wfn.org | Financial Problems "Seriously Threaten" WARC's Future

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

27-August-1997 
97334 
 
    Financial Problems "Seriously Threaten" WARC's Future 
 
    by Stephen Brown 
    Ecumenical News International 
 
DEBRECEN, Hungary--Financial trends "seriously threaten" the future work of 
the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), according to a report 
presented Aug. 19 to the organization's General Council. 
 
    The report warned that without additional funding it would be 
"impossible to continue some of the very successful programs" of the 
organization. The report pointed out that "more than half " of WARC's 211 
member churches paid no contribution to the Alliance last year and that its 
overall income had been falling since 1994. 
 
    Herbert Ehnes from Germany, moderator of WARC's finance department, 
told the General Council that although WARC's income increased from 
$530,000 in 1990 to more than $927,000 in 1993, by 1996 it had declined to 
$794,000. WARC's headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland. 
 
    The Alliance's general secretary, Milan Opocensky,  said that if 
efforts  to secure additional funding were not successful, WARC "would need 
to release several colleagues [as early as] next year." At present WARC has 
a staff of 13. 
 
    Opocensky is to write to all member churches asking them to start 
paying a contribution to the organization and to consider increasing their 
contribution if they already make one. 
 
    Asked about the finances at a press conference, WARC's newly elected 
president, C. S. Song, pointed out that "it is not only the World Alliance 
having financial difficulties -- the World Council of Churches is having 
some financial problems too," a reference to the fact that the 
WCC, also based in Geneva but with about 15 times more staff, has had to 
make substantial cuts. 
 
    Song suggested that WARC's executive committee would have an "important 
role" in deciding what it was feasible for the organization to undertake. 
 
    But he also suggested that if WARC started a "dollar a year for WARC" 
campaign among individual members of the Alliance's member churches, its 
financial worries could end. WARC's 211 member churches have roughly 70 
million members. Even if only half of them joined the campaign, that would 
still produce $35 million dollars, Song pointed out. 

------------
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>  

--