wfn.org | GA Approves Budgets for 1997, 1998, and 1999

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

19-June-1997 
GA97082 
 
       General Assembly Approves Budgets for 1997, 1998, and 1999 
 
                            by Dee Wade 
 
SYRACUSE--The 209th General Assembly, in one of its first actions taken on 
the first day of plenary deliberations, reviewed final budget information 
for 1996, approved a revised mission budget for 1997, and approved budgets 
for General Assembly mission and program for 1998 and 1999. 
 
    By a simple show of hands, commissioners approved  budgets which show a 
reversal of recent trends in the income side of the balance sheet.  After 
several years of decline,  giving from congregations is increasing, 
allowing these budgets to grow again, though slowly and after reaching a 
"trough" in the middle year.  In 1997, the revised budget total is 
$117,133,532.  In 1998, projections show a slight decrease to $116,532,644. 
In 1999, the budget is expected to grow above 1997 levels to $117,442,180. 
 
    The motion to approve the budgets for 1998 and 1999 included a 
description of the approval as a "step of faith" and it invited "response 
by the church to this challenge."  The motion included thanks to the 
Corporate and Administrative Services arm of the church for the helpful way 
its staff presented information. 
 
    The moderator of the Assembly Committee on Mission Budgets, the Rev. 
Kyung Il Ghymn, brought the budget report to the General Assembly.  He 
reminded the audience that his committee would be back on Saturday morning 
to reconcile any financial implications that might derive from decisions 
made by commissioners over the next few days.  General Assembly policies 
require that Assembly budgets be balanced. 

------------
For more information contact Presbyterian News Service
  phone 502-569-5504             fax 502-569-8073  
  E-mail PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org   Web page: http://www.pcusa.org 
  mailed from World Faith News <wfn-news@wfn.org>  

--