wfn.org | Funding Task Force Issues Progress Report

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)]

Reply-to: owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)
"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (291
notes).

Note 291 by UMNS on Aug. 29, 1997 at 15:43 Eastern (3967 characters).

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Joretta Purdue                           479(10-71B){291}
          Washington, D.C. (202) 546-8722             Aug. 29, 1997

Funding patterns task force invites comments
with progress report, response form

by United Methodist News Service
 
     A progress report is being submitted to United Methodists by
the Connectional Ministry Funding  Patterns Task Force 1997-2000
for reflection and discussion. 
     The 2+-page report was presented first at the New Annual
Conference Cabinet Members Training Event held at Lake Junaluska,
N.C., Aug. 25-29.
      Sandra Kelley Lackore, staff head of the church's General
Council on Finance and  Administration (GCFA), presented the
document to the district superintendents and annual conference
council directors there, but the document will be circulated
through a variety of means both at meetings and through
communications avenues. It and a response form also are available
from GCFA on request.
     The 18-member task force is the result of a charge to GCFA by
the 1996 General Conference to establish a group to study the
denomination~s ministry funding patterns.
After a two-paragraph quotation about discipleship from the Book
of Discipline, the  report  succinctly  reviews the situation of
the church and poses eight reflection questions, some of which
have more than one part. 
     It observes that society always has been in change, but today
the pace of change has quickened.
      ~Members are making lifestyle changes that seem to promote
individualism, an apparent distrust of organizations and an
unfilled appetite for consumer goods,~  it says. ~Lifestyle
changes are contrasted by a church that is losing membership, is
showing a decline in Sunday school attendance, has fewer
congregations, is composed of an aging membership and does not
reflect the current cross section of the general population.~ It
further notes the total worship attendance, however, has been
relatively stable for the past 21 years.
     Three questions follow, including  ~How are the changes of
our society and our church affecting the stewardship concepts of
our church?~
     The authors, a writing team drawn from the task force,
comment that  many congregations do not have a compelling vision
and are divided over theological and social issues.  They
continue, ~There seems to be a perception that local mission has
become a higher priority than global mission; yet, members do not
want us to abandon our traditional fields of mission.~ Do current
members want to maintain the traditional fields of mission? the
report asks. It continues, ~In what ways does one see the covenant
of connectionalism changing or staying the same in the next
century for local churches? Annual  conferences? General agencies?
     Statistical analysis has led the group to some general
observations: that average clergy salaries and allowances have
barely kept up with inflation, that local church spending on
operations and non-clergy staff have increased as a percentage of 
local expenditures, that spending on debt service decreased and
that growth in contributions per member roughly equal overall
growth in disposable income. 
     At the end, the report asks if the church decides to change
its funding system, what should be put in its place. What
strengths from the present system need to be kept?  What changes
need to be made to move into the 21st century?
     A response form seeking answers to these and related
questions as well as general comments will accompany the document. 
A copy of the report and the response form may be obtained by
calling or writing  John Schreiber, General Council on Finance and
Administration, 1200 Davis St., Evanston, IL 60201-3345;
telephone: (847) 869-3345. 
#  #  #

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------