GC passes budget with money for evangelism, racial reconciliation

The General Convention adopted the 2016-2018 triennial budget July 2 after agreeing to add $2.8 million for evangelism work.

While the addition passed with relatively little debate in the House of Deputies, it faced some opposition in the House of Bishops.

The 2016-2018 triennial budget is based on $125,083,185 in revenue, compared to the forecasted $118,243,102 for the triennium that ends Dec. 31 of this year. The expenses are projected to be $125,057,351. The budget comes in with a negligible surplus of $25,834. Its revenue projection is based in part on asking the church’s dioceses and regional mission areas to give 18 percent of their income to fund the 2016 budget, 16.5 percent for the 2017 budget and 15 percent in 2018.

The version of the budget presented July 1 by the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance (PB&F) also included a major new $2 million initiative on racial justice and reconciliation, even as it reduces the amount of money it asks dioceses to contribute to 15 percent by 2018. The initiative remains.

The new money for Latino-Hispanic initiatives and church planting amounts to some but not all of that called for in resolutions A086 and D005 respectively. Together, the two resolutions called for $6.5 million.

The budget proposed by PB&F already contained $3 million for starting new congregations. The budget noted that PB&F anticipated a collaborative effort to assist underserved populations, including Hispanic communities.

The approved budget will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2016.