January 20, 2011

CHICAGO – The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) heard updates on churchwide finances and a redesign of the churchwide organization in a special conference call meeting Jan. 14. The council also elected a new member to fill an unexpired term.

Council members also heard updates from the ELCA secretary and learned of the progress of one-time, needs-based payments for retirees receiving annuities from the ELCA Board of Pensions' Participating Annuity and Bridge Fund.

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, opened the meeting by suggesting that 2011 will be a year of hope for the ELCA. The redesigned churchwide organization will carry out creative and collaborative ministry, he said, continuing response to the Haiti earthquake, planting new congregations and working with global companions.

Hanson expressed hopefulness as the church turns its attention to spring synod assemblies and the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August. The ELCA is "a church willing to confront the realities of our brokenness, our diminished resources, our divisions in the hope that comes to us in Christ," he said. "I think this will be a year of hope, and we are called to bear witness to those signs among us. They are manifold."

He also thanked colleagues who continue to work through the implementation of the churchwide organization redesign, and who said goodbye last week to several executives who have left or will leave soon.

Christina Jackson-Skelton, ELCA treasurer, said in the next two weeks the Office of the Treasurer staff is focusing attention on estimating year-end income. The ELCA churchwide organization's fiscal year closes Jan. 31. She said a council-approved midyear reduction of $4.2 million in the 2010 current operating fund budget is expected to help the churchwide organization close 2010 with positive net results. Nearly all of the income budget reduction was in estimated support revenue, funds sent to the churchwide organization by congregations through synods.

Over the past 12 months, she said churchwide current fund revenue was down about $8 million or 13 percent from the previous 12-month period. Churchwide expenses were reduced by about $10 million or 15.7 percent over the same period.

Jackson-Skelton said November 2010 was "a positive month," with 34 of 65 synods posting increases in mission support versus November 2009.

However, a significant concern is 2010 giving to ELCA World Hunger. Through November, $10 million had been given to fund an annual budget of $18.7 million. "We do not expect to attain that," Jackson-Skelton said. "The best projection we have now is (an anticipated) $6.2 million in income in the final two months. This is a large concern for us."

The ELCA treasurer said reduced giving to ELCA World Hunger could mean reductions in grants for domestic projects and grants to partner organizations such as The Lutheran World Federation and Lutheran World Relief. She added there is a contingency plan in place and partners have been notified of this possibility.

Council members elected Feronika A. Rambing, Somersworth, N.H. to fill the unexpired term of Judith Barlow-Roberts, who resigned. Rambing will serve to 2015. Members also elected Wayne Hanson to a four-year term on the board of directors for National Lutheran Campus Ministry Inc.

Council members also heard updates on other topics:

• The Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, ELCA executive for administration, said churchwide staff is now meeting in new unit configurations, which are effective Feb. 1. Five teams are helping staff with the transition, focusing on strategy and goals, governance and leadership tables, process and capacity, accountability and measurements, and personnel and leadership development. Bullock said the staff is continuing "to live into" the new design, and she said the churchwide organization will plan for budget contingencies in 2011.

• David D. Swartling, ELCA secretary, said he would not bring additional proposed constitutional amendments regarding the new design to the council at this meeting, but did say he expected to bring bylaw and continuing resolution proposals to the council at its April meeting. He said the Office of the Presiding Bishop and Office of the Secretary will host conference calls for bishops and vice presidents to prepare for synod assemblies.

• The Rev. Robert D. Berg, assistant to the president for church relations, ELCA Board of Pensions, told the council that this week plan members receiving annuity payments from the Participating Annuity and Bridge Fund will be sent materials regarding possible one-time, needs-based payments. The one-time payments are intended to assist eligible annuitants most adversely affected by 2010 and 2011 reductions in annuity payments, due to the crisis in financial markets in 2008 and 2009. Berg said applications for the one-time payments must be postmarked by Feb. 28. The plan was approved by the council in November 2010 and is funded by two specific sources from the ELCA Special Needs Retirement Fund.

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with approximately 4.5 million members in more than 10,000 congregations 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.

ELCA News Service