The 1992 General Conference adopted Calendar Item 187 which charged the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) and the General Council on Ministries (GCOM) with the task of evaluating the Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy and reporting their recommendations to the 1996 General Conference.
Background. The General Conference of 1976 approved a recommendation from The Methodist Corporation that, from sale of real estate in Washington, D.C., a portion of the proceeds be used to create a trust fund which would accumulate to the principal amount of $973,195.76, more or less, which fund would be under the custody and control of GCFA; that the income from the investment of this fund up to $50,000 annually be made available to the Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy; that $50,000 be paid annually to the Center for the ensuing quadrennium; that if the income were not available any year, GCFA would negotiate advances with the Center; and that the program of the Center be evaluated by GCOM and GCFA. Based on such evaluations, these councils were directed to make recommendations to the following General Conference as to the future of the Methodist Corporation Trust Fund and continuing support for the Center.
Subsequent General Conferences, based on recommendation of the two councils, have reaffirmed the actions of the 1976 General Conference related to the Trust Fund and the Center. In addition, the 1984 General Conference authorized GCFA and GCOM to approve increases in the $50,000 annual allocation to the Center, once accumulated advances to the Center had been satisfied; the 1988 General Conference then set the annual allocation to the Center as the amount calculated by GCFA as the annual earnings on the trust fund. The income paid to the Center was $81,707 in 1989, $78,099 in 1990, $69,765 in 1991, and $70,000 each in 1992 and 1993.
GCOM and GCFA were directed to conduct a quadrennial evaluation of the Center during the 1993-96 quadrennium.
The Center. The Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy understands itself as a national, ecumenical research center which seeks to interpret the implications of Christian theology and ethics for public policies and to bring the resulting insights to bear on significant public policy issues. In keeping with that understanding, it neither engages in lobbying, nor does it take positions on specific pieces of legislation. Rather, it understands itself as a "think tank" which seeks to analyze broad, longer-range public policy issues and alternatives from the perspective of the Christian faith, and to make the results of its work available both to policy makers and to other groups, including churches, who are involved in debate of public policy issues.
1993-96 GCOM and GCFA Actions. At their organizational meetings, GCFA named three of its voting members and GCOM named two of its voting members to serve on a Committee to Evaluate the Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy. In March 1994, the committee met with representatives of the Center's board of directors, with its executive director, and with members of the faculty and administration of Wesley Theological Seminary, where the Center is located.
The evaluation committee learned of the following developments since the previous quadrennium's evaluation:
1) The Executive Director, Dr. James A. Nash, a United Methodist clergy member of the New England Annual Conference, continues to provide leadership to the Center.
2) The semi-annual journal, Theology and Public Policy, completes its fifth year with the publication of its tenth issue.
3) The series of books on Christian ethics and public policy are published in a joint venture with Abingdon Press. Four volumes have been published; three more are in preparation on topics of poverty/welfare, immigration, and global population.
4) Continuation of several previously existing programs, including a visiting Scholars program, the Cynthia Wedel Lecture series, and participation with Wesley Seminary in a National Capital Seminar for Seminarians program.
5) The board of directors continues discussion about ways to increase the Center's income and broaden its base of support.
Based on information gathered in the evaluation session, the committee reported its recommendations to the two councils. GCOM and GCFA have each acted to submit this report and the recommendations contained in it to the 1996 General Conference.
Recommendations:
1. United Methodist support for the Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy shall be continued, and the annual allocation to the Center shall be the amount from the income of the Methodist Corporation Trust Fund as determined by GCFA.
2. The Methodist Corporation Trust Fund shall continue to be under the custody and management of the General Council on Finance and Administration.
3. The board and staff of the Center are urged to increase the Center's efforts of outreach to United Methodist constituencies to inform them of the Center's work and encourage use of its resources and services.
4. The general agencies of The United Methodist Church, especially the General Board of Church and Society, United Methodist Communications, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, and the General Board of Global Ministries, are encouraged to utilize the Center's resources in those areas of research and study appropriate to their responsibilities; and GCOM is encouraged to follow up on this recommendation in its evaluation process with the agencies.
5. The Center's Visiting Scholars program is commended to persons engaged in scholarly research projects related to the purpose of the Center (such as college and theological school faculty and pastors on sabbatical leave); due to limited facilities, persons interested in exploring this possibility should contact the Center for information about the program early in the process of planning their leave.
6. The Center's achievements in developing valuable resource materials, as evidenced by the journal and the joint publication venture with Abingdon Press, are recognized and use of these materials by United Methodist local churches, annual conferences, and agencies is encouraged.
7. We see an urgent need for the Center's board to broaden its sources of support, even as we celebrate the history of United Methodist leadership and support in the Center's work. There is a need for greater inclusiveness (e.g. ethnicity and age) in the board membership, and persons selected to contribute writings to the Center's publications.
8. A quadrennial evaluation of the Center by GCOM and GCFA be made with a report to the 2000 General Conference.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21684-GJ-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference