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UMCom cuts budget, realigns work

7/25/2003 News media contact: Stephen Drachler · (615) 742-5411

For related coverage, see UMNS stories #366 and #375.

SAN DIEGO (UMNS) - In an effort to promote stewardship, the United Methodist communications agency plans to begin discussions with neighboring church agencies in Nashville, Tenn., to reduce duplication and save money on administrative work.

Members of the churchwide Commission on Communication, meeting July 13-14, authorized the staff at United Methodist Communications to enter into discussions with the Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the Board of Discipleship about human resources, financial and information technology functions. All three agencies are based in Nashville.

The action was among a number of steps taken by the commission to deal with the financial challenges faced by general agencies and the church during the remainder of the 2001-04 period and to prepare for the financial realities of the upcoming 2005-08 quadrennium. The commission approved the principles of UMCom's five-year plan during its meeting in San Diego.

United Methodist general agencies function under a four-year budgeting process rooted in actions taken by the General Conference, the church's top legislative assembly. The 2004 General Conference in Pittsburgh will set the budget for the 2005-08 quadrennium.

The commission approved changes to the 2003 budget that reflect a projected reduction in revenues coming to the agency from its primary source of income, the World Service Fund, and a significant drop in income from the special church trust fund that funds retiree benefits.

The changes included the phasing out of six permanent staff positions; the elimination of two positions vacated by retirements; and reductions in budget appropriations at nearly every level of the agency. In all, the staff cuts and reductions in spending are projected to save the agency $350,000 in 2003.

The Rev. Larry Hollon, chief staff executive for the agency, said the staff cuts were a painful but necessary move, needed to help resolve the immediate situation and place UMCom in a healthy position for ministry in the next quadrennium.

"While we are concerned for 2003, we need to get ready for the exciting challenges of communicating in the next quadrennium," Hollon said. "We are taking steps now to position the church to effectively share the stories of United Methodists in ministry throughout the world between 2005 and 2008."

Some of those steps include:
Â· Hiring a deputy general secretary to administer the program functions of the agency. A national search is under way.
Â· Evaluating the format and role of Interpreter magazine and other program journals to ensure they are meeting audience needs and generating revenues to offset a larger share of the production costs.
Â· Realigning United Methodist News Service and the staff of UMTV within the Office of Public Information to reduce duplication and identify other possible cost savings. Hollon said UMNS will continue to function in its traditional newsgathering capacity for the church.
Â· Creating a new products marketing team that will consolidate the marketing efforts of teams within UMCom, including Ecufilm, Igniting Ministry products, Kingswood Productions and the Tech Shop software marketing operation.

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