Executive Council Adopts Proposals for Sweeping Changes in Church's Ministry
Episcopal News Service. February 9, 1994 [94017]
The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church has launched proposals for a bold new vision for the church's national program that, if adopted by the General Convention, would have a revolutionary impact on ministry and dramatically alter the national church's relationship with dioceses and parishes.
Following an extensive listening process throughout the church and with ecumenical partners, the 38-member council unanimously adopted sweeping changes that will alter the way the church supports national programs; restructured and trimmed the national staff and proposed significant lifestyle changes in the way the church governs itself.
"We do have a vision -- and hope and joy about it," said Presiding Bishop Edmond L. Browning during a homily at an opening Eucharist at the January 31-February 4 meeting in Norfolk, Virginia. "We also live in the pain and turmoil of transition -- of birth," he added. "We need to hold tight to the notions of our mutual responsibility, our interdependence and our accountability to one another as members of a eucharistic fellowship."
In one of the most significant changes proposed by the council, it addressed the increasing difficulty of dioceses in meeting their financial obligations to the national church by totally changing the funding method. The new formula would be based on a percentage of total diocesan income -- including unrestricted endowment and investment income -- rather than a percentage of net disposable income at the parish level. (See separate story.)
At a crucial open hearing last fall in Chicago, diocesan financial officers described the severe financial stress in meeting national obligations without sacrificing diocesan programs. In 1993, one-half of the church's dioceses did not pay their full apportionment, precipitating a potential shortfall of almost $5 million for the 1995 budget. "To a person, they all pleaded for some relief from apportionment," said Nancy Moody, an Executive Council member from Northern Indiana and a member of the Standing Commission on Program, Budget and Finance (PB&F).
If adopted by the General Convention in August, the new plan would support the national budget by a graduated four-tier formula ranging from 1521 percent of diocesan income. Council recommended a simple calculation:
- dioceses with income of up to $500,000 will be asked for 15 percent;
- dioceses with income of $500,000 to $ 1 million will be asked for 17 percent;
- dioceses with income of $ 1 million to $ 2 million will be asked for 19 percent; and
- dioceses with income over $ 2 million will be asked for 21 percent. Not everyone will be happy. While 76 dioceses would be asked to pay less, 23 dioceses could pay more, largely because of endowment income.
In what Browning described as a "major, major step," the council also unanimously adopted a proposal for a unified budget. In the past the budget has made distinctions in expenses required to support the governing bodies of the national church and the program ministries of the church.
Pointing out that 89 dioceses already have a unified budget, Treasurer Ellen Cooke said the proposal was logical, "to make it consistent with the practice in most of the dioceses."
"This is the only way to go," said Bishop Don Wimberly of Lexington and a member of PB&F in arguing for a more honest way for the church to do its business.
Responding to an urgent call for a national program that directly supports local ministries, the council proposed a complete restructure of the national program and staff. The new design emerged from a listening process that included a five-year long-range planning effort, a consultation with ecumenical partners and visits to 115 of the church's dioceses. A 1991 General Convention resolution also asked the council to "identify all programs and activities of the church that can be planned, staffed, funded and carried at the local, diocesan or provincial level."
In describing how the pieces of the listening process reinforced each other, program committee chair, Marcy Walsh of South Carolina, said that she felt "a tremendous sense of convergence. The church's mission doesn't change, but the structures to carry out that mission must change," she said. "How we order our common life is a testimony to how we understand our mission."
"We have fashioned a total redesign of program work in order to be in greater partnership -- that was our challenge," said Diane Porter, the church's senior executive for program, in unveiling the sweeping restructure. Referring to staff and budget cuts that began in 1991, Porter said, "Partial, piecemeal change does not work. We needed dramatic change." She said it was clear from the listening process that the church was asking for "a total redesign -- a complete reordering of our work and life."
Among the more dramatic elements of the redesign were:
- shifting the deployment of missionaries from the national level to the local level;
- a reorganization of the church's program into a single Service Witness and Education Unit of six clusters -- congregational ministries, prophetic justice, children/youth/young adults, Anglican and global relations, ecumenical relations, and program support services. The Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief and the staff of the United Thank Offering will be administered in the new unit;
- elimination of 38 positions on the national staff -- almost 20 percent, about the same as staff cuts in 1991;
- addition of another staff officer for small church ministry; and
- creation of a computer bulletin board linking all levels of the church.
