ELCA Churchwide Budget Reduced, Staff Positions Eliminated

ELCA NEWS SERVICE
November 16, 2009
CHICAGO

The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) acted Nov. 15 to reduce the 2010 churchwide current fund spending authorization by nearly $7.7 million, 10 percent less than the budget authorized by the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. The council's action eliminated 40.75 full-time equivalent positions, of which six were vacant.

The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. It met here Nov. 13-15.

The action reduced the current fund spending authorization for 2010 to $69,022,800. The 2009 assembly authorized $18.7 million in World Hunger spending for 2010, which was unchanged.

Nearly all churchwide units were affected by staff reductions or reassignments of staff, said the Rev. M. Wyvetta Bullock, ELCA executive for administration, in a report to the council. She said 23 executive staff positions and 18 support staff positions were eliminated. To respect their privacy, the names of people affected by the reductions will not be made public by the churchwide organization, Bullock said. the rest