Council Hears Of Planning Process
Episcopal News Service. April 26, 1979 [79126]
GREENWICH, Conn -- "Organizations that don't look to the future aren't going to live through it," quoted the Rev. Robert M. Wainwright, Rochester, N. Y., as he introduced a presentation to the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church on "the current roles and functions" of the Council in the development of the General Church Program.
Father Wainwright, chairman of the Finance/Administration committee, reported on a planning meeting composed of chairmen of the six standing committees of Council and the six staff executives for those units. The meeting was held April 4-6 at the Doral Inn in New York.
Father Wainwright pointed out that the planning group had been aware at its January meeting of the increasing impact of inflation and present stewardship patterns on the program/ budget planning process. He called to the members' attention a recently released Church-wide statistical study and profile, based in part on an in-depth survey of some 1,500 Episcopalians, which pointed up the Church's predicament and opportunities.
The Rev. John Schultz, Statistical Officer at the Episcopal Church Center, gave the Council a financial and statistical briefing on the situation which had come to light in the survey, a summary of which, "Episcopalians -- Profile 1979," has been released.
Father Schultz reported that gross receipts in parishes have shown a steady increase for the past few years, and, he said, a similar curve can be projected into the 1980s.
He said the survey revealed that Episcopalians contribute generously to their Church as a matter of principle. Further, he said, the indications are there will be more dollars available from people willing to share their good fortune with the Church in the next few years.
He conceded that membership in the Church is continuing a slight decline but an upward curve is possible in the next few years.
Giving for causes outside the congregation -- to the diocese, national Church, special offerings, community projects -- has remained at a steady 15 percent for several years, he said.
The Episcopal Church's per capita giving -- by communicants -- is "far greater" than the average of 40 mainline denominations, Father Schultz reported. None of the mainline churches gives as much per capita as certain evangelical and pentecostal denominations which require their member to tithe.
In 1970, he said, congregations gave 13 percent of their funds to the diocesan and national program but only 11 percent in 1977. Overall giving in the Episcopal Church since 1974 has increased from $330 million to $423 million but local congregations have retained 85 percent for spiraling expenses near at hand, such as clergy salaries and utilities.
There has been a 4 percent increase in actual dollars given by dioceses to the national Church program since 1970, Father Schultz said, but this represents an actual decrease of 29 percent in purchasing power.
"It's still good news for the Church," he concluded. These statistics provide a challenge and opportunity for the Executive Council to restructure its program. "The good news is that despite inflation and church controversy, Episcopalians are generously supporting their Church and are willing to meet new opportunities. "
Father Wainwright said the statistics summarized by Father Schultz "have to be taken seriously." What the Council needs, he said, is "a different style of operation."
However, he pointed out that the report by the committee chairmen and executive staff contains little that is new. The Council, he said, is called on to "affirm what we have been doing" but to function "intentionally not by default."
Father Wainwright said the group did not feel that "we can continue the present level of programming with any less staff." What may be called for, he said, is a staff with different skills and styles with more of a collaborative style of operation. The staff, he said, will be "enablers, not necessarily doers, of program through the dioceses, regions, and provinces." Since the Council's major restructuring in 1970 this has generally been its style of work, he said.
As for grants through the General Church Program, "Everything we do needs to be reassessed" and questions should be asked as to their importance, who should be making them, whether there are multiplier factors, for what length of time, how to negotiate a gradual reduction.
He said he agreed with the Joint Commission on the Church in Metropolitan Areas and with Bishop Paul Moore of New York that all grants should be made to existing church structures in order "to make the most effective use of the resources we have." Not only should the bishop's stamp of approval be placed on projects to receive grants, but people in the diocese should be "involved in planning, strategy, funding, evaluating, and accountability."
Father Wainwright said that the $15 million national General Church Program is not all that is being done in the Episcopal Church for mission. He said the Council should have an "open-ended mission opportunities list" which would "project the Episcopal Church into the world and raise people's sense of belonging."
The next day, when the planning report came before the Council for action, a few representatives of standing committees responded. Paul Neuhauser of Iowa City, Iowa, said the Church in Society committee was unanimous in feeling that "it was much too negative a report." He said the committee sensed the need for more positive leadership so that the Council initiates remedies more than merely responds to the trends.
The Council finally approved a resolution submitted by the Education for Ministry committee which called for receiving the report with appreciation and which affirmed the "positive steps" in it. The resolution as amended and approved also asked the committee chairmen and executive staff to "continue to be responsible for the implementing of the short and long planning process of this Council and report at each annual meeting."
The Council also approved an evaluation and accountability process for all budgeted programs, with a preliminary report to be made at the September meeting of the Council.
A resolution introduced by Bishop William H. Folwell of Central Florida was adopted, providing for the Executive Council members as well as the committee chairmen and executive staff to become involved in a planning and evaluation process for program and calling for such a session at least once each triennium. The Council defeated by a vote 15 to 14 an amendment that would have set the minimum at once a year rather than once a triennium.