wfn.org | ABCUSA: Budget Covenant Adopted by All Covenanting Partners

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 11/15/03)--General Board
representatives, meeting here yesterday, were informed that all 40
covenanting American Baptist organizations have approved the proposed Common
Budget Covenant of the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. and Its
Related Corporations and Regions.  The Common Budget Covenant thus will
become effective Jan. 1, 2004. 

The budget covenant represents a strategic investment by the denomination in
the life and mission of the 35 American Baptist regions.

The General Board began the ratification process last June.  The proposed
Common Budget Covenant was then forwarded to the other covenanting
organizations, the four national boards and 35 regions. Approval by all of
them was necessary for the covenant to become effective.  

The new Common Budget Covenant and the related Operating Guidelines are the
result of a process spanning a decade that has included review of the
existing Budget Covenant and the ultimate development of a proposed new
covenant the General Executive Council feels is more responsive to mission
priorities and giving opportunities.  The Covenant had been presented to the
General Board for First Reading in November 2002.  In April 2003 the General
Executive Council in approving several changes to the Common Budget Covenant
determined that those changes did not alter the scope and intent of the
first reading document.  

The new covenant presents two plans, the United Stewardship Plan and the
Flexible Stewardship Plan.  The proposal calls for each of the 35 American
Baptist regions to choose one.	The United Stewardship Plan follows the
general pattern of the current Common Budget Covenant, with United Mission a
core component and with UM funding to American Baptist regions increased to
65%.  Under the Flexible Stewardship Plan local churches may determine the
percentage allocation of their mission dollars and individualize their
mission giving.

Thirty-one regions have chosen to implement the United Stewardship Plan, and
four regions will utilize the Flexible Stewardship Plan.

The Operating Guidelines, which contains the protocols for implementing the
principles outlined in the Covenant, will become effective when the Common
Budget Covenant is fully approved.  The Operating Guidelines are designed to
be changed more readily than the Common Budget Covenant and provide the
opportunity to be more responsive to changing situations and values.  The
Common Budget Covenant empowers the General Executive Council to approve
changes to the Operating Guidelines. 

K/2003ABNS/03ABN140

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org