The future of our church…How will we fund it?

This week at The Episcopal Church’s (TEC) General Convention I have yet again been uplifted by the good work my church does at all levels. I’ve spent quite a bit of my time this week in hearings. I’ve listened to people testify for the continued support of ministries such as prison ministries, aid to our dioceses working on reservations and in the Appalation Mountain areas, support for the Historical Episcopal Black colleges; the list is endless. I was even asked to testify by our own House of Deputies Vice-President, Brian Prior (who I’ve known since I was 10), to go speak in support of the amendment for Camping Ministries. I was able to share with the Education Committee, and later the Program, Finance, and Budget Committee (PB&F) the importance of our camping ministries in developing not only the spirituality and community of young people in our church, but also the early discernment for vocation that happens to so many of us who go to our Episcopal summer camps. My own call to teaching was first realized at camp when I got to be a counselor during my sophomore year. Who knows if I would have found my vocation if I hadn’t had those early calls to leadership? I might now be a doctor or an archeologist (my childhood dreams). The many ministries that TEC supports and develops nationally and internationally help our congregations live out the mission of our church, spreading the word of God and living into a fuller Christian fellowship. During a GC where we are still at debate over full inclusion of our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters in the church, it is a good thing to have a constant reminder of all that we are doing in the world that is right.

The last few days, I have been spending my time in PB&F hearings. On Thursday, I went to the hearing on Spending. The spending hearing is a chance for deputies and visitors to testify to the ministries we feel are important to the church before the committee creates the final budget they will be sending to the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops for final consent. They asked speakers to not only speak to the ministries, funded or unfunded, that we want supported at the TEC level, but to speak to how that ministry fits the budget priorities that were set for our next triennium for our budget. Fellow deputy, Ashley Miller, and I had the slightly nerve-wracking experience of making our cases for funding Resolution B-003, Camping Ministries , in front of the both the committee and all the guests of the hearing. Nothing like standing at a podium looking out at the room and trying to articulately make your case! We were both able to speak to the power of Camping Ministries in our lives. Ashley talked of how she was able to connect with a Latino young woman at Camp Cross through her ministry on staff, a transformative experience for them both. I was able to share with PB&F the early discernment process for vocation and spirituality that Camping Ministries has by sharing my own narrative of experiences counseling and working as a staff member at Camp Cross influencing not only my decision to be a teacher. There were many passionate testimonies throughout the evening by Episcopalians, young and old, on the incredible outreach ministries that TEC helps to fund. After listening to the many outreach ministries of TEC, I have little problem answering the question what does TEC do with the money sent from our Diocese every year? The better question might be what doesn’t TEC do?

Friday night, I went to another PB&F hearing, Funding with my friend Bill from the Episcopal Camp and Conference Centers (ECCC). We figured that since we were asking PB&F to support Camping Ministries, we should probably be part of the conversation for how to make that funding happen. TEC is at the same place as all of America; money is tight and investments are down. However, the mission of the church and its work in our communities can’t take a backseat. How do we continue to fund our Episcopalian mission when our budgeting system isn’t working in its current conception? How do we faithfully live into our mission? TEC is facing the same question as all of us at the parish level: how do we fund programming during a time of recession, and a tightening of member giving? The PB&F Spending hearing invited us into conversation with members of the committee on the state of our budget. We sat in small groups at round tables with members of PB&F and asked our questions, offered our insights and brainstormed on possible solutions and re-imagining of what the budget process might look like. In short, we listened and worked together. Those at my table represented their Dioceses, the Historical Episcopal Black colleges, and Camping Ministries; however, we put aside those needs in our conversation and instead focused on the possibilities of the future of funding in TEC, and looked for new solutions to an ongoing problem. We talked about how the budget of our church should be a reflection of the mission of our church, and that this ministry is a partnership between the Diocese and TEC. Together, we work to live out the mission of our church. One member of our group reminded us that we need to prayerfully look at programs in relation to our budget priorities, and consider the funding of programs with a lot of sensitivity. At the end of the evening, each group shared their discussions with the whole. There will be no easy answer to the funding of TEC, but we all left with a lot of hope. PB&F has spent the week really seeking the voice of TEC. The funding hearing was a new experience for us all, emphasizing their desire to work in partnership with GC to find new answers to our funding crisis. I am hopeful that they will find some new solutions over the next triennium.

As Wednesday draws near, I find myself getting excited to see the new budget. From a selfish point of view, I can’t wait to see if the ministry dear to my heart, Camping, gets fully funded. I think all of the Deputies of GC have a pet program that they are praying makes it onto the budget. Aside from that, I am excited to see how the conversations of last week bear fruit. PB&F sent messages to the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops that they were trying some creative new things in the budget, including cuts in Diocesan Askings to help struggling Diocese and cuts in the GC budget. Clearly, these are bold moves in light of the projected shortfall for the next triennium. Tomorrow’s joint session of both Houses to address the budget will begin a new way of funding in our church. I can’t wait to see the results!