Staff cuts announced in Louisville

Several months ago, Detterick’s staff anticipated a $5.33 million shortfall in the budget for next year. After weeks of discussion, the Staff Leadership Team now is proposing cutting $4.24 million from program and salary expenses, and taking another $1.33 million from reserves — $610,000 from the capital reserve and $720,000 from the Presbyterian Mission Program Fund, a cash flow reserve that’s not allowed to drop below 30 percent of the denomination’s annual expense budget.

Overall, the plan calls for cutting 66 full-time jobs – or 12 percent of the GAC’s workforce – including two positions that would be eliminated later this year, after work on particular projects is complete. For the most part, although there are exceptions, the recommended cuts do not eliminate entire programs, but instead pare back and focus the work, and look for ways to reorganize the structure to eliminate duplication, take advantage of technology, or streamline services.

Detterick has spoken publicly about the importance of setting priorities – and of the need, in tight financial times, to make tough decisions about what stays and what goes. “There’s a growing consensus that the General Assembly Council has too many things to do and should refocus on fewer things that can be accomplished with excellence,” the GAC’s deputy director, Kathy Lueckert, wrote in a report issued in January on “strategic visioning.” And Lueckert told the GAC executive committee at that time that “we can no longer be all things to all people.”

But this round of budget-cutting does not seem drawn distinctly from a philosophy of doing fewer things and doing them better. Instead, the report indicates that some progress in cutting the budget was made by seeking more efficiency in what was being done already (having fewer administrative assistants or cutting travel costs, for example) and by restructuring how certain programs are run or overseen.

“It preserves as much as possible people and programs for the time being” while a two-year process of “strategic visioning” – prioritizing the work of the church – goes forward, said Gary Luhr, associate director for communication.

The report characterizes 15 percent of the cuts recommended as “strategic reductions,” with another 41 percent as reductions in work, 18 percent as reorganization of work, and 26 percent as other administrative efficiencies.

For the staff in Louisville – both those who feared they might lose their jobs and those involved in deciding what would be cut – the past two months have been difficult. The process involved a day-long prayer vigil April 19, workshops on “overcoming anxiety” and “stress reduction,” and the requirement that each division come up with a suggested list of cuts.

“Everyone is affected,” one discouraged manager said weeks ago – saying employees were trying to stay focused on projects without knowing whether they or the others involved would be there for long to see it through.

Overall, the proposed mission budget for 2003 is $130.1 million, including $93.1 million in restricted funds and $36.9 million in unrestricted money.

– Among the program divisions, cuts were divided according to percentage of funds from the overall unified budget that each division receives.

Here are details of some proposed cuts for each division:

CONGREGATIONAL MINISTRIES: One proposed “strategic reduction” is the elimination of the Peacemaking Advisory Committee. And there’s a narrowing of the responsibilities of curriculum publishing – with a concentration on supporting the new denominational curriculum, “We Believe,” and less money going towards the marketing or production of other materials, such as the Presbyterian Planner Calendar or the Source Book. Denominational funding for programs at Ghost Ranch, Stony Point and Montreat conference centers is being reduced, and fewer resources would be committed to support the Theological Education Fund. Work at the United Nations office would be streamlined; some of the work of the Office of Stewardship would move to Christian Education and Leader Development; positions would be cut at the Presbyterian Book & Resource Center and discussions continued about its future.

NATIONAL MINISTRIES: The Rural Ministry and Small Church offices would be consolidated into a new Office of Network Support for rural and small church ministries – a recognition that work in these areas sometimes is being done through local and regional networks. The establishment of an Office of Church Growth would be postponed – instead, the denomination would try to support Presbyterian networks for new church development and church redevelopment. Financial support would be scaled back for racial-ethnic caucuses. A supervisory position for women’s ministries staff in the synods would be eliminated. The National Volunteers Office would be merged with Churchwide Personnel Services. Conversations would begin about adjusting staffing support from the denomination for Presbyterian Women, and an intern’s position would be cut in the Washington office.

WORLDWIDE MINISTRIES: The number of long-term mission workers would be cut, through retirements and other departures, by 34 – although division director Marian McClure wrote in her budget presentation that “some budget reductions were necessary to meet the goal, but are not meant to last long . . . We are hopeful that we will be able to build the number of mission workers back up very soon.” Recruitment of long-term mission personnel would be curtailed “for the immediate future,” and support provided for international volunteers would decrease.

The number of area coordinators for international mission would be reduced from eight to six eliminating the area coordinators for “Central America, Caribbean and Mexico” and “South and Southeast Asia,” but those remaining would receive more support for their work and sub-regional coordinators would pick up some responsibilities in the field. Programs for supporting direct mission work by presbyteries and congregations would be restructured, with a new Coordinator for Ecumenical and Mission Partnerships being named. Grants to ecumenical partner churches would be reduced, a savings of $240,000. The Thuma Mina Mission Interpretation Program would be eliminated.

Other proposed cuts include the elimination of Glimpses, a quarterly newsletter for inserting in church bulletins, and the reducing of some grants for National Council of Churches programs.