Stunning Capital Fund Drive Nears Completion
Episcopal News Service. June 9, 1988 [88126]
Mary B. Hobbs, Editor of South Dakota Episcopal Church News
WAGNER, S. Dak. (DPS, June 9) -- The Diocese of South Dakota is nearing completion of a three-year T.I.M.E. capital fund campaign. To date, $1,035,897 has been collected, which is 94 percent of the $1,100,716 pledged and 138 percent of the original goal of $750,000.
One of the stated aims of T.I.M.E. (acronym for To Increase Ministry Effectiveness) is, in the words of Bishop Craig B. Anderson of South Dakota, "to reach out and care for the needs of others."
This aim was fulfilled during the meeting of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church in Rapid City, S. Dak., May 16-20. At that time, Anderson presented a check for $67,500 to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief, represented by Bishop Furman C. Stough of Alabama, who will become director of the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief in the fall.
Stough stated that South Dakota's gift is probably the second largest diocesan gift ever made to the Fund.
The Diocese of South Dakota, with an area of 77,047 square miles, has a membership of 13,500 people, half of whom are Dakota (Sioux) Indians. There are 129 congregations, 88 of these on Indian reservations. Twenty-two of the clergy are Indian.
Nine of the twenty-five poorest counties in the United States are in South Dakota. Eight are on Indian reservations, including the poorest, Shannon, a part of the Pine Ridge Reservation.
The budget for the diocese is $1,186,787. Almost half ($570,000) of this amount comes from the national Church through Coalition-14.
Other goals of the T.I.M.E. campaign are: to raise mission clergy salaries (now 59th nationally, up from last place); provide quality education for clergy (12 persons are now attending seminary, have recently graduated, or will go this fall, 5 of whom are Indian).
In addition, seed money for growth (new churches) and a clergy emergency fund have been established.