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Among its 11 items of business during the 227th General Assembly, the Financial Stewardship and Witness Committee will consider the proposed 2027-28 unified budget for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the report of the Funding Model Development Team and a recommendation on agency pay equity.
General Assembly committees meet online June 22-24. The Rev. Joanna Dunn of Cascades Presbytery is moderator of the Financial Stewardship and Witness Committee. The Rev. Kari Olson of Philadelphia Presbytery is the vice-moderator.
The proposed 2027-28 budget, which has been approved by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation Board and the Unification Commission, is for about $90.5 million in 2027 and about $97.9 million in 2028. The proposed budget is balanced both years and fully funds reserve accounts.
The Funding Model Development Team recommends that the 227th General Assembly grant an extension of its work until the 228th General Assembly (2028) to allow for completion of the field studies and analysis required for the team to make its final recommendations.
The Funding Model Development team has been meeting since the spring of 2023. It’s worked with Research Services to gather data about the financial concerns of mid councils and it’s begun field studies. “The aim of the field study,” the team wrote, “is to learn how to fund the work of our councils in sustainable and equitable ways that match our denominational values.”
The Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy recommends implementing pay equity for executive staff positions, “seeking to find a more equal balance of pay across all agencies and entities” of the PC(USA). Each board overseeing the agencies and entities of the PC(USA) would limit the highest executive salary in that entity to four times the median pastor’s effective salary, which is now about $71,000.
Among other items of business the committee is scheduled to consider are:
- A recommendation to update the church’s military and weapons screen criteria for the General Assembly Divestment/Proscription List
- The report of the 1984 Divestment Policy Task Force, which proposes updating policies that have served the church for more than 40 years
- The report of the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program
- The Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment response to FIN-01 from 2024, recommending that GE Aerospace and Palantir Technologies Inc. be placed on the Divestment/Proscription List
- The report of the PC(USA), A Corporation to the General Assembly
- The agency summary of the Presbyterian Foundation, which “offers charitable expertise and services that unite and empower Presbyterians and the ministries about which they are passionate.”
- The report of the New Covenant Trust Company, a subsidiary of the Presbyterian Foundation, which partners with church institutions by providing investment, trust and financial services. “Congregations, mid councils, agencies, institutions and individuals can work with NCTC to create custom solutions aligned with their mission and values to best meet their goals and objectives,” the report states.
- Recommendations from the Presbyterian Foundation, including exploring and initiating ways to enhance the Foundation’s expertise and capacity in support of planned and deferred giving; maintaining, exploring and cultivating “the growing number of national and worldwide ecumenical partner relationships”; inspiring, educating and equipping PC(USA) congregations, mid councils and other ministries “to learn and promote best practices as they provide support in the areas of wealth transfer and church property issues; continuing “to seek General Assembly directed creative investment opportunities” in order to “provide ecumenical partners and constituents with low-cost financing and capital in challenging economic and social contexts”; and continuing “the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to maintain its fiduciary obligation to ensure funds are used in accordance with donor intent.”
By Mike Ferguson, Presbyterian News Service
