation. 
 
     Lynn Jostes of Sarasota, Fla., acting CMD Committee chair, said the 
biggest change in the budget came from taking $106,000 in promotional fees 
and salaries for special offerings from the offerings themselves. 
Implementation of this action, which is scheduled to begin in 1998, was 
approved by the 208th General Assembly (1996). 
 
     "All of the program areas in [the] CMD participated in the 
deductions," Jostes told the Presbyterian News Service. "Everyone brought 
monies to the table to be considered. It was an equitable process and staff 
and elected people worked hard to make it possible to not have to cut 
programs or staff." 
      
     Summarizing the CMD Executive Committee's report on the 1998 budget, 
McFayden cited the following four proposals to deal with the projected 
decline: 
 
    *     Increase revenue in unified giving, special offerings and fees 
          for events. 
    *     Charge fees for services for clients and special offering 
          promotion. 
    *     Increase the sale of resources. 
    *     Reduce staff and programs, but only as a last resort. 
           
                   The Prioritization Process  
      
      Following  prayer, a briefing from Christian Education, Christian 
Faith and Life, Stewardship officials and Poethig on the work of their 
respective program areas and a teleconference on the overall unified budget 
from the Rev. David Dawson, executive presbyter of Shenango Presbytery and 
member of the Comprehensive Strategy for Mission Funding Work Group, CMD 
Committee members broke into small groups to prioritize the division's 29 
mission programs. 
 
     After three rounds of prioritization and a closed session by the CMD 
Executive Committee, the division's mission programs were listed for all to 
see. The order of prioritization, which CMD leaders caution is not an 
indication of mission significance, but rather a framework for the 
allocation of unified funding, is: 
 
     Curriculum, Congregational Resources for Stewardship Education, 
Interpretation of General Mission, Media Services, 
Discipleship/Spirituality (resources and services), Worship Education and 
Resources, Youth Ministry, Special Offering/Theological Education Fund 
Promotion, Young Adult Ministry, Stewardship Education/Training for 
Pastors, Council on Theological Education (support and coordination), 
Theological Resources/Conferences and Support, Educational Advocates 
Network Support, Church Officer Development, Division Administration, 
Research Services, Resource Center Staff Support, Children's Ministry 
Network, Educator Network, Theological Education Fund (1% Plan) Support, 
Peacemaking, Presbyterian Book and Resource Center and Conference Book 
Sales, Institute for Christian Formation (education and training), 
Stewardship Work with Middle Governing Body Staff, Asian-American Leader 
Development, Conference Center Ministries, Ministry to Men, Family 
Ministries Team and Older Adult Ministry. 
 
     Following the prioritization process, several CMD Committee members 
expressed regret over having to make what was described as "a tough choice" 
but satisfaction over what was described as a "fair and equitable process." 
 
     "It was not an easy process, but there was a great spirit of 
cooperation in suggesting the directions we might take," Jostes said. 
 
     "It's difficult to know the details and characteristics of each 
program without knowing the specific histories of each one," said CMD 
Committee member Warren Barnes of Sacramento, Calif. 
 
     "It's an important process, but one which we had no choice but to 
engage in," McFayden said. 
 
     "It was not a desirable project, but we had to allocate our resources 
as best we could," said CMD Committee member W. Frank Kearney of 
Shepherdstown, W. Va. 
 
     Dawson said it's important to note that the practice of unified giving 
in the denomination began in the 1920s and no one knows exactly how long 
the decline will continue in the PC(USA) and other mainline denominations. 
Consequently, he said, the church can expect to continue to make "tough, 
difficult decisions" about mission prioritization in the years ahead. 
 
                         The Budget Buzz  
      
     In July, Youngil Cho, chair of the General Assembly Council (GAC), met 
with the Staff Leadership Team to set in motion a budget prioritization 
process by establishing a proportionate standard of  70/30 percent. The GAC 
and staff have the task of  identifying the 70 percent portion of the 
budget it considers the higher priority and the 30 percent portion it 
considers a lesser priority. 
 
     Because there is considerable variation in the work of each division 
and the way in which it is funded, the impact of budget reductions will 
vary greatly from one division to another. Some programs rely heavily on 
unified funds while others are funded mainly through other means. 
 
     Some programs are better able to generate revenue from the resources 
and services they provide.  According to church leaders, however, one thing 
is clear -- some reorganization and elimination of current activities will 
occur in 1998. 
 
     "Almost our entire denominational system of leader development for 
congregational ministries is at risk," Poethig said. "Parts are already 
gone. We need revisions in the funding system that will allow people in the 
pews to give directly to the program areas now funded by general mission 
giving." 
      
     November 18 was the deadline for the CMD, Worldwide and National 
Ministries divisions to submit their respective budgets and recommendations 
to G.A. "Pat" Goff, director of Corporate and Administrative Services 
(CAS). 
 
      On Dec. 6 this information will be presented and discussed with GAC 
and CAS officials, division leaders and middle governing body 
representatives during a 1998 budget consultation in Louisville, Ky. 

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