The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

Dispatch of Business

The House of Deputies Committee on Dispatch of Business announced that it was time to consider Resolution D067. The Parliamentarian reviewed the rules for debate on the Budget.

Deputy Logue of Georgia moved to reconsider the previous action on Rule 24.

Motion carried

Reconsideration adopted

Deputy Ferrell of North Carolina moved the previous question.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken to suspend Rule 24 for the day, which would allow the House to take up new matters in addition to motions to concur with the House of Bishops.

Motion carried

Rules suspended

The Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance presented its Report #2 on Resolution D067 (Mission and Missionary Budget of The Episcopal Church) and moved adoption.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D067)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the Budget for The Episcopal Church for the next triennium be adopted as set forth:

1.0 The Budget for The Episcopal Church for the period January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012, which shall be a unified budget including Canonical, Corporate and Program (mission) portions, is adopted at a total of $141,271,984.00.

1.1 The Canonical portion, providing for the contingent expenses of the General Convention, the stipend of the Presiding Bishop and the expenses of that office, the expenses of the President of the House of Deputies and Church Pension Fund assessments is adopted at a total of $23,224,447.00 as follows:

For the year 2010 $ 6,984,630.00

For the year 2011 $ 7,110,068.00

For the year 2012 $ 9,129,748.00

1.2 The Corporate portion, providing for the requirements for the administrative support of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society offices, is adopted at a total of $30,824,297.00 as follows:

For the year 2010 $ 10,360,457.00

For the year 2011 $ 10,129,112.00

For the year 2012 $ 10,334,729.00

1.3 The Program (mission) portion, providing for support for the mission and ministry (restricted and unrestricted) of the Church, is adopted at a total of $86,807,787.00 as follows:

For the year 2010 $ 28,787,593.00

For the year 2011 $ 28,736,457.00

For the year 2012 $ 29,283,736.00

2.0 The funding policy for the period January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012 is adopted, based on a single asking of the dioceses. After a $120,000 exemption from total income, a single asking shall be applied at the rates of 21% for 2010, 20% for 2011 and 19% for 2012 of the balance of income to the diocese, reported in the diocesan financial statements for the year two years prior to the year to which the pledge is applied [e.g.: 2010 asking is to be based on 2008 actual income figures]. “Income” includes (1) all congregational giving to the diocese, (2) all unrestricted investment and endowment income to the diocese, (3) restricted investment and endowment income to the diocese which covers costs in the operating budget, and (4) other earnings from investments or enterprises. It is intended that income shall include revenues that fund normal operating and program expenses of the dioceses. It is not intended to include pass-through income that is used for expenses for programming that are simply administered by the dioceses, or that would not be otherwise funded by contributions from parishes or out of investment income.

2.1 We rejoice with dioceses that have moved toward, and those that give at and above 21%. Such giving creates a strong financial basis for vital mission and witness of The Episcopal Church. We encourage all our dioceses to adopt the full asking; then we could allocate an additional 6 million dollars each year toward fulfilling the mission priorities which we have embraced in the 76th General Convention.

2.2 For the budgetary period income from diocesan commitments, totaling $79,162,193.00 is anticipated as follows:

For the year 2010 $ 28,333,000.00

For the year 2011 $ 26,374,340.00

For the year 2012 $ 24,454,853.00

2.3 For the budgetary period 2010-2012, payment by the dioceses of the asking shall be made in twelve equal monthly payments.

2.4 All additional income, other than from the asking of the dioceses, totaling $62,109,791.00, is projected as follows:

For the year 2010 $ 20,952,373.00

For the year 2011 $ 20,467,048.00

For the year 2012 $ 20,691,370.00

2.5 A General Ordination fee is hereby authorized, which fees shall be added to the funding from dioceses and applied to the expenses of examination as appropriated in the budget. A candidate for Holy Orders eligible for examination and so certified by the diocesan bishop shall not be disqualified for examination because the fee has not been paid.

2.6 General Convention registration and exhibitors fees are hereby authorized, which fees shall be added to the funding from dioceses and applied to the expenses of the 2012 General Convention, and for no other purpose.

3.0 In the exercise of their respective authorities, the Executive Council of the General Convention and the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance shall be subject to the following policies:

3.1 Each year, the Executive Council, with the advice of the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance, shall adjust the budget to the assured income of the Executive Council so as to carry out the Budget for The Episcopal Church for that year on a balanced budget basis.

3.2 The fiscal year shall begin January 1.

3.3 If, in any year, the total anticipated income for budget support is less than the amount required to support the budget approved by the General Convention, the Canonical portion of the Budget for The Episcopal Church shall have funding priority over all other budget areas.

3.4 Undesignated bequests and legacies received during the budgetary period shall be set aside in the general endowment fund of which only the income shall be used for the general purposes of the Society.

