By
Tiffany Vail
The
Massachusetts Conference treasurer in early August sent a letter to
church pastors, treasurers and Annual Meeting delegates warning of a
“serious financial concern.”
Harrison S. Campbell warned that receipts for both Fellowship Dues and
Our Church’s Wider Mission Basic Support are “lagging well beyond last
year’s pace.” Campbell said that the total of Dues and Basic Support
received as of June 30 was four percent below that received by the same
time last year. Such a shortfall is a particularly serious concern this
year, because the Conference budget assumes a 17 percent increase in
Dues and Basic Support. Campbell said the Conference is now facing a
projected revenue shortfall of over $300,000.
The increase was based on a vote by Annual Meeting delegates in 2001
to increase Fellowship Dues by $3 per person, in order to fund a substantial
salary upgrade for Conference staff. The vote came in response to information
from the Board of Directors showing that Conference salaries had fallen
far below competitive levels and therefore needed to be adjusted. Annual
Meeting delegates voted to raise the dues by $3 for 2002in order to
put the salary increases into effect this year, rather than following
the Board’s recommendation of a $1 increase a year for three years,
which would have spread the salary increases out over the same period.
“We
are failing to meet our collective obligations,” wrote Campbell, a member
of the Wellesley Congregational Church. “A shortfall of this magnitude
will have very serious consequences for Conference programs.”
Campbell
urged treasurers to spread the word about the problem and to make sure
their church contributions are being forwarded in a timely fashion.
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