Lack of confidence partly blamed for Church’s problems

Press, 17 November 1987, Page 3

Lack of confidence partly blamed for Church’s problems

A lack of confidence in management decisions and a potential spiritual crisis were cited as some of the reasons for the New Zealand Presbyterian Church’s previous severe financial problems, during the first day of the General Assembly in Christchurch yesterday. The convener of the finance committee, Mr Rhys Pearson, echoed several delegates’ comments when he suggested the parishes lacked confidence in church management because they did not associate with the pronouncements it made. This had created the situation where people voted with their feet and their pockets, he said. Mr Pearson was referring to overdraft problems which had plagued the Church last year. The outreach budget overdraft had peaked at more than $750,000 during the year,

before being reduced to $177,000 through special appeals, arid the “magnificent” responses from parishes and individuals. That response could not be expected in the future, he said. One delegate, Mr Malcolm Stuart, of Dunedin, suggested the Church was facing a spiritual rather than a financial crisis, and that once it “got its spiritual focus right, it would be able to sort out the money problems.” The Presbyterian Church had been through a “thundercloud” of financial problems, however, and it was clear that, “however unpalatable,” the Church could not continue to support the present structure, said Mr Pearson. In the last two years, the number of communicant members had declined as had attendance at worship services. Mr Pearson suggested

the days of theological colleges might also be numbered because of the high costs of training and a decline in the number of ministers trained. In 1973, the training of ministers ate up 11 per cent of the budget. Now it consumed up to 22.7 per cent. Another delegate, Mr Ron Keating, of Christchurch, suggested that severe cuts forced on the Church because of the overdraft would have detrimental effects on the mission work of the Church, which would in turn “engender a lack of confidence.” The general treasurer, Mr David Larson, told delegates that if the. parishes could attempt to meet half of this year’s outreach budget allocation of $4.25M before December 31, the Church might be able to stop thinking about overdrafts and start looking towards growth.