Overture would cut PCUSA support of WCC and NCC By John H. Adams The Presbyterian Layman Volume 33, Number 3 Posted May 22, 2000 The contributions of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches would be sharply reduced if an overture submitted by the Presbytery of Savannah (Ga.) is approved by the 2000 General Assembly. Overture 00-55 calls for the PCUSA to limit its appropriations to each of the ecumenical councils, beginning in 2001, to an amount “not to exceed the average contribution per member of the six largest … donor denominations in the United States combined.” In 1999, according to figures released by the National Council of Churches, the PCUSA was the leading denominational supporter of the NCC with a contribution of $2.1 million. That was 83 cents per capita. The average per capita gift of the six leading denominations was 31 cents. The Savannah overture would reduce the PCUSA gift to about $775,000. In 1998, according to a report by the World Council of Churches, the PCUSA was the leading U.S. contributor to the WCC with an appropriation of $1.2 million. That was an average of 48 cents per member. The average contribution of the top six U.S. denominations was 15 cents. At that rate, the PCUSA contribution to the WCC would be $375,000. The Savannah overture also would “encourage the General Assembly Council and the Office of the General Assembly that funds released by these reductions might be considered for grants to other Christian organizations not affiliated with the WCC and NCC that also bear witness to the ecumenical hope of unity in Christ through their proclamation and service across denominational lines.” U.S. denominations’ support of WCC Members 1998 Per capita PCUSA 2,500,000 $1,200,000 $0.48 UMC 8,500,000 $805,197 $0.09 Disciples 853,000 $415,310 $0.49 ELCA 5,100,000 $325,515 $0.06 Episcopal 2,400,000 $234,046 $0.10 UCC 1,400,000 $227,821 $0.16 Average per capita gift of top six $0.15 Average per capita without PCUSA $0.11 Denominations’ support of NCC Members 1999 Per capita PCUSA 2,500,000 $2,066,202 $0.83 UMC 8,500,000 $1,443,150 $0.17 UCC 1,400,000 $1,165,743 $0.83 Am. Bapt. 1,500,000 $528,818 $0.35 ELCA 5,100,000 $517,622 $0.10 Disciples 853,000 $378,877 $0.44 Average per capita gift of top six $0.31 Average per capita without PCUSA $0.23 Contributions were reported by World Council of Churches and National Council of Churches in their annual reports.

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