Grant McMurray speaks out about financial problems in the Community of Christ
GRaleigh345
A Statement from President McMurray
Herald, Vol. 150, No. 2, February
A few weeks ago I was reviewing a draft of a letter we were sending to the
World Church headquarters and field staff informing them of the gravity of our
current budgetary problems. The letter outlined some of the steps we will need
to take, including the likelihood of staff layoffs and reduction in services.
As I edited the letter I wondered to myself if our members really understood
the situation we are in. As I have talked to people in the field many have told
me they were not aware of the deep cuts we are facing with current income
trends and unprecedented increases in health care costs and insurance premiums.
Some thought the World Church did not need additional income because we have
endowment funds. They say that our people need to be given a chance to respond.
I am a minister and a preacher, not a financier or economist. Over the past few
months I have stared at enough spreadsheets, pie charts, trend lines, and
long-range financial plans to suit me for a lifetime. I have listened to
analyses and projections and explanations of the economy and its impact on the
church’s mission.
But let me explain it in simple terms so that all can understand. In 1997 the
church warmly embraced the Transformation 2000 initiative. This led to the
addition of almost 200 new field ministers, the planting of more than 200 new
congregations, and a focus of ministry on children, youth, and young adults.
The World Church budget grew from approximately $18 million to a figure that
approached $30 million. That was paid for by a modest fund-raising effort that
covered the additional cost in the first few years, to be replaced on a sliding
scale in subsequent years by increased tithes and general offerings.
Today, just over five years later, we face two simple realities. Our tithes
have not increased as projected and the North American economy has sharply
declined, affecting both the growth of church investments and the ability of
members to increase their level of giving.
We are not alone in this plight. Most churches and charitable agencies in North
America are experiencing similar shortfalls and are reducing staff and
programs. We cannot reliably predict when an economic turnaround is likely to
occur.
At the 2002 World Conference the Presiding Bishopric presented the details of
“A Disciple’s Generous Response,” including a new interpretation and
simplification of the tithing principle. This has been well received by the
church, but it is too early to determine its impact on our funding of world
mission.
Our current budget situation cannot wait for several years. We have no choice
but to begin sharply reducing some programs and services, in accordance with
the priorities we announced at World Conference. There will undoubtedly be
disappointments in the field over eliminated services. We will lose the
full-time ministry of some loyal staff members. To stave off further reductions
we need a 10 to 15 percent increase in income, amounting to an average of about
$10 per week for each family.
I don’t know how to say it more clearly than that. Members who contribute do
so generously, but our contributor base is not growing. That is a serious
concern for the future.
Economic declines always impact churches quickly because we rely heavily on
volunteer contributions from members’ discretionary income. We cushion the
blow by building up operating reserves and by spending from endowment funds at
moderate rates, even when earnings are high. The financial foundation of the
church is strong due to years of prudent planning. But the operating budget
depends on tithes and offerings and that is the area where we have immediate
need.
Some cuts have already been made. We have asked staff to eliminate many
non-essential items from their budgets. As members of the World Church
Leadership Council, we have voluntarily made reductions in our own expenditures
and committed ourselves to increase our own generosity in our personal giving.
People of faith do not simply yield and allow God’s work to be frustrated by
economic trends. Instead we respond sacrificially to those conditions, just as
our church has done at various times in our history.
We are joined together in a great cause. We have committed ourselves to walk
the path of the disciple and to give priority to the sharing goal. One aspect
of that goal is witness: “Each one, reach one.” The other aspect is to
“honor God’s call to tithe.”
We pray for each disciple’s generous response.
W. Grant McMurray
Actually, the Community of Christ leaders have done the true saints a favor by
taking a new name for their part of the Church, for it has helped make a
definite distinction between the true and false parts.
-- Richard Price
GRaleigh345
>of Christ
>From: grale...@cs.comQQQ (GRaleigh345)
>Date: 2/3/03 7:52 PM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: <20030203205208...@mb-fz.news.cs.com>
>
>
>A Statement from President McMurray
>Herald, Vol. 150, No. 2, February
>
>
>A few weeks ago I was reviewing a draft of a letter we were sending to the
>World Church headquarters and field staff informing them of the gravity of
>our
>current budgetary problems. The letter outlined some of the steps we will
>need
>to take, including the likelihood of staff layoffs and reduction in services.
>
>As I edited the letter I wondered to myself if our members really understood
>the situation we are in.
I wonder if Mr. McMurray really understands the situation that he has
gotten the church into.
As I have talked to people in the field many have
>told
>me they were not aware of the deep cuts we are facing with current income
>trends and unprecedented increases in health care costs and insurance
>premiums.
