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[Back to index of Special Issue articles] Diocese passes $4.54 million 2006 budget By Lucy Chumbley The Diocese of Washington passed a pared down $4.54 million budget for 2006 to further the work of the diocese and the national church at its Jan. 27-28 convention. "We believe this budget reflects a commitment to fiscal discipline," said budget sub-committee chairwoman Ellen Corbett-Welch, who along with incoming Finance Committee chairman John Welch, made the presentation to convention delegates. The 2006 budget is just $50,000, or 1 percent, higher than the funds allocated for 2005 - well below the rate of inflation - Corbett-Welch said. It assumes a 5 percent increase in giving from parishes in the diocese and a 4 percent reduction in giving to the national church. This is a "realistic figure" Corbett-Welch said, as giving has risen to 8 percent this year among the 60 congregations who have pledged to date. To pare administrative costs, the diocese has eliminated three positions from the Church House payroll for a saving of $156,000 - the Canon for Stewardship, Peace Commission administrator and Church House maintenance manager. The reduction in giving to the national church follows a decision made by the Diocesan Council in January to give a 10 percent tithe from the Soper Fund and 21 percent from the diocese's operating budget - a total of $670,000. By not including the Soper funds in the operating budget - although the money is being used to balance the operating budget - the diocese reduces its giving to the national church by 4 percent. "Our asking is now 17 percent," said John Vanderstar, a deputy to General Convention and member of the national church's Executive Committee. "That looks terrible. That really looks terrible. I don't know how the Diocese of Washington can hold its head up in this church when it drops its giving from 21 percent to 17 percent. Vanderstar unsuccessfully petitioned the convention to raise the diocesan pledge to 21 percent across the board - an increase of $144,000 - by asking each parish in the diocese to give an additional $33 a week. The Rev. Richard Downing, rector of St. James', Capitol Hill, said while he "would love to be able to support John Vanderstar's good idea… issuing a challenge to parishes to do more is not enough. "I think there's always a danger… to make decisions without living the life that affects those at the grassroots level," said the Rev. Paul Abernathy, rector of St. Mark's, D.C. and a deputy to General Convention, calling the proposal to ask parishes to increase their giving "arm twisting." "I'd prefer to do it by persuasion over the course of time," he said. "I believe it is imprudent and poor stewardship to finance a budget with money you know is not going to come in," said outgoing Finance Committee chairman Mike Febrey. "To do anything that would jeopardize the financial health of the diocese I think is not prudent at this time." The lion's share of the diocese's 2006 revenue comes from parish giving, which is estimated to total just over $2.76 million this year. Income from the Soper trust produces an additional $1.26 million, with another half million dollars coming from the annual Bishop's Appeal and other sources. The largest expenditure is the $2.5 million allocated for staff salary and benefits. Including staff compensation, Welch said, the diocese spends $544,000 on congregational development; $340,000 for communications; $300,000 for academic ministry; $286,000 for ordination and deployment; $247,000 for governance and $83,000 for youth ministry. An additional $488,000 will go towards administrative costs, which include funds for a database of church leaders, Web site hosting, property insurance, telecommunications and office supplies. And while the diocese has tightened its belt in some areas, it has agreed to spend more in others - the Latino and Christian Formation ministries each were allocated $20,000. Corbett-Welch urged deputies to support the budget with both their vote - which they did, overwhelmingly - and their voice. "Go back to your parish, explain that the diocese needs a contribution of at least 10 percent of your normal operating revenues to meet the challenges that God has placed before us," she said. [Back to index of Special Issue articles]
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