wfn.org | Re: United Methodist Daily News note 39

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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 (397 notes).

Note 397 by UMNS on Oct. 20, 1997 at 16:24 Eastern (4429 characters).

TITLE:	Stewardship Not One-Time Thing

Contact:  Joretta Purdue  	585(10-71B){397}
		Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722  	Oct. 20, 1997

Stewardship an ongoing commitment,
Bible scholar tells funding task force

	CHICAGO (UMNS) -- A United Methodist seminary professor warned the United Methodist Connectional Ministry Funding Patterns Task
Force here Oct. 16 that Christians often make the mistake of thinking they can do something "once and for all."
	Stewardship does not work that way, the Rev. Bruce C. Birch, a professor of Old Testament at Wesley Theological Seminary, told
the 18-member group on the opening day of a three-day meeting here. He said that when God provided food in the wilderness for the
exodus people after deliverance from Egypt, they had to gather manna every day. Birch explained that no one had an excess and no
one was left with less than they needed.
	"Stewardship is the fundamental subtext to our whole," he said. He added that Jesus talked more about topics that could be
classified as economics than any other subject.
	To find a biblical understanding, Birch urged beginning with the concept of God as creator and the goodness of the whole
creation. The professor added to this idea of "creation theology" one of "covenant theology," in which God's love brought freedom
and an equality of participation even to the poor and dispossessed within the society.
	"Ultimately our real hope in the future is that God is at work in the world and beyond," Birch said.
	The task force members said they found his presentation so helpful that the group invited Birch to join them at their remaining
meetings, as his schedule permits. The group will be reporting to the 2000 General Conference through the General Council on
Finance and Administration (GCFA), which was mandated to form such a study group to look at the church's funding.
	A six-member delegation from the Western North Carolina Conference presented to the task force concerns and suggestions
particularly around the present apportionment system -- a system of dividing the churchwide budget among the conferences. 
	The Western North Carolina Conference is "experiencing a diminished capacity" to make these payments said Sam Smith, chairman of
the conference Council on Finance and Administration. He said the conference had paid 100 percent of its apportionments through
1988.
	"Financial flexibility" would increase trust at the annual conference level, Smith said.
	Also urging "relief" and "flexibility" were the Revs. Nancy Burgin Rankin, Statesville District superintendent; James T.
Trollinger, senior minister of Jamestown (N.C.) United Methodist Church; Charles D. White Jr., conference secretary; Larry
Wilkinson, Waynesville District superintendent; and William C. Wyman Jr., conference treasurer.
	During a question-and-answer period, Smith agreed that local churches have experienced real increases in purchasing power but
they are sending less to connectional entities -- district, conference, jurisdiction and general church.
	In response to a question from commission member Donald House, an economist, Smith said he believed allowing more flexibility
and choice to the local church would lead to increased giving. Smith answered that he did, and that such a change needed to be
tied to other strategies.
	Other efforts planned to obtain opinions from church members include seeking a representative sample by having GCFA staff send
the task force's progress report and response form to 525 churches -- diverse in size, location and other characteristics --
asking that the pastor and six lay people respond to the short document. 
	In addition, both documents are being circulated among several church groups and are available in an interactive form on the
world wide web.  Access to the material is via www.gcfa.org and then clicking on GCFA Directory of Services, followed by Report
and Questionnaire.
	A printed copy of the report and response questionnaire may be obtained from the Rev. John Schreiber, GCFA, 1200 Davis St.,
Evanston, IL 60201.
	The task force reviewed comments and responses received from 64 people prior to the week of the meeting.
	Two subgroups were formed to work on such topics as communication/understanding, the apportionment system and alternative
funding, fund structure, governance, and a fact base of varied practices and effective funding.
	The body will meet again Feb. 6-8.
	#  #  #

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