wfn.org | ELCA Council Approves Committee on Mission Funding, Acts on Other

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Matters
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 17, 2005

ELCA Council Approves Committee on Mission Funding, Acts on Other Matters
05-226-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) approved a proposal for an ELCA
"Blue Ribbon Committee for Mission Funding," which will study
topics that may include mission support, stewardship education,
planned giving, designated and restricted giving, and consider
related memorials from the 2005 Churchwide Assembly.
     The Council also heard the ELCA treasurer's report, acted on
continuing resolutions, discussed the 2006 ELCA health and
benefits plan, and filled a vacancy on a churchwide program
committee.
     The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and
serves as the legislative authority of the church between
churchwide assemblies.	The council met here Nov. 11-13.
Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-12,
2007.
     The idea of a blue ribbon committee originated with the ELCA
Conference of Bishops, which proposed the appointment of the
committee in place of a synodical/churchwide leaders' gathering
on mission funding which was planned for March 2006.  That
gathering has been postponed at least until fall 2006.
     The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, explained
that in the past few years the ELCA has sought to address mission
funding in a variety of ways including the creation of a new
Development Services unit, development of an integrated donor
database and moving responsibility for mission support to ELCA
Synodical Relations.
     "The major piece we have yet to address is the principle of
interdependence," Hanson told the council.  "This will become a
major part of your work in the next biennium."
     Council member Earl L. Mummert, Harrisburg, Pa., chair of
the council's budget and finance committee, explained that the
blue ribbon committee will include at least three council
members, three synod bishops and four at-large positions.  The
council appointed Grieg L. Anderson, Portland, Ore.; the Rev.
Jennifer L. Thomas, Milwaukee; and Mummert to the committee.
     The committee is expected to produce a report and
recommendations for the consideration at the April 2007 council
meeting.
     The council heard other reports and acted on several
proposals:
     + Christina Jackson-Skelton, ELCA treasurer, reported
operating income to the churchwide organization for 2005 was
about $800,000 ahead of expenses for the period Feb. 1 through
Sept. 30.  Total receipts were $51.5 million, up $1.2 million
over the same period in 2004.  Expenses related to those funds
were $50.7 million, down $500,000 from a year ago.  Overall
receipts this year compared to last were ahead of the budget
forecast by 3.4 percent, and expenses were down 7.4 percent, she
said.  Mission support funds from ELCA congregations, through 65
synods, were up, as were other temporarily restricted and
unrestricted dollars available for budgeted operations of the
church, Jackson-Skelton said.
     + The council adopted several continuing resolutions related
to governance proposals that went before the 2005 Churchwide
Assembly. The assembly rejected a proposal for a 69-member
council, but, in doing so, it also rejected other proposals that
it wanted to adopt, such as a proposal to "pair" synods for
council member elections, said the Rev. Kenneth M. Ruppar,
Richmond, Va., chair of the council's legal and constitutional
committee.
     The council adopted continuing resolutions designating
chairs of churchwide  program committees and board chairs of
separately incorporated units as council advisors with voice but
no vote; it adopted a proposal that the chair of the consulting
committee on "work on behalf of women" be a council advisor with
voice but no vote; it designated council members as liaisons to
new program committees and the advisory committee for The
Lutheran magazine; it provided for church council nominees to be
named by synods on a rotating basis and suggested pairings of
synods; and it provided for a system of receiving names of people
to serve on churchwide program committees.
     + David G. Adams, vice president, products and services,
ELCA Board of Pensions, Minneapolis, reported on health plan
changes for 2006.  The Board's main emphasis remains on promoting
lifetime health, and he said the Board of Pensions' plan members
can participate in an online "health risk assessment" early next
year.
     + The council elected Jordan Krey, Philadelphia, to the
program committee for ELCA Vocation and Education, succeeding
Jonathan Vehar, Albuquerque, N.M., who resigned.
     + Council members made a commitment to donate to the Vision
for Mission program as a symbol of support for churchwide
ministries. In addition council members' offerings during the
weekend totaled $2,845, which they agreed to share equally
between Lutheran Disaster Response and the World Hunger Appeal.
Originally, they contributed half the amount but challenged
themselves to double their offerings and contribute to both
ministries.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news