ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 5, 2005

ELCA Bishops Told Finances 'Favorable,' Disaster Gifts Top $11 Million
05-185-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Overall financial results for the
churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) were generally favorable compared with projections
for the first seven months of the 2005 fiscal year, said
Christina Jackson-Skelton, ELCA treasurer.  In addition gifts to
ELCA Domestic Disaster Response for relief and recovery from
Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita totaled $11 million through
Sept. 30, she said.
     Jackson-Skelton made the comments in a report to the ELCA
Conference of Bishops.  The conference is an advisory body of the
church, consisting of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, presiding
bishop and secretary.  It met here Sept. 29-Oct. 3.
     In the general operating budget receipts totaled $45.1
million for the period of February through August, up from $43.6
million in the same period last year.   Related expenses were $44
million, a decrease of $1.6 million from one year earlier.
     Compared to budget projections, Jackson-Skelton said
receipts were ahead of budget by $1.4 million and expenses were
below budget by $4.2 million.
     Mission support funds from congregations through synods
totaled $35.8 million, an increase of $200,000 compared to one
year earlier, Jackson-Skelton said.  In addition the churchwide
organization benefited from increases of $1.45 million in income
from bequests and trusts and $335,000 from investment income for
2005 compared to 2004, she said.
     "Investment income performance is improving after three
years of underperforming the budget and prior-year results.  The
significant increase in unrestricted bequest income ensures us of
receipts in excess of the budget from this source," the ELCA
treasurer reported.
     In response to the Gulf Coast hurricanes the ELCA has
received more than 60,000 individual financial gifts of which
19,000 are from first-time donors, Jackson-Skelton said.
     Gifts to ELCA Domestic Disaster Response are channeled into
Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), a ministry of the ELCA and
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  LDR is coordinating the
churches' response to the disaster along the Gulf Coast from
southeast Texas to Alabama, including the hard-hit areas of
Mississippi and southeast Louisiana.
     "We are grateful for the response of this church," Jackson-
Skelton said, adding her thanks for the huge number of individual
gifts in response to the disaster.
     Jackson-Skelton said contributions to the ELCA World Hunger
Appeal "started strong and continue to be strong." For February
through August 2005 hunger appeal gifts were $7.1 million, an
increase of $300,000 for the same period last year.  She thanked
the Conference for its ongoing support of the appeal.
     "Anything you can do to lift up the ministry of world hunger
would be greatly appreciated," Jackson-Skelton added.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
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