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New funding system finding acceptance INDIANAPOLIS, IN, Oct. 18, 2002 -- Disciples new funding system proposal is finding wide acceptance among the denomination's 73 recipient boards, who receive funding from the denomination's common mission fund. To date four general ministry partners of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and 18 Disciples regional ministry boards have approved the plan overwhelmingly accepted by the General Board in July. To date two regions -- the Upper Midwest and the Georgia regions -- disapprove of the plan. In a letter to Richard Hamm, Disciples general minister and president, the Upper Midwest regional board affirmed much of the proposal and "will be in a cooperative spirit with the majority of it (the proposal). But, the regional board rejected "a willingness to receive" the percentages of distribution determined by the regional ministry partners stating that this principle contradicted the region's bylaws. Richard Guentert, regional minister and president, said the Upper Midwest region would "keep the door open to re-consideration of the proposal in the future." To be accepted, the new funding system proposal must be approved by two-thirds of the boards of general, regional and higher education ministries. According to Lois Artis, president of the Church Finance Council, approval has been received from one higher education partner. She said she does not expect any major problems with their approval for a new allocation of funds from the church's 3,700 congregations to the church's common mission fund. Artis said, "we need approval of 22 regions and nine general ministry partners to make this proposed funding system go." She anticipates receiving enough affirmative votes by October 19 to begin moving toward the implementation of changes required for the 2003 distributions. Boards have until Nov. 20 to vote on the new plan. According to the new system, beginning in Jan. 2003, the church will designate its four Special Day Offerings and will dissolve both the Commission on Mission Funding, and the Adjustment (emergency) Fund. At the heart of the new system is a new allocation of Basic Mission Finance, which has been renamed Disciples Mission Fund in separate General Board action. Beginning in 2003, Disciples Mission Fund will be divided among the church's 73 recipients at the rate of 45 percent for regional ministries, 45 percent for general ministries and 10 percent for higher education institutions. From 2004 to 2008, funds will continue to shift from general ministries to regional ministries at the rate of one percent per year until the percentages reach 50 percent for regional ministries and 40 percent for general ministries. Higher education institutions will remain constant at 10 percent. Another shift in the funding system will come with a region's receipts being based on a percentage of Disciples Mission Fund contributions from congregations in every region rather than just receipts from a particular region's contributions. Designated Special Day Offerings One of the most significant changes in the new system, now being considered by ministry partner boards, comes with the General Board designating each of the four church-wide Special Day Offerings for particular ministries. At present, these ministries are highlighted on special holidays, but contributions received are added to regular Basic Mission Finance contributions. Under the new system, Easter offerings will go to general ministries for Disciples mission imperative. Pentecost offerings will go to new congregation establishment (divided equally between the region in which it was contributed and New Church Ministry). Thanksgiving offerings will go to Disciples-related higher education ministries. Christmas offerings will go to regional ministries. Offerings will continue to be implemented and promoted by the Church Finance Council in consultation with a Special Day Offering Task Force composed of representatives from general units, regional ministries and higher education. This task force will meet for the first time on Oct. 15 to begin planning for 2003 Special Day Offering campaigns. End of Commission on Funding Under the proposed funding system, the 12-member Commission on Mission Funding, which presently determines the allocation to each of the 73 recipients within the pool of available funds, will be replaced by decision-making bodies established by each of the three ministries areas (general, regional and higher education institutions). Like the present funding system, the General Board will approve allocations. Also like the present funding system, one percent of Disciples Mission Fund receipts off the top will be available for Mission Imperative Fund grants. But there will be no Adjustment Fund for emergency funding. Each of the three ministries areas will provide for their own funding emergencies within their groups. According to the Basic Mission Finance task force that drafted the new system, the regional ministries have discussed setting aside one-half percent of their share to be utilized each year. Implementation team appointed Hamm and Moderator Alvin Jackson of Washington, D.C., have appointed a 20-member Implementation Task Force of the General Board that includes some of the members of the Basic Mission Finance task force. In addition to Hamm and Jackson, the diverse team includes general ministry staff, General Board members, a representative of the higher education institutions and regional ministers. The Implementation Task Force is scheduled to meet Oct. 15 to develop a time line for implementation, interpretation and promotion of funding system changes to congregations. The task force also will deal with unresolved questions and formulate a recommendation for capital campaigns that are restricted under the present funding system. If approved, the General Board will review this new funding system next year. -- End -- 02-88 Contact: |