ELCA NEWS SERVICE
March 16, 2007
ELCA Bishops Told of Positive Churchwide Financial Results for 2006
07-037-JB
GALVESTON, Texas (ELCA) -- Increases in total receipts,
including mission support funds, plus a record year for
contributions to the World Hunger Appeal of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), contributed to overall
positive financial results for 2006 for the ELCA churchwide
organization, based in Chicago.
Christina Jackson-Skelton, ELCA treasurer, presented the
results in her report to the ELCA Conference of Bishops when it
met here March 1-6. The conference is an advisory body of the
church, consisting of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, presiding
bishop and secretary.
"We really do have much to be thankful for," Jackson-Skelton
said, adding that the leadership of the ELCA bishops was a key
factor for the 2006 results.
Total current operating revenue to the ELCA churchwide
organization was $82,904,000 for 2006, an increase of $900,000
over 2005, she said. Expenses totaled $79,934,000, up $1.8
million from 2005.
Mission support funds -- income to the churchwide
organization from congregations through synods -- increased
$180,000 to $65.7 million in 2006. This exceeded mission support
levels for the previous two years and was the first increase in
annual mission support since 2001, Jackson-Skelton said. Thirty-
seven ELCA synods increased their mission support giving in 2006,
she said.
Other temporarily restricted and unrestricted funds
available for the budgeted operations of the church amounted to
$17.2 million compared with $16.5 million in 2005. Significant
sources of income in these categories included missionary
sponsorship, bequests and trusts, investments, endowments,
support from the ELCA Mission Investment Fund for new ministry
starts, the Vision for Mission fund, fraternal grants and other
sources.
Another bright spot for the churchwide organization was
giving to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, which reached $20.1
million in 2006, Jackson-Skelton said. Of that a record $19.1
million went to the general hunger appeal, compared to $17
million in 2005. About $1 million was designated income to the
World Hunger Appeal, and most of that was given to the church's
Stand with Africa campaign.
"This is the largest single increase in World Hunger
receipts since 1999 and brings us well within reach of the goal
established at the 1999 Churchwide Assembly of $25 million in
World Hunger income," Jackson-Skelton said. "It was maybe the
best news of the 2006 fiscal year."
ELCA members contributed $5.1 million in 2006 for disaster
response, and an additional $3.4 million was received in federal
grants for hurricane relief, for a total of $8.5 million. The
disaster appeal that received the most donations was for response
to 2005 hurricanes, at $2.4 million. Other disaster income of
about $900,000 was given primarily for the general domestic
disaster fund, and the general international disaster fund
received about $400,000, Jackson-Skelton said.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
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