Despite what he called the "stress and strain" of the restructure, Bishop Rustin Kimsey of Eastern Oregon said the council had managed to "make the tough decisions before us, weaving a fabric of celebration and thanksgiving." He added, "We have moved together in a way that I find utterly miraculous."
Several council members expressed determination to withstand inevitable pressures to change the redesign. "We must not allow the pressures to change what has been created here," said Bishop John MacNaughton of West Texas. "We're up against mindsets that are entrenched -- and that we helped create," Kimsey added.
In an early sign that the plan could face many challenges by those affected by proposed cuts, one group fired the first volley. Responding to the elimination of a national staff officer for AIDS ministry, the Joint Commission on AIDS/HIV sent a strong letter protesting that "such a move would result in a decimation of our church's AIDS/HIV ministry and a withdrawal of our church from a position of leadership in that field." The letter also charged that it would send a "devastating message throughout the church."
During a conversation with the press following the meeting, Browning insisted that he would keep AIDS and other important issues at the top of the church's agenda. "AIDS has been an important part of my personal ministry for the past several years and I don't intend to put it aside," he said. "The concerns of all these groups will not be forgotten in the life of the church."
Beyond the immediate changes that will result from the restructure of the national staff, council members also forged ahead with some significant proposals that could radically affect the governing bodies of the church.
By a unanimous vote, the council called on the General Convention to request that the presiding bishop and the president of the House of Deputies appoint a task force "for the purpose of formulating a plan for reorganizing General Convention as a unicameral body." The task force would present its study to the 1997 General Convention.
Pamela P. Chinnis, president of the House of Deputies, said that she had "a lot of questions" about a unicameral system and was eager to talk with the Anglican Church of Canada and the Church of England about their experiences.
Several members of the council's planning and development committee urged the church to move forward with the idea of a unicameral convention as a "stewardship proposal." Council member Sherry Maule of South Dakota also contended that a convention with a single legislative house might be more effective and responsive to the call for change from the local level. "People in the pew are saying that it time for a change in the way we do business," she said.
Kimsey said that a unicameral legislative body would help "bring the church together. How we posture ourselves in our legislative assembly says a great deal about how we honor one another."
In another sign of the momentum toward reorganization, the council also submitted a resolution to the General Convention that would direct the Standing Commission on Structure to "review the need for and the purpose of the present canonically established interim bodies and to make recommendations for the reduction of their number or membership."
Agreeing with a proposal that the council needed to "exert some self-discipline," members also adopted a resolution that would authorize its officers to implement cost-saving measures in their meetings, including holding some meetings during weekends and having at least half of them in conference centers during the next triennium.
Despite the press for change, council members unanimously agreed that it was not time to move the church's national headquarters from New York City. Following a three-year study of the issue, the council adopted a report that contended "it would not be responsible stewardship to try to relocate at this time." (See separate story.) The report will be presented to the General Convention in Indianapolis.
In the closing plenary, council members committed themselves to "spreading the vision" about the changes. They adopted a resolution calling on the local church to "continue and increase their support of those ministries" that are facing reduced support from the national church.
"We are trying to reclaim a partnership between the national operation and the dioceses of this church," Browning asserted after the meeting. He said he was convinced that the wider church would be able to "fill the void with its continued witness of concern."
Using the Executive Council as an illustration, Browning said there was a "rising level of acceptance and ownership" of the changes. Yet, he acknowledged it might take a long time for the decisions to "penetrate throughout the church." If it does, he predicted that the Indianapolis General Convention could be "a watershed in the life of this church."
"You are in the midst of a major organizational transformation," said Suzanne Lawson, senior program officer for the Anglican Church of Canada and an official observer, in remarks to the council during the closing session. While not minimizing the pain of change, she said, "You need to celebrate the birthing of a new system."
- received a report of parochial statistics from 1992 that show the Episcopal Church has increased its membership for the third year in a row. The new statistic shows a current membership of 2,492,197 in comparison with 2,473,862 last year;
- welcomed Bishop Glauco Soares de Lima of the Diocese of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the Rev. Douglass Bailey of Calvary Church in Memphis, Tennessee. The council commended to dioceses, congregations, institutions and individuals a vision statement and bilateral agreement presented by a committee on relations between the Episcopal Church and Episcopal Church in Brazil as a new model for doing mission;
- expressed concern for the national staff members who are being eliminated.
![[thumbnail: Executive Council Members...]](/e-archives/ENS/photographs/thumbnails/94017_thb.jpg) |