After one-time gift, Methodists will reduce NCC contributions
By John H. Adams, The Layman Online, October 12, 2000
Leaders of the United Methodist Church say their denomination will come across with $600,000 to cover 1999 deficit spending by the National Council of Churches. But they also say they’ll cut their annual support for the NCC by nearly 50 percent in years to come.
And the Methodists say the contribution to cover the NCC’s deficit spending for 1999 will be provided only if NCC has a balanced and attainable budget in place for 2001, and that any staff cuts be done with sensitivity to racial inclusiveness issues.
For years, the United Methodist Church, with 8.5 million members, and the Presbyterian Church (USA), 2.5 million members, have ranked one and two – the PCUSA leads so far this year – in contributions to the NCC. If the Methodists cut their annual contribution to 25 percent of the NCC’s total ecumenical budget, beginning in 2001, the NCC’s financial crisis will deepen.
For budget purposes, the NCC has changed to a fiscal year – from July 1, 2000, through June 30, 2001. The organization says income and expenses will balance for the first six months, but that expenses for Jan. 1 through June 30, 2001, are currently projected to exceed revenue by nearly $1.8 million. That’s more than 38 percent of current spending.
The NCC’s executive board has directed Robert Edgar, general secretary of the NCC, and Barbara Ellen Black, general manager, to propose program and staffing cuts that will balance the budget for the first six months of 2001.
And that has already spawned a challenge from blacks on the executive board. On an organizational chart that he distributed to members of the executive board during the recent meeting in New York, Edgar did not show an executive-level position that has traditionally been a seat of power for black members of the council. The position, heretofore designated as an assistant general secretary, was responsible for the NCC’s Inclusiveness and Justice Program.
Inclusiveness and Justice has monitored the NCC’s own employment practices and affirmative action and has compiled statistics for the NCC to use in identifying areas of racial concern.
A committee of the executive board persuaded the board to direct Edgar to put back on his organizational chart an executive-level position that would head Inclusiveness and Justice and report only to Edgar. That was done – but with a condition. The executive board said money would have to be available before that slot would be filled.
The executive board consented to another request by the Inclusiveness and Justice Program Committee: that NCC board members and the organization’s staff receive sensitivity training on racism. Again, however, implementing that training will require that the money become available, the board said.
The NCC has 36 member denominations. Six are predominantly African American. According to NCC records, as of Sept. 29 none of the six had made a contribution to the NCC’s ecumenical commitment fund (the equivalent of dues) during 2000. Only one of the six (Christian Methodist Episcopal Church) had made a commitment to the bailout fund.
The plan to fulfill the Methodist commitment to the NCC’s bailout fund was approved by directors of the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns during their Oct. 4-8 board meeting.
The commission voted to request an advance from the church’s financial agency of $400,000 from the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund, which the commission administers. Another $200,000 will be sought from other United Methodist agencies. Those amounts, combined with money already paid by the denomination, would meet the $700,000 goal.
Bishop Melvin Talbert, ecumenical officer of the Council of Bishops, urged the other directors to support the effort and expressed appreciation after the resolution was approved. The integrity of the United Methodist Church is on the line, he said. “We need to do this for the good of the whole.”
During the discussion, the Rev. Bruce Robbins, top staff executive of the commission, noted that the United Methodist Church is the only NCC member that has not contributed its fair share amount. “So we’re in a fairly difficult position, having been the ones who led the way on that.” (According to an NCC report distributed at its executive board meeting, only 12 of the 36 member communions had contributed debt-reduction gifts or made pledges to do so.)
The 12 have contributed $1.3 million as of Oct. 2. The biggest donors have been the Presbyterian Church (USA), $500,000; the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, $300,000 each; and the American Baptist Church, $100,000. Support also has come from the Antiochian Orthodox, Christian Methodist Episcopal, Disciples of Christ and Greek Orthodox churches, as well as the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, the International Council of Community Churches, and an individual donor.
Talbert, who has been involved in the NCC since 1974, was outspoken about the organization’s problems and the need for ensuring its survival.
The NCC’s financial problems started becoming evident six years ago, he said. “Some of us saw this coming, but I think others were in a state of denial.”