Episcopal Press and News
Dioceses Grapple with Support of National Program in Light of Economic Recession
Episcopal News Service. February 7, 1992 [92031]
Jerry Hames, Editor of Episcopal Life
A worsening economic recession coupled with the decision by a handful of dioceses to register a protest against what they perceive as liberal trends in the Episcopal Church has resulted in further reductions in financial support to the national church program.
Last month, the diocesan convention of Central Florida approved a 1992 apportionment budget of $176,170 -- a decrease of $376,500 from the 1991 budget -- and much less than the $518,000 requested by the national church.
The Rev. Ernest Bennett, chairman of Central Florida's finance commission, said that the amount requested by the national church represented one third of the total sum pledged by parishes to the diocese. Bennett asserted that the diocese could only meet the request of the national church if parishes gave 20 percent of their income to the diocese. Last year, parishes gave 11.4 percent of net disposable income to the diocese, Bennett said.
Bishop John Howe of Central Florida said that, although he advocated giving 20 percent of the diocesan budget to the national church, he supported the diocesan commission's unanimous recommendation of a formula based on receipts from congregations. Although the diocese will not meet the request of the national church, it voted to add $133,830 to its diocesan budget to fund new mission opportunities.
Some other dioceses have voted to meet the national church apportionment even if it meant cuts in local programs. In the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, for example, members of the convention debated whether to cut contribution to the national budget by $9,000 in order to support a new university campus ministry as an outreach in the Decade of Evangelism. The convention eventually decided to support the national apportionment at the requested $193,000 -- at the expense of the campus ministry proposal.
In the Diocese of Newark, where a 3 percent increase in pledge income was reported, the convention approved a $2.2 million budget -- an increase of 1.5 percent over 1991. Although the diocese had originally decided to give the national church 25 percent of its parish and investment income, the national apportionment slightly exceeded the 25 percent figure. In order to meet the apportionment, the convention approved a resolution adding a separate budget line item titled "Moral Imperative/National Church" in order to pay the full national church apportionment.
Although the 1992 national church budget was adopted in anticipation of a financial shortfall, further significant reductions by dioceses may affect the level of current support to domestic and overseas mission work.
However, Presiding Bishop Edmond L. Browning told a meeting at the Episcopal Church Center last month that he hoped there would not have to be further cuts in the national staff, which was reduced by 52 positions last September.