money and ECUSA

[trooper]

Here is a thought, though it is not mine originally.

Right now, I think, many ECUSA bishops are meeting at the Ritz in Puerto Rico to develop a response to the Windsor Report and on a general statement of faith for ECUSA. Also, in '06, we will have our national conference.

Dr. Louie Crew, of Integrity, and someone who I normally find to be wrong about a lot of things, has suggested that we cancel the Nat'l Convention, and instead hold it in a tele-conference sort of way - using all the technology that we have available. There may be some strategic reason that Dr. Crew is suggesting this (as in avoid a declaration on Windsor). But, I don't care. I still think the idea has merit.

Then, we take the some odd millions of dollars that we would have spent and contribute to the Katrina/Rita fund to help folks recover from this tragedy.

I think that it would be a brilliant witness to the rest of the world to say what we find most important as people of faith. I would also suggest that the next time the Bishops get together, they consider the Holiday Inn or even the Motel 6 and contribute the difference to poverty reducing programs.

I am not saying the the conferences are not important and shouldn't be held, but maybe we need to be less like corporate CEOs and more like simple Christians (even our leaders).

Comments?

[setmefree]

Well I definitely agree with the lowering of the cost of some of these gathering.

The Ritz huh? :scratch: Sounds like living a bit too high on the hog to me.:sigh:

keith

[Fish and Bread]

Given that this convention has the potential to be of incredible historic importance for ECUSA, I think it's especially important that the delegates be able to see each other's faces, press some flesh, discuss things informally over meals, and that all proper rules and procedures are followed. Even were this expected to be a more routine convention, though, I think it's still good to meet in person, given that these are held only once every three years, and these bishops rarely get a chance to see one another. Teleconferences are all well and good, but if Jesus were walking the earth today, I get the feeling he'd do most of his business face to face. :) You can't consecrate the bread and wine together via speaker phone. :)

John

[higgs2]

You'll notice that most of the ECUSA conventions and conferences are held in off-season locations, for example Puerto Rico in hurricane season. I attended a church wide conference in Chicago in February and one in Houston in June. That is because they can negotiate very low rates. The hotels they use are also the ones that have convention facilities, family-oriented budget hotels usually don't. In the case of General Convention, of course, every hotel in town will be full of delegates and visitors and bishops and other staff. I mention this because we can't just assume that they are paying through the nose for luxury without any regard for cost or stewardship of the church's money.

In fact, at the conference in Chicago the church actually motivated the hotel to start an environmentally friendly program in response to the church's requirements which they continued after we left (recycling, reusing towels, etc.) And left over food from meals was taken to a local shelter (abiding by all food service laws of course).

[Naomi4Christ]

This is a tough one. I know that our church spends a lot and sometimes I feel very uncomfortable about it.

I pretty much agree with what Higgs has said about out-of-season rates, conference facilities and the need for face to face meetings.

As for specific collections, I would prefer to ask church congregations for a retiring offering (seperate from their regular offering) or a special donation (in the UK, it would be via Gift Aid, which enables the church to collect the taxes). It's amazing how much money you can raise.

As a church we always give 10% of our income to mission work. When we had a liturgical re-ordering of our church a few years ago at a cost of about £1 million, we were also able to build a whole new church in Africa with the 10%.

I always like John Wesley's saying: make as much as you can, save as much as you can, give as much as you can. There's no shame in being well off (Jesus relied on wealthy people), but you have to do your fair share to help those in need.

[higgs2]

I always like John Wesley's saying: make as much as you can, save as much as you can, give as much as you can. There's no shame in being well off (Jesus relied on wealthy people), but you have to do your fair share to help those in need.

I've never heard that saying, but I like it! And I agree, we all need to do our fair share, which for those with more *is* more.

[trooper]

OK, good points. But, and I'm just asking, how good are we in general at keeping costs down? Why are spouses coming at all? I assume that Bishops are really well paid, do they contribute? I'm not trying to be snotty, I just think that the example needs to be set now to do ALL that we can to use our money in the right way.