wfn.org | GAC Increases Mission Budgets in Wake of 1996 Surplus

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

12-February-1997 
97080 
 
      GAC Increases Mission Budgets in Wake of 1996 Surplus 
 
                      by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--Buoyed by positive financial reports for 1996, the General 
Assembly Council voted Feb. 9 to submit higher-than-anticipated income 
budgets for 1998 and 1999 to the upcoming General Assembly in Syracuse, 
N.Y. 
 
     The projected income increases amount to $1 million for 1998 and a 
little more than $2 million for 1999.  They came on the heels of a report 
from the Council's Corporate and Administrative Services (CAS) Committee 
that unified, or undesignated, giving to the 1996 General Assembly mission 
budget declined by 1.43 percent, far less than the 5 percent decline that 
was budgeted. 
 
     CAS chair Fred Denson of Webster, N.Y., told the Council that, based 
on the 1996 income results, "our income figures may be too conservative and 
some adjustments may be necessary."  He said the budgeted income increases 
for 1998 and 1999 are based on "flat" unified income rather than the 5 
percent decline that has been built into the mission budgets for several 
years. 
 
     "Income is calculated on educated guesses, but mostly on prayer," 
Denson said.  "We're willing to step out in faith."  Unified giving 
declined by 6.01 percent in 1994 and by 6.54 percent in 1995. 
 
     The 1997 mission budget of $117.1 million was not changed.  Instead, 
the budget surplus from 1996 -- a little more than $1 million, due to the 
unexpectedly high unified income plus a hefty underexpenditure of the 
budget by Louisville agencies -- will enable the 1997 budget to balance 
without any further cuts.  The 1998 expenditure budget, which the Council 
endorsed and sent on to the Assembly for adoption, totals $115.65 million. 
 
     The Council authorized its executive committee to bring a report to 
the Assembly identifying "critical projects to receive increases" as a 
result of the increased budgeted income. 
 
     "Do something dramatic and specific," urged the Rev. Richard Hutchison 
of Ft. Wayne, Ind. "Tell the church,  Here's what we can now do because you 
gave more,' and tell them,  Give more and we'll do more.'" 
 
     The Rev. Daniel Massie of Kingsport, Tenn., asked if CAS had discussed 
the potential financial fallout of the results of voting on Amendment B 
(the so-called "fidelity and chastity" amendment). "Yes, we have," Denson 
replied.  "We've placed it in God's hands." 

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