Mixed Reviews for Biennial Assemblies
The possibility of holding General Assembly every second year garnered the most discussion at Assembly Council’s March meeting, but the proposal was eventually defeated. The council reaffirmed the current practice of annual assemblies.
A survey of the church’s courts and national committees found that 58 per cent of respondents were in favour of biennial assemblies, while 42 per cent were opposed. Those in favour suggested the change would include better stewardship of time, environmental and financial resources, and could provide a more effective working cycle for assembly committees. Those opposed worried it could weaken connections among Presbyterians, increase the time it takes to make decisions, create extra work for the moderator, and increase the influence and power of national staff and committees. The decision will go to General Assembly in June for final approval.
Council also approved the creation of a committee to examine the use of time at assemblies, with the intention of including both a business portion and a conference element.
Budgets Tighten for 2011
The church’s 2011 budget was a subject of concern for both the council and the Life and Mission Agency.
The LMA shaved a total of $170,000 from programming and staff salaries for 2011, with its various departments cutting between 2.3 and 2.8 per cent from their respective budgets.
The church’s Chief Financial Officer Stephen Roche told Assembly Council that, while the actual numbers aren’t quite as grim as he thought last year when sweeping budget cuts were made at the November meeting, the numbers are still cause for concern.
The budget forecast for the next three years is conservative, with few changes to current numbers and slight, hoped-for increases to Presbyterians Sharing, the main fund that provides the church’s operating budget. The operating fund continues to decrease; it sat at over $800,000 at the beginning of the year, and was down to $532,000 by March. When Roche came to the church six years ago, the budget was at $1.8 million. Increasing this fund has become a main priority for the management team, which is composed of the CFO, principal clerk and LMA general secretary.
“Are we finished with budget cuts?” asked Roche. “I don’t think so, but hopefully the next few years will enable us to do some things to minimize any negative changes.”
Other Council Decisions:
- Canada Ministries loans for new church developments or church extensions will increase from $100,000 to $150,000 and loans to existing congregations will be increased from $60,000 to $100,000.
- In light of recent cutbacks, the management team will study the use and need for the church’s missionary residence in Toronto, and will report back in the future.
- Council denied a request from the Presbyterian colleges to reverse a November decision to cut college grants by a quarter of a per cent. While the council affirmed the importance of the colleges, they felt reversing the decision would appear as though they were previously uninformed, and could be seen as offensive to other church staff whose finances were cut.
A Remix for CY12 Planning Team
The Canada Youth 2012 planning team will be composed of three specialized coordinators who report to the associate secretary of the Vine instead of a single part-time planning coordinator as in previous years. Coordinators will each receive an annual $5,000 honorarium. Each planning team, headed by a coordinator, will be composed of two adults and two young people who must apply for the positions.
Only One Mission Priority Fund Receives 2009 Allocation
Although two new mission priority funds were approved in November, only the fund to sustain pastoral excellence will receive bequest money from 2009.
When the books closed, only $32,500 was available for the five mission priority funds, which receive a portion of the money given to the church as undesignated bequests. Executive staff agreed to transfer $30,000 into the fund, which is intended to assist with learning and support programs for ministers, and use the remaining $2,500 for promotion. An additional $50,000 from each of the three active funds will also be added to the account.
The missionary endowment fund will not seek start-up funding yet. The fund is intended to build up enough capital to pay for missionaries’ salaries through the interest it generates.
Changing Faces at LMA
- Rev. Daniel Cho completed his final meeting as convener. Helen Smith will take on the job after assembly in June.
- WMS President Druse Bryan will pass her mantle on to Joan Smith in May.
- Jennifer Whitfield will take over Ann Taylor’s role as president of the AMS this September.
