wfn.org | United Methodists to advance funds to NCC; divide settlement

[NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG]

Nov. 20, 2000 News media contact: Joretta Purdue ·(202) 546-8722·Washington
10-21-71B{522}

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (UMNS) - Voting members of the United Methodist Church's
finance agency have agreed to advance $400,000 to the financially struggling
National Council of Churches (NCC).

That decision was one of several made during the Nov. 16-18 meeting of the
denomination's General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA). The
agency's voting directors also decided to disburse to the church's U.S.
annual (regional) conferences more than $800,000 refunded by the Department
of Energy in settlement of a price-fixing case.

The $400,000 for the NCC is an advance on the church's NCC allocation for
2001-2004 from the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund. The fund was
included in the church's four-year budget approved by General Conference,
the denomination's highest legislative assembly, in May.

Repayment of the advance will be deducted from the monthly distribution that
GCFA makes to the NCC and will include a 7 percent interest rate. GCFA
decided that it will give a full rebate of the interest collected as a grant
to the NCC when the loan has been repaid and the NCC "demonstrates positive
net assets and a balanced operating budget."

Before voting on the issue, GCFA members heard a report from Bishop Melvin
G. Talbert, the denomination's ecumenical officer, who had just attended the
NCC assembly in Atlanta.

Financial integrity has been restored to the National Council of Churches,
Talbert assured the GCFA. He described the organization's efforts to
establish new communication with the Catholic Church and evangelical groups,
and he said the NCC is undertaking a 10-year focus on overcoming poverty.

Bishop A.L. "Fritz" Mutti, president of the United Methodist Commission on
Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, also spoke to GCFA on behalf of
supporting the NCC.

In other business, GCFA's directors voted to disburse to the annual
conferences the $831,531 received in 1999 in settlement of a claim with the
U.S. Department of Energy in 1994. The claim alleged price fixing by
crude-oil producers, which led to increased costs for such products as
asphalt and fuel oil for heating. 

"GCFA filed the claim as part of its Disciplinary mandate to protect the
legal interests of the denomination," said Associate General Council Dave
Ullrich. GCFA provided data to the DOE based on a survey of energy usage
patterns of 3,000 sample churches. 

GCFA members voted to make a one-time award in which the amount, plus
interest, would be equally divided among the 65 U.S. annual conferences.
Disbursements will be directed to the conference councils on finance and
administration. The GCFA directors rejected a committee proposal to direct
the use of the grants to energy conservation. In voting to make the
disbursement, the council directed GCFA staff to include a statement about
the source of the funds, so conference councils on finance and
administration could make decisions about use of the funds consistent with
the nature of the claim.

Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, GCFA member, agreed to be team leader for a plan to
provide hands-on mission participation for council members working together.
The first such opportunity is being planned in conjunction with the next
annual meeting.

GCFA's voting members also approved:
·	A plan for staff responsibilities related to a study leave for
Sandra Kelley Lackore, chief staff executive, who will teach a class at
Wesley Seminary from Jan. 16 to May 4.
·	Budgets of the denomination's churchwide agencies for the year 2001,
in addition to GCFA's own budget.
·	Denominational participation in the Religious Congregations
Membership Study of the Association of Statisticians of American Religious
Bodies. The United Methodist Church is a member of the association.
·	Financial plans for several national conferences.
·	Certification of five and re-certification of 18 church business
administrators.
·	Certification of 31 new members and re-certification of 100
professional church secretaries.
·	A revised travel reimbursement policy for churchwide agency members
and staff.
·	Funding the World Service Contingency Fund at $200,000 each for 2001
and 2002, to be administered by the General Council on Ministries.
·	Grants from the General Administration Fund to assist Yellowstone,
Baltimore-Washington and Northern Illinois annual conferences with
litigation costs in matters of denominational importance.
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United Methodist News Service
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