wfn.org | Biennial Basic Mission Finance allocation process underway

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Date: June 7, 2000 
Disciples News Service 
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 
E-mail: Cwillis@oc.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

00a-21 

	WINDSOR, ONTARIO (DNS) -- Meeting in Windsor the week of May 7, the 
Commission on Mission Funding undertook one of the most difficult 
challenges in the life of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). 
After a week of highly detailed study, discussion, prayer and worship, the 
commission made Basic Mission Finance income projections for 2001 and 
2002. Based on those projections, the commission made preliminary 
allocations of funds to the 76 BMF recipients for the biennium. Outreach 
giving from congregations to Basic Mission Finance creates the "family 
treasury" of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). 

	The commission projects 2001 BMF receipts will be $21,010,415, one 
percent above the projected 2000 giving. 1999 BMF receipts were .82 
percent more than in 1998. It projects BMF giving of $21,318,952 in 2002, 
a one-and-a-half percent increase from 2001. "We were challenged by some 
to estimate three to four percent increases in BMF giving," said the Rev. 
Earl Gibbs, Tyler, Texas, commission chair. "The challenge we had was to 
be realistic with what we honestly believe congregations can do. We 
believe that the one and one-and-a-half percent increases are attainable." 

	The commission preserved previous distribution percentages among regions, 
general units and educational institutions. Units get just under 48 
percent of BMF distribution; regions, just under 41 percent; and 
educational institutions, just under 10 percent. One percent of BMF 
receipts are held in an Adjustment Fund used to meet financial emergencies 
and address inequities. An additional one percent is designated for 
mission imperatives as recommended by the church's Mission Council. 

	In the higher education category, Disciples-related colleges and 
universities as a group will receive a slightly smaller percentage of BMF 
than they did in the last biennium, and seminaries will receive slightly 
more. Phillips University (Enid, Okla.) closed in 1998, and its allocation 
was re-assigned to seminaries to help in the recruitment and training of 
church leadership. 

	Among general units, notable budget items approved by the commission 
include: Board of Church Extension, increased funding for new congregation 
development; Office of General Minister and President, funding toward the 
calling of an associate general minister and vice president; and the 
Disciples of Christ Historical Society, for the hiring and training of a 
new archivist. 

	In determining the allocations for individual regions, the commission 
used what it calls a "line of equity." The process is designed to assure, 
over time, that regions of similar size and potential BMF receipts receive 
similar BMF allocations. "Some regions were not receiving their fair 
share. Other regions appeared to be getting more than other regions of 
similar size," Gibbs said. For 2000 and 2001, some regions' distribution 
percentages were increased and some were decreased. "We tried to make 
equitable distributions," he said.

	Most "line of equity" adjustments among the regions were small. The Idaho 
South and South Carolina regions would see significant increases. Georgia, 
Northeast and the Upper Midwest are among regions with noticeably larger 
percentage decreases. 

	The allocations made in Windsor are considered preliminary. After BMF 
recipients received notice of their proposed allocations, members of the 
"Mission Funding Response Team" called on each of the recipients to gather 
reaction to the allocations. If a large number of BMF partners are 
unwilling to accept their allocations, or if there is what the commission 
calls a "major negative reaction to the overall recommendation," the 
commission will call a full meeting of the commission and all BMF 
recipient organizations. 

	If there appears to be basic agreement with the commission's 
recommendations, the commission in June will consider adjusting some 
preliminary allocations out of the BMF Adjustment Fund. 

	The 12-member Commission on Mission Funding meets twice in a biennial 
allocation year. In this year's spring session, in addition to analyzing 
the budget requests for the 76 BMF recipients, the commission heard from 
representatives of the general units, regions, colleges and universities 
and seminaries. The Rev. James Powell, president, Board of Church 
Extension spoke on behalf of general units. The Rev. Chris Hobgood, 
Capital Area regional minister, spoke for the regions. Colleges and 
universities were represented by Duane Cummins, president, Bethany (W.VA.) 
College. Kristine Culp, dean, Disciples Divinity House, University of 
Chicago, represented Disciples seminaries. 

	The commission considered and approved one emergency grant from the 
adjustment fund in its May 7-12 session. The commission itself had applied 
for $21,800 for the Office of Research to research and develop an online 
budgeting system. 

	The twelve commissioners are: Margaret Buvinger, Enid, Okla.; Helen 
Cassells, South Bend Ind.; the Rev. C. Earl Gibbs (chair), Tyler, Texas; 
the Rev. William Lee, Roanoke, Va.; Charles Owen, Jeanette, Pa.; Keith 
Simpson, Windsor, Ontario; the Rev. Eula Woodall, Memphis, Tenn.; the Rev. 
Gerald Lang, Owensboro, Ky.; Sandral Lassiter, Oakland, Calif.; Vaughn 
Ouellette, Ellicott City, Md.; the Rev. David Cortes, Deltona, Fla.; and 
S. Travis Pritchett, Columbia, S.C. 

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