ELCA Slashes Budget Again - Now At 50% of Original Budget in 1987, Adjusted for Inflation

You don't own me, I'm not just one of your many toys
You don't own me, don't say I can't go with other boys

And don't tell me what to do
And don't tell me what to say
And please, when I go out with you
Don't put me on display, 'cause

You don't own me, don't try to change me in any way
You don't own me, don't tie me down 'cause I'd never stay

Oh, I don't tell you what to say
I don't tell you what to do
So just let me be myself
That's all I ask of you

I'm young and I love to be young
I'm free and I love to be free
To live my life the way I want
To say and do whatever I please

A-a-a-nd don't tell me what to do
Oh-h-h-h don't tell me what to say
And please, when I go out with you
Don't put me on display

I don't tell you what to say
Oh-h-h-h don't tell you what to do
So just let me be myself
That's all I ask of you

I'm young and I love to be young
I'm free and I love to be free
To live my life the way I want


ELCA NEWS SERVICE
October 5, 2010
ELCA Treasurer Provides Mid-Year Financial Report to ELCA Leaders
10-262-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A mid-year budget reduction of $4.2 million in current fund spending by the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has helped the churchwide organization maintain a balance of income and spending for 2010 through Aug. 31, said Christina Jackson-Skelton, ELCA treasurer.  However, in a report to ELCA leaders, she expressed concern about continuing declines in mission support income to the churchwide organization, down $5 million so far this year.

     Jackson-Skelton reported Oct. 2 to the ELCA Conference of Bishops, ELCA synod vice presidents and seminary presidents meeting here.  The Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the church, consisting of the church's 65 synod bishops, presiding bishop and secretary.

     Jackson-Skelton said that the ELCA Church Council took action in August to reduce the churchwide current fund spending authorization to $65.1 million for 2010.

     For the period from Feb. 1 to Aug. 31, the churchwide organization took in $36.7 million in revenue and held expenses at $37.4 million.  Jackson-Skelton said it was normal for the churchwide organization to have a net operating expense over budget at this point in the year.  She said this period's $738,000 expense over budget was favorable to a $3.5 million variance for the same seven-month period in 2009.

     She reported that overall current operating revenue is down about $6 million this year compared to 2009, most of it due to the drop in mission support income from congregations to the churchwide organization and shared by the church's 65 synods.  Total mission support income through Aug. 31 was $28.7 million, a 14.8 percent decrease from the same period in 2009, she said.  For 2010 Jackson-Skelton said the churchwide organization projects approximately $51 million in mission support income. The high point for 12 consecutive months of mission support income to the churchwide organization was $71 million in early 2002, she said.

     Commenting on the decline in mission support income, Jackson-Skelton said she could not predict when or at what level the drop in mission support will subside.  "We do expect it to level off at some point," she said.  "I will certainly be looking to you (the bishops) to try to get better information as we get close to the end of the year."

     Some churchwide grants to ELCA partners and institutions for 2010 are being held until late January, Jackson-Skelton said.  Partners and institutions have been informed, she said, adding that her staff will monitor churchwide income into late January before grants are released on a priority basis.

     The 2011 forecast for churchwide mission support income is projected between $45 million and $48 million, said the ELCA treasurer.

     ELCA World Hunger [GJ - Leftist lobbying slush fund] income through Aug. 31 is $6.6 million, an 18.5 percent decrease from 2009, Jackson-Skelton reported.  "That's been very disappointing to us," she reported.  She also asked bishops for help in encouraging congregations to give to ELCA World Hunger.