INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- The first presentation of the 2002 and 2003 fiscal year budget proposals for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) came before the 2001 Churchwide Assembly in a plenary session here Aug. 9. The Rev. Robert N. Bacher, ELCA executive for administration, presented the proposals totaling more than $103 million for fiscal year 2002 and more than $105 million for fiscal year 2003. This is the first time the yearly budgets have been more than $100 million.
The Churchwide Assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center. There are more than 2,000 people participating, including 1,040 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known: Sharing Faith in a New Century."
The churchwide budget funds program units of the church, and its domestic and international ministries.
Bacher used charts and graphs to give the broad outlines of the budgets to the assembly. He noted "that although the church has been in the black for the last 10 years, there is a growing concern that income is not increasing sufficiently to support increases in compensation for present staff, kept constant over the past four years; increasing health care costs for present and retired employees; ecumenical funding from previous councils and federations to new cooperative activities with churches."
Bacher noted, "There is also the Generation X, coming up with new ideas of both funding and spending and bringing new perceptions and 'smarts' to churchwide work and church giving."
Included in the budgets are the ELCA World Hunger Appeal proposals of $16.5 million in 2002 and $17 million in 2003. -- -- --
Information about assembly actions is at http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site. Recorded updates during the assembly are available by calling 773/380-2477.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
