Allin Asks Council to Consider Budget in Sacramental Terms
Diocesan Press Service. September 23, 1975 [75321]
GREENWICH ; Conn. -- Presiding Bishop John M. Allin urged the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church to consider the General Church Program Budget in "sacramental terms." In a message from the chair to the 41-member body meeting here Sept. 16-19, Bishop Alin said that the Church's budget is "an 'outward visible sign' of some inward and spiritual grace given unto us as well as a sign or symbol of much of the mission of the Church, both visible and invisible. The budget is a means and measuring instrument towards the ends and purposes of the Church's life."
Bishop Allin asked the Council to turn its attention "prayerfully" and "with a special petition for clear perspective" to the 1976 General Church Program Budget. Underscoring the problem of limited funds, the Presiding Bishop said that the Council had a particular responsibility to "determine the most effective use possible for the funds available."
Citing the dramatic increase in giving to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief and the United Thank Offering, Bishop Allin said that "the membership of this Church wants to be more directly involved in every circle of the Church's mission." He warned that the General Church Program Budget is not an accurate reflection of Episcopalians' capacity for "generating more funds and investing more direct energy" for the mission of the Church, and reminded Council and staff of their task "to enable service and contributions. " He stressed the "critical areas of need" among native Americans, Blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, the aged, the handicapped, and prisoners.
The Presiding Bishop asked the Council to formulate a "descriptive budget" before adopting a standard line-item program budget, and to "set forth a 1976 goal budget, with an outreach beyond our immediate grasp, so to speak." While emphasizing that he was not in any way advocating deficit budgeting, he said that a goal budget would "keep before the Church through the year what we are trying to do by seeking additional funds, as well as what we are doing with the funds available."
Allin urged full Council support of the Income Development Program as a major source of additional funding, and said that progress toward the Church's goal budget would be measured quarterly. He also asked the Council to explore the possibility of a contingency fund for the 1976 budget for "responding to some of the emergency needs which arise."
After the Presiding Bishop's message, the Council dispersed into program committees to study the projected budget with appropriate staff. Each program group was asked to consider its budget in terms of "program operations, " an inflexible figure reflecting the basic needs (including staff) of each program office, and "program extension," a flexible amount reflecting the various services and programs each office hoped to offer the Church in 1976. Committees were also asked to examine their budgets and select programs for possible funding through the Income Development Program.
Later in the day, program committees reported their preliminary findings -- including the hope for $800,000 worth of Income Development funding -- to a full Council session.
The 1973 General Convention estimated the 1976 General Church Program Budget at $14.2-million. The Church Center's finance department estimates actual income for 1976 at $13.7-million, to come from diocesan giving, trust funds, legacies, and the 1974 unexpended budget balance.
Final action on the adoption of the 1976 budget will take place at the Council's December meeting.
[For the attached Message from the Chair, please contact the Archives. --Ed.]