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Note #8010 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Money squabbles
03492
November 17, 2003

Money squabbles

PFR rejects Lay Committee's call for withholding of PC(USA) funds

by John Filiatreau

LOUISVILLE - The Presbyterian Lay Committee, citing "a deep and
irreconcilable disunion" in the Presbyterian Church (USA), issued a statement
last month urging congregations to consider withholding per-capita and
mission payments to the national church.

	Presbyterians for Renewal (PFR), another group of conservative
Presbyterians, responded with a statement in which it argued that "a crusade
of withholding funds" is ill-advised, because it could "cripple much good in
the attempt to cure some evil."

	The Lay Committee, meeting in Philadelphia, issued its "Declaration
of Conscience" on Oct. 18, after what The Presbyterian Layman called "a
lengthy examination of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and its leadership."

	"With deep sorrow, we have concluded that spiritual schism exists
within the Presbyterian Church (USA)," the committee said, attributing the
"disunion" to differences "over the person and work of Jesus Christ, the
authority of God's Word written, and God's call to a holy life."

	"We are two faiths within one denomination," it said.

	The declaration stopped short of a direct call for the withholding of
payments to the national church, but said, "We no longer believe that either
the General Assembly per-capita budget or the unrestricted mission budget of
the PC(USA) is worthy of support."

	The committee urged church members and sessions to undertake
"prayerful study as to whether their General Assembly per-capita contribution
should be redirected and/or their mission gifts restricted to ministries at
home and abroad that are demonstrably faithful to the gospel."

	PFR said it shares the Lay Committee's "concern for grave theological
error and for the many ongoing failures in church discipline," but believes
its declaration "exaggerates the extent of failings in the PC(USA)."

	"The vast majority of Presbyterian leaders does proclaim the gospel,
does uphold the teachings of Scripture, does seek to live a holy life in
obedience to God, and does support the appropriate exercise of discipline,"
it said.

	PFR said the Lay Committee's "implicit call to others to join in a
crusade of withholding funds" is an example of "power-based methods of
coercion that do not bring glory to God."

	The Lay Committee has long supported local churches' right to
withhold funding from PC(USA) programs they find objectionable, but has not
encouraged churches to withhold per-capita payments or unrestricted
contributions to PC(USA) mission.

	The Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, the stated clerk of the General
Assembly, said he doesn't think the committee's recent statement represents a
major change.

"They've been encouraging churches informally to withhold per-capita and
mission support for a long time," he said. "Obviously I wish that weren't
happening, but I don't think it's going to have a major impact one way or
another in the life of the church."

	Kirkpatrick said he agrees with PFR that withholding funds for
mission "is not the way to live out our life together as a church."

	"We're a covenant community, committed by our covenant to do mission
together," he added. "In 1706, when the first American presbytery was formed,
it was formed because Presbyterians thought they could do more mission
together than apart. That's as true today as it was back then."

	So far, Kirkpatrick said, the committee's recent change of tack
doesn't seem to have affected congregational giving or PC(USA) receipts.

	Financial problems have forced the PC(USA) to cut 85 of about 600
jobs at its Louisville headquarters in the past two years.

	A PC(USA) court ruled earlier this year that congregations are not
required to pay per-capita assessments, but have "a high moral obligation" to
do so. The General Assembly in 1999 adopted a policy that requires
presbyteries to remit their full per-capita amounts even if some
congregations will not or cannot pay.

	The per-capita assessment for 2004 is $5.51 per member.

	The Rev. Parker Williamson, the Lay Committee's chief operating
officer, said the committee believes churches should contribute money to
specific religious causes inside and outside the denomination that uphold
orthodox views.

	In its statement, PFR said it "cannot believe any rift in our church
can be considered 'irreconcilable.'"

	"We do defend the constitutional right of individual sessions to
follow their consciences and to obey what they believe to be God's will for
the distribution of funds - without fear of retribution," it said. "(But) in
good conscience, we cannot encourage our fellow Presbyterians to engage in a
program of across-the-board withholding of funds."

	The PFR statement added: "Let there be no doubt: This denomination is
worth building up, not tearing down."

	The Presbyterian Layman reported - in a story headlined "Per-capita
shortfall is increasing rapidly" - that per-capita payments fell short by
$23,000 in 2000 and by $206,378 in 2002, suggesting a trajectory that would
have the PC(USA) down by much more than the $425,000 it said the Office of
the General Assembly (OGA) has "projected" for the shortfall in 2004.
	According to the OGA, the figure The Layman didn't report, for 2001,
was $226,000. So the 2002 figure actually was down from the year before.
	And OGA says it isn't projecting a $425,000 shortfall for 2004, but
simply allowing for it in the budget - just as it did in 2003, and at same
amount.
	In 2002, The Layman said, 42 presbyteries, nearly a quarter of all
those in the denomination, failed to pay their full per-capita amounts,
including three presbyteries ranked among the most liberal in the PC(USA) -
Northern New England, Long Island and Hudson River. It said the largest
underpayment percentage was that of Hanmi, a Korean presbytery that was
assessed $30,192.75 but paid only $10,000.
	According to OGA, the largest outstanding balances for 2002 are
Foothills Presbytery, $23,294; Beaver-Butler, $21,813; then Hanmi.
	The total of per-capita receipts in 2002 was $13,253,284.

	In its declaration, the Lay Committee also referred to recent turmoil
in the Episcopal Church and its parent Anglican Communion over the
consecration of an openly gay man as a bishop, saying, "We believe the same
dynamics that precipitated this crisis in the Anglican Communion exist" in
the PC(USA).

	PFR also commented on the matter, saying: "We share ... a deep
concern about the recent choices of the Episcopal church (USA), knowing that
some Presbyterians would have us go the way of the Episcopalians."

	Episcopal opponents of the consecration of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson
reportedly have begun withholding money from their denomination.

	During a rally last month in Dallas, nearly 3,000 conservative
Episcopalians said the church is "under God's judgment" for its votes to
confirm Robinson and to "acknowledge" the blessing of same-sex unions as part
of the church's "common life."

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