>Some thought the World Church did not need additional income because we have
>endowment funds. They say that our people need to be given a chance to
>respond.
>
>I am a minister and a preacher, not a financier or economist.
My somewhat ungenerous response to this is that Mr. McMurray is first and
foremost a politician. Ministers and preachers understand economics to some
degree, but politicians never do.
Over the past
>few
>months I have stared at enough spreadsheets, pie charts, trend lines, and
>long-range financial plans to suit me for a lifetime. I have listened to
>analyses and projections and explanations of the economy and its impact on
>the
>church’s mission.
>
>But let me explain it in simple terms so that all can understand. In 1997 the
>church warmly embraced the Transformation 2000 initiative. This led to the
>addition of almost 200 new field ministers, the planting of more than 200 new
>congregations, and a focus of ministry on children, youth, and young adults.
>The World Church budget grew from approximately $18 million to a figure that
>approached $30 million. That was paid for by a modest fund-raising effort
>that
>covered the additional cost in the first few years, to be replaced on a
>sliding
>scale in subsequent years by increased tithes and general offerings.
Let's see. In 1997, the Church leadership decided to increase expenses
dramatically. Then in 2002, following economic problems that had been known for
some six month before, it was forced to own up to the fact that it was in
violation of church law regarding gay ordinations. This was bad timing, but
since the violations had been going on for some years prior to 911, it was
inevitable that the new was going to come out anyway. This news alienated a
large percentage of the membership who were interested in having the church
continue in an orderly fashion without skullduggery.
>
>Today, just over five years later, we face two simple realities. Our tithes
>have not increased as projected and the North American economy has sharply
>declined, affecting both the growth of church investments and the ability of
>members to increase their level of giving.
Translation: Our open embrace of New Age religious ideas and trysting with
liberal protestant denominations has not brought in the tithe-payers we
expected.
>
>We are not alone in this plight. Most churches and charitable agencies in
>North
>America are experiencing similar shortfalls and are reducing staff and
>programs. We cannot reliably predict when an economic turnaround is likely to
>occur.
Nor can anybody predict the next time the leadership is going to go out of
its mind and do something stupid again.
>
>At the 2002 World Conference the Presiding Bishopric presented the details of
>“A Disciple’s Generous Response,” including a new interpretation and
>simplification of the tithing principle. This has been well received by the
>church, but it is too early to determine its impact on our funding of world
>mission.
>
>Our current budget situation cannot wait for several years. We havstry of
>some loyal staff members. To stave off further reductions
>we need a 10 to 15 percent increase in income, amounting to an average of
>about
>$10 per week for each family.
>
>I don’t know how to say it more clearly than that. Members who contribute do
>so generously, but our contributor base is not growing. That is a serious
>concern for the future.
Modest growth would be possible if the original doctrines of the RLDS
church were taught and preached. All this was thrown away in a desperate scheme
to try to achieve exponential growth by catering to the politically correct
set, but the scam has been a failure.
>
>Economic declines always impact churches quickly because we rely heavily on
>volunteer contributions from members’ discretionary income. We cushion the
>blow by building up operating reserves and by spending from endowment funds
>at
>moderate rates, even when earnings are high. The financial foundation of the
>church is strong due to years of prudent planning. But the operating budget
>depends on tithes and offerings and that is the area where we have immediate
>need.
>
>Some cuts have already been made. We have asked staff to eliminate many
>non-essential items from their budgets. As members of the World Church
>Leadership Council, we have voluntarily made reductions in our own
>expenditures
>and committed ourselves to increase our own generosity in our personal
>giving.
>
>People of faith do not simply yield and allow God’s work to be frustrated by
>economic trends.
Why not? The Community of Christ leadership has yielded to the secularized
culture and completely changed the church's scriptures, doctrines, and
practices to cater to current social trends. Should it be surprised that some
of its members yield to popular trends as well?
Instead we respond sacrificially to those conditions, just
>as
>our church has done at various times in our history.
Yes, the entire Church has been sacrificed on the altar of expendience, and
it is time to reap.
>
>We are joined together in a great cause. We have committed ourselves to walk
>the path of the disciple and to give priority to the sharing goal. One aspect
>of that goal is witness: “Each one, reach one.” The other aspect is to
>“honor God’s call to tithe.”
>
>We pray for each disciple’s generous response.
>
>
>W. Grant McMurray
>
Amazing. Mr. McMurray's entire appeal has been carefully worded so as to
be totally generic. Not only does it fail to show that it is an appeal from the
leader of a Restoration church, but it fails to show that it is even from a
nominally Christian denomination. Except for the word "church," this could be
an appeal from a rabbi to his congregation, or to a Muslim minister to his
mosque.