3.5 Designated bequests and legacies received during the budgetary period shall be set aside in specific funds of which only the income shall be used for the purposes so designated.

3.6.1 Each Committee, Commission, Agency and Board (CCAB) proposing to the General Convention any resolution with funding implications shall present to the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance a detailed budget in support of its plan(s), including cost estimates from contractors and suppliers for all goods and services, but not later than six months before the opening day of the General Convention.

3.6.2 Subsequent editions of the Report and Proposal of the Presiding Bishop and Executive Council to the General Convention contain the following information for each year of the preceding triennium:

• A description of the actual income and expenditures of the DFMS, relating the expenditures to the Church’s priorities with accompanying narrative
• Endowment balance and total investment return, with accompanying narrative
• Posting of this report on The Episcopal Church website when it is released to the Bishops and Deputies

Deputy Strimer of Olympia moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Increase the $457,245 allocated for Episcopal Life in 2010 (Proposed Budget, p. 1, 1. 22) by $1,157,691 for a 2010 total amount of $1,614,936.

The President announced that time had expired for discussion on revenues.

A vote was taken on the amendment.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

Deputy Coyne of Western Massachusetts moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

In section 2.0 after the words “at the rates of,” insert the words “up to.”

The President ruled the amendment out of order. The time allotted for discussion on revenues had expired.

Deputy Jennings of Ohio moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Increase the $390,499 allocated for House of Deputies Staff Cost (Proposed Budget, p. 3, 1. 141) by $51,000 ($17,000 per year) for a total budgeted amount of $441,499. Decrease the $150,000 allocated for Strategic Planning, Chief Operating Officer (Proposed Budget, p. 1, 1. 49) by $51,000 ($17,000 per year) for a reduced budgeted amount of $99,000.

Deputy Cole of the Churches in Europe moved the previous question on the amendment.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the amendment. The voice vote being inconclusive, the President called for an electronic vote. The result of the electronic vote was: Yes, 394 votes (49.6%) and No, 400 votes (50.4%).

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

Deputy Hayashi of Chicago moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Decrease the $2,028,511 total for General Convention-Site and Facilities (Proposed Budget, p. 3, 1. 124) by $250,000. Create a new line item entitled Study to Move Episcopal Church Center Out of New York funded in the amount of $250,000.

Deputy Krislock of Spokane moved the previous question on the amendment.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the amendment.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

Deputy Cole of Colorado moved to reconsider the Jennings amendment regarding movement of funds from the Strategic Planning, Chief Operating Officer line item to the House of Deputies Staff Cost line item. The voice vote being inconclusive, the President called for an electronic vote. The result of the electronic vote was: Yes, 307 votes (38.2%) and No, 496 votes (61.8%).

Motion defeated

Reconsideration defeated

Deputy Brown of Vermont moved the previous question on the canonical portion of the budget.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

Deputy Brown of Vermont moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Increase the $226,312 allocated for E-Life Printing Costs (Proposed Budget, p. 10, 1. 452) by $384,862 for a total budget amount of $611,174; increase the $359,040 allocated for E-Life Mailing Costs (Proposed Budget, p. 10, 1. 453) by $20,092 for a total budget amount of $379,132 and increase the $186,036 allocated for Other Costs, Episcopal Life (Proposed Budget, p. 10, 1. 456) by $51,401 for a total budget amount of $237,437.

The President announced that the time allotted for the morning session had expired, and the budget discussion would continue during the afternoon session.

Debate resumed on the budget. The proposed amendment by Deputy Brown of Vermont was on the floor for consideration.

Deputy Ambler of Maine moved the previous question on the amendment.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the amendment.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

Deputy Mollegen of Connecticut moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Restore the funds that were eliminated from the Development Office, Mission Funding (Proposed Budget, p. 5, 1. 185-196) by transferring up to $3 million from the Additional Draw from Short-term Reserve (Proposed Budget, p. 1, 1. 20).

Deputy Roehrich of Pittsburgh moved the previous question on the amendment.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the amendment.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

Deputy Cavin of Michigan moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Reinstate funding for Women’s Ministry (Proposed Budget, p. 7, 1. 276) of $60,000 per year for a total budgeted amount of $180,000; change the name of Women’s Ministry line item to Office of Women’s Ministry and Gender Equity; and charge the Executive Council with allocating funding for this amendment.

Deputy Lloyd of Massachusetts moved the previous question on the amendment.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

A vote was taken on the amendment.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

Deputy Hart of Pennsylvania moved to extend debate by 10 minutes.

Motion defeated

Deputy Ota of California moved to amend the resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

Restore funding for Total Racial Justice (Proposed Budget, p. 6, 1. 222) of $90,000 per year for a total budgeted amount of $270,000 with funding raised by contributions from dioceses.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

The President announced that time for debate on the budget had expired.

A vote was taken on Resolution D067.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #244)