Please take time to review and submit your comments on one or all of the below questions:

1. Should the Diocesan Asking (assessment) be a dollar pledge determined by the congregation or percentage pledge amount established by the Diocese?
2. Should the Diocese budget for community outreach or leave this only to parishes?
3. Should a congregation’s Normal Operating Income (from the Parochial Report) be reduced by the amount that a congregation expends annually for budgeted outreach when computing the Diocesan assessment for Asking?
4. Should the amount a congregation spends on clergy and lay health insurance be deducted from total operating income prior to calculation of the Diocesan Asking?
5. Is it appropriate to take into consideration demographic changes in a congregation and/or its surrounding neighborhood from which it draws that affect stewardship or fundraising efforts when calculating the Diocesan Asking?
6. Should the Diocese offer financial management resources/consulting to churches who, upon request, need counsel on whether to pay the asking instead of another budget item that seems critical to that parish – especially if the choice is clearly one or the other?
7. The Diocese has had a Visiting Team support program for Churches having financial troubles; does this process need any further appeal mechanisms for congregations who are suffering financial problems?
8. What changes would you make, if any, to the current Diocesan Askings (assessment) process?

Please feel free to contact a member of the Asking Task Force for clarification or additional comment/suggestions.  Thank you for taking the time – greatly appreciated

The Askings Task Force was formed by Bishop Waggoner in response to a request from the Diocesan Council and issues/resolutions presented at the past Diocesan Convention.  In its tasking the Task Force has been directed to analyze Askings practices in other dioceses and Askings process within our own diocese.  Upon conclusion of its analyses the Task Force will provide recommendations through the Bishop to the diocesan Council.

Members of the Askings Task Force include:

Ted Paterson, Chair, Grace Church, Dayton

Rev. Patton Boyle, St. Luke’s, Wenatchee

George Durrie, St. Paul’s, Cheney

Rev. Chris Hagenbuch, Holy Trinity, Grangeville

Kay Rafferty, St. John’s Cathedral, Spokane

Rev. Dave Walker, St. John’s Cathedral, Spokane

Rev. Stanalee Wright, St. Anne’s, Omak