wfn.org | Assembly rejects proposal to cut funding to ecumenical agencies

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #6053 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

28-June-2000
GA00105

	Assembly rejects proposal to cut funding to ecumenical agencies

	by John Filiatreau

Long Beach, Calif., June 28 -- In the first major debate of the 212th
General Assembly, commissioners on Wednesday rejected an overture from
Savannah Presbytery that would have slashed PC(USA) funding for the World
Council of Churches (WCC) and National Council of Churches (NCC) by about
two-thirds.

	The vote on the measure was 78 percent to 19 percent.

	The Assembly Committee on Catholicity and Ecumenical Relations had
recommended rejection of the overture.

	A substitute measure that would have cut WCC and NCC funding less
drastically was voted down, 72 percent to 27 percent.

	The NCC finished 1999 with a deficit of more than $4 million, and conceded
that the shortfall was caused principally by mismanagement. Calls for a
reduction in funding intensified early this year when the General Assembly
Council (GAC) and the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA)
approved a combined $500,000 "bailout" grant to help the NCC make up the
deficit.
						
	Committee moderator the Rev. Lynn Shurley said the committee was reassured
by statements from NCC Executive Secretary Bob Edgar and NCC President
Andrew Young, among others, that sufficient financial controls have been put
in place to prevent future deficit spending, and to closely track money
contributed by the council's 35 member denominations.

	Advisory delegate Robert Lowery of Boston Seminary spoke against the
overture, saying that it would reduce the per-member contribution of the
PC(USA) from "a little over one dollar to below 20 cents." "That's money
that keeps kids in school," he said, adding that, while he wanted to make
the councils "accountable" for the funds they receive, "decreasing our
commitment is not the way to do it. ... and we shouldn't be setting our
mission priorities by other denomination's priorities."
						
	Martha Gerber of Muskingum Presbytery said "many Presbyterians do not feel
well-represented by the WCC and the NCC. People do not feel that their
concerns have been addressed."

	Other speakers from the Assembly floor said a reduction in the PC(USA)'s
contribution would "send the wrong signal" to other NCC denominations,
damage council programs and forfeit the Presbyterians' long-standing
leadership role in ecumenism.

	Phil Young of Redwoods Presbytery, who has been the treasurer of the NCC
for just a few months, said the 1999 deficit has been, "if not completely
eliminated, all but eliminated." He noted that the other denominations have
contributed or pledged $1.5 million, and that the NCC has in place "a whole
new team of leadership."

	"The budget is balanced," he said, "and the NCC has committed itself to not
coming back for more money... for debt reduction." Echoing Edgar, Young said
"there is a new day at the NCC."

	A motion to defer the council-funding matter to the 213th General Assembly
in Louisville next year was defeated 78-19.

	The Savannah overture would have reduced the denomination's per-member
spending to an amount "not to exceed the average contribution per member of
the top six WCC and NCC donor denominations in the United States."
	
	The PC(USA) contributed about $2.8 million to the NCC in 1999, ranking
second among the 35 member churches. The United Methodist Church topped the
list at about $3 million. The PC(USA) contributed about $1.3 million to the
WCC last year. More than half of that both contributions was from special
offerings, especially the One Great Hour of Sharing. The overture wouldn't
have affected funding of Church World Service, the NCC's relief arm, whose
activities include feed-the-hungry programs, refugee services and
disaster-relief efforts.

	When the GAC and COGA approved the emergency grant of $500,000, the money
was contingent on the NCC's compliance with a series of conditions,
including a balanced budget.

_______________________________________________
pcusaNews mailing list
pcusaNews@pcusa.org

To unsubscribe, go to this web address:
http://pcusa01.pcusa.org/mailman/listinfo/pcusanews