14
Recorder
February 16, 1987
Union News
Union executive committee approves
$8.3 million budget for 1987
The Pacific Union Conference ex-
ecutive committee gave final clearance
to the 1987 $8.3 million union budget
during its January 21 meeting.
However, neither the union budget
nor local conference budgets for 1987
will reflect the total tithe increase expe-
rienced during 1986, noted Sylvester
D. Bietz, union treasurer.
““Union-wide tithe giving during
December was unusually high, he said.
“Our projections through November
showed a predicted 4 percent tithe in-
crease for the year. But December tithe
giving pushed the year’s increase to
about 7.18 percent.
Tax laws cause tithe jump
““We think that many members gave
tithe early in anticipation of the new
tax laws which took effect January 1.
So we have suggested that local confer-
ences also project their budgets for 1987
with that in mind,’’ Bietz cautioned.
The committee elected Stephen
Chavez, a pastor in the Fallon-
Hawthorne, Nevada, district to succeed
1987 Pacific Union
Conference
Budget Summary
Funds Available $8,308,000
Use of Funds
Union Office Operation ~~ 34.5%
Appropriations 49.5%
Colleges, Conferences
Indian work, Auditing
Recorder .6%
Reserves 5.6%
Retirement Fund 8.9%
Union Office
Improvement 9%
100%
Total Use of Funds
0. J. Jackson, a Las Vegas pastor, on
the union committee. Jackson had been
elected to the committee during the
1986 union constituency meeting but
had been unable to serve. Chavez will
also serve on the union evaluation sub-
committee.
Job descriptions under study
The planning subcommittee announced
that it has begun studying the role and
job descriptions of the various union
departments. It will continue this study
at the April meeting and expects to
present its final report at the June ex-
ecutive committee meeting.
It has scheduled a closer look at
financial audit reports and departmental
effectiveness and will later study statis-
tics and trends of the local conferences
from an overview perspective, says
Thomas J. Mostert, union president.
He suggested to the executive com-
mittee that in the future any plans adopted
by the committee and the planning sub-
committee should be expected to in-
clude an evaluation method to be used
by the evaluation committee.
Other evaluation agenda items in-
clude the Personal Giving Plan, effective-
ness of union-sponsored institutions, the
use of Harvest 90 funds sent from the
union for use in local conferences, and
the contribution of departments of the
General Conference and North Ameri-
can Division as they relate to the union
conference.
““The purpose of this procedure,’
Mostert explained, ‘‘is to strengthen
the functions of the church in order to
better accomplish our mission.”
Literature ministry reorganized
One result of the work of the two
subcommittees has been a reorganiza-
tion of the relationship between the
publishing department and the Home
Health Education Service (HHES). This
was ratified at the January committee
‘meeting.
The new relationship brings their oper-
ations into closer harmony under the
union treasurer. The new structural arrange-
ment is intended to create greater cooper-
ation. The plan will be evaluated in
one year and reported back to the union
committee.
Endowment Fund modified
Pacific Union’s Education Endow-
ment Fund plan underwent significant
revision. Although the plan was initially
adopted in 1985, many conferences and
schools found it difficult to become
involved. The revised plan calls for
conferences and colleges to contribute
all student assistance endowment moneys
raised to the union fund. But 90 percent
of all funds raised by each entity will
be used exclusively for endowment pur-
poses within its territory. The remaining
10 percent will benefit students from
all conferences on a need and per capita
membership distribution plan. However,
if a donor wishes to designate 100
percent of his gift to one college or
conference, that can be arranged.
“This way,’”’ Bietz said, ‘‘those
who raise the funds will be able to
receive the benefits from those funds.
“Although growth of the fund has
been slow, it will have a major long-
term impact in keeping our schools oper-
ating as the fund increases,” he noted.
“Some (schools and conferences) are
already reaping the benefits of this plan
but others are seeing no benefit because
they haven’t become involved.”’
The committee studied the Loma Linda
Univesity board’s decision to consoli-
date its schools on the Loma Linda
campus. They concluded that although
the board’s action is not within the
purview of the union committee, it would
advise great caution regarding imple-
mentation of such action, and that a
broad base of support should be achieved
before proceeding with the plan.
Building projects approved
Capital reversion funds of Black and
Hispanic church projects were approved.
Eighteen Black churches will receive
designated portions of $49,200 avail-
able for distribution in 1987. Another
$53,000 will be distributed to nine
Hispanic churches.
The committee approved six church
building and financing plans. They in-
cluded building projects for the Apache
Junction, Arizona, church and the Fresno,
California, Asian church; revising the
building project for the Penn Valley
church in Northern California; building
purchase for the Chico, California, church;
and refinancing for East Palo Alto and
Pacoima, California, churches.
Several revisions to the union educa-
tion code and employment policy were