Refining a resolution passed in January, clergy and delegates of the 156th convention of the Diocese of Florida reconvened on June 19 to define for their diocese in the year 2000 a new funding protocol that "reflects normative biblical stewardship; that is, tithing, the minimum standard for the Episcopal Church."

The special convention voted unanimously to fund the diocese's annual common ministry budget, which equals the sum of pledges from all congregations, by asking each congregation to give a tithe of the total operating income stated in its parochial report for the prior year.

During a transition period, any congregation now giving more than 10 percent to the common ministry budget of the diocese is asked to continue to give at least the dollar value of its current pledge, for five years or until that amount equals 10 percent of its total income.

Envisioning a "Great Commission Diocese," the special convention vote reflected the "ten-ten-ten" concept: tithing as the goal of communicants, congregations and diocese. Tithing on the income received from its congregations, the Diocese of Florida will contribute 10 percent to the mission and ministry of the national church.

Because this new protocol tithes on the prior year's income, the proposed diocesan budget will be available for review and fine tuning by clergy, vestries, and delegates in the fall, months ahead of diocesan convention in late January.

The Rt. Rev. Stephen Jecko, Bishop of Florida, said the new or renewed pledging discipline has already worked well in several other dioceses and that he believes the spiritual consequences will be a blessing. "The old process we used is no longer adequate for the church of today," said Bishop Jecko. "The institutions of our church must serve us, not we them. I'm proud of the creativity and leadership of clergy and laity in this diocese."