I am not surprised at the problems. I still give the same amount of money that
I used to, but I give it to the local Restoration Branch, that teaches RLDS
doctrine.
Raleigh
Nanci Dickerman
Anthony Frank
Louis Epstein
>> > >church, but it is too early to determine its impact on our funding of world
>> > >mission.
>> > >
>> > >Our current budget situation cannot wait for several years. We havstry of
>> > >some loyal staff members. To stave off further reductions
>> > >we need a 10 to 15 percent increase in income, amounting to an average of
>> > >about
>> > >$10 per week for each family.
>> > >
>> > >concern for the future.
>> > Modest growth would be possible if the original doctrines of the RLDS
>> > church were taught and preached. All this was thrown away in a desperate scheme
>> > to try to achieve exponential growth by catering to the politically correct
>> > set, but the scam has been a failure.
>> > >
>> > >Economic declines always impact churches quickly because we rely heavily on
>> > >at
>> > >moderate rates, even when earnings are high. The financial foundation of the
>> > >church is strong due to years of prudent planning. But the operating budget
>> > >depends on tithes and offerings and that is the area where we have immediate
>> > >need.
>> > >
>> > >Some cuts have already been made. We have asked staff to eliminate many
>> > >non-essential items from their budgets. As members of the World Church
>> > >Leadership Council, we have voluntarily made reductions in our own
>> > >expenditures
>> > >and committed ourselves to increase our own generosity in our personal
>> > >giving.
>> > >
>> > Why not? The Community of Christ leadership has yielded to the secularized
>> > culture and completely changed the church's scriptures, doctrines, and
>> > practices to cater to current social trends. Should it be surprised that some
>> > of its members yield to popular trends as well?
>> > Instead we respond sacrificially to those conditions, just
>> > >as
>> > >our church has done at various times in our history.
>> > Yes, the entire Church has been sacrificed on the altar of expendience, and
>> > it is time to reap.
>> > >
>> > >We are joined together in a great cause. We have committed ourselves to walk
>> > >the path of the disciple and to give priority to the sharing goal. One aspect
>> > >?honor God?s call to tithe.?
>> > >
>> > >We pray for each disciple?s generous response.
>> > >
>> > >W. Grant McMurray
>> > >
>> > Amazing. Mr. McMurray's entire appeal has been carefully worded so as to
>> > be totally generic. Not only does it fail to show that it is an appeal from the
>> > leader of a Restoration church, but it fails to show that it is even from a
>> > nominally Christian denomination. Except for the word "church," this could be
>> > an appeal from a rabbi to his congregation, or to a Muslim minister to his
>> > mosque.
>> > I am not surprised at the problems. I still give the same amount of money that
>> > I used to, but I give it to the local Restoration Branch, that teaches RLDS
>> > doctrine.
>> > Raleigh
A lot of them I think went into the Remnant Church (of LDS) that named a Joseph Smith
descendant as president (a doctrine the RLDS had abandoned),but he died leaving that
presidency to a non-descendant...
>> > Actually, the Community of Christ leaders have done the true saints a favor by
>> > taking a new name for their part of the Church, for it has helped make a
>> > definite distinction between the true and false parts.
>> > -- Richard Price
>> Ya know, that pesky little church in Utah seems to be doing fine. I did notice an unusual leaning toward the radical influences of the world. Teaching to embrace climate change as if it is part of religion? that is what it looked like. Meditation and imagining mentally...blah blah...I was rather confused. While neither of these ideas is wrong when applied to the Lord's creation and our job as stewards and in meditation in prayer and being still and quiet, the verbiage seems to be jumping into a 1960s communal sit-in. Perhaps it is time to accept that Brigham Young led the pioneers west by God's hand. Perhaps bringing all you once had and looking deeply into what was turned away from should be revisited. After all, you do seem to have an identity problem and with so much change one might wonder who is at the helm. Pray, seek, ask, and remember your roots. Then ask the Lord where that truth is. The church awaits with open arms to reunite with those who did not go west. As our beloved Prophet, President Hinckley stated, "bring what you have and see if we can add to it".
>
> As you know, Nanci, Jesus Christ restored his church on the earth. It is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the only true church on the face of the earth. Everyone needs to know that it is God's kingdom on the earth. We continue to build new temples at an astounding rate. There are no "financial troubles" in Jesus Christ's church, as opposed to the so-called Community of Christ. The kingdom of God will continue to roll forth to the ends of the earth until the true gospel of Jesus Christ has been preached to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.