2004 Diocesan Budget

Robert E. Wright, Diocesan Treasurer and Delegate from the Chapel of the Cross

On Saturday, January 31, the 188th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina passed a balanced budget for fiscal year 2004. The proposed budget was prepared over the past several months by Diocesan Council, with requests and other input from scores of individuals and committees. A first draft was reviewed by Convention delegates and other members of the Diocese at our seven Convocation meetings last November, and revisions were made in response to comments received and further refinements to the financial projections.

As directed by the 187th Diocesan Convention, last spring Diocesan Council adopted the following priorities for the program and budget of the Diocese for 2004, "The Diocesan Council makes the following list of ministry priorities for our budget and program planning process over and above the Episcopate and the National Church. The following recommendations are listed in order of priority, subject to continuing reports and proposals from the Mission Implementation Team:

• Congregational development: in a variety of cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic contexts; in support and affirmation of existing congregations, small and large

• The Summit Camp and Conference Center

• Youth and higher education ministries

• Outreach ministries.

These priorities were in effect confirmed by Diocesan Convention through its debate and actions, including the full "National Church Asking" which, when challenged, received a substantial majority vote in favor of retaining.

The total budget for 2004 is $3,568,876, a reduction from 2003 of 11.57 percent. This reduction was necessitated by a decrease in projected revenues, primarily due to a shortfall of $1,222,247 in requested contributions ("shares") from our 118 congregations. Of the total amount asked of each congregation, based upon operating expense revenues in prior years, 27.5 percent is mandatory for the support of the Episcopate, in accordance with Diocesan canons.

The 2004 budget at best maintains or, more often, reduces or eliminates support for most programs, while holding Diocesan staff salaries at 2003 levels and eliminating four Diocesan House staff positions.

In order to achieve a balanced budget, Council included in 2004 revenues of $84,990 from the Appreciated Value/Unified Budget Trust, which is the 'emergency' reserve fund of the Diocese.

The breakdown of 2004 budget expenditures is indicated by the graph shown below.

Last summer, as treasurer of the Diocese, I attended the 74th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Minneapolis. On July 31, I gave testimony at the Program, Budget, and Finance Hearing on Revenues, saying in part that, "In North Carolina, our bishop has called us to become a missionary diocese - to make disciples and make a difference - and by the grace of God and the good will and hard work of the people, my brothers and sisters, we are being transformed into such a diocese.

I am confident that, as such, we will continue to thrive - even in difficult economic times - and continue to support the mission and ministry of the Church. . . ."

(Click on chart to view larger version.)