The 1992 General Conference approved Calendar Item 572 on page 287-8 of the Daily Christian Advocate, endorsing the National United Methodist Native American Center's current functions and roles, and endorsed the Center's quadrennial funding (1993-96) through a "shared focus" among four program boards: GBHEM, GBGM, GBOD, and GBCS, with GCFA being charged with appropriating money for such purpose. The projected funds proposed in this action for the Native American Center during the quadrennium were $200,000 per year.
The General Conference referred this action to GCFA for recommendations related to funding. GCFA's Report No. 16, Item 4 responded to this referral and was approved by the General Conference which asked GCOM to: "convene representatives of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, General Board of Global Ministries, and the National United Methodist Native American Center to recommend to GCFA the amount and source of additional funding for the Center from their budgets or other sources."
Process and Implementation
In response to this General Conference action, the General Council on Ministries convened an initial consultation November 30, 1992 at Lincolnwood, Illinois between representatives of the designated groups: GBHEM, GBGM, and the Native American Center. In addition, and present by invitation, were representatives of the General Board of Church and Society, the Commission on Religion and Race, and the General Council on Finance and Administration.
The initial consultation reviewed the action and intent of the General Conference in regard to the Native American Center and the previous support and relationships that existed between the Center and the general agencies involved in the consultations. The projected 1993 budget for the Center was $202,819, exclusive of "in-kind" benefits from the School of Theology at Claremont for rent and insurance.
It was the consensus of all present that at least two objectives should be pursued:
First, that together they address the immediate funding requirements of the Center, since its financial support through its present general agency source (GBHEM) was to expire as of December 31, 1992.
Second, that the Native American Center and the appropriate general agencies of the church explore long-range plans for its financial support, looking not only at the coming quadrennium (1993-96), but beyond. This should include possible further "in-kind" benefits from the School of Theology at Claremont.
In order to move toward accomplishment of the foregoing objectives, and in accordance with the 1992 General Conference action in GCFA Report No. 16, Item 4, the following recommendations were made by the participants to:
"... recommend to GCFA the amount and source of additional funding for the Center from their budgets and other sources" as follows:
1. That for 1993 the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry provide funding for the Center at the level previously voted by that Board of $40,000, and that, in addition, GBHEM will also review further funding at a level of $60,000, for a total of $100,000.
2. That the Center offer to provide its demonstrated expertise and services in the area of Native American ministries to the Interagency Task Force established by the Native American Comprehensive Plan approved by the 1992 General Conference; and that in so doing, the Interagency Task Force, supported by the General Board of Global Ministries to which it is accountable, provide funding for the Center in 1993 from monies it receives through the World Service Fund and the Mission Initiatives Fund in an amount not less than $40,000.
3. That the General Board of Church and Society and the General Board of Discipleship each be prepared to respond favorably to possible requests from the Center for funding through Ethnic Local Church or other sources; and also be prepared to provide appropriate "in-kind" resources and staff support in mutual areas of Native American ministries.
4. That the General Council on Ministries be prepared to respond favorably under its guidelines for World Service Contingency Funds to possible requests from any appropriate general agency or agencies to fund programs related to their work which can in turn support the Center's program.
5. That the Center explore and evaluate as soon as possible proposals made by the General Board of Global Ministries during this consultation to consider providing resources to the Center in the following areas:
A. Assignment of a full-time missionary and/or US-2 as staff at the Center.
B. Use of the Office of Finance and Field Service of GBGM as a means of securing long-term financial support for the Center.
C. Use of Deferred Giving programs available through the Mission Education and Cultivation Program Department of GBGM as another means of securing long-term financial support for the Center.
D. Mutual consultation between the Center and GBGM for the development of Advance Special Projects related to and supporting the work and ministry of the Center.
E. Mutual training opportunities in the area of Native American ministries available cooperatively from the Center and GBGM.
6. That, in order to provide for the immediate funding needs of the Center in 1993, and to supplement the resources outlined above, the General Council on Finance and Administration approve at its December 1992 meeting a World Service Contingency Fund grant of $50,000 for the Native American Center for its 1993 budget.
7. That the General Council on Finance and Administration request that further consultations be convened.
During the course of the quadrennium, it was determined additional consultations were needed. They were held: September 9, 1993 at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; May 9, 1994 at Rochester, New York; and November 29, 1995 at Indianapolis, Indiana.
The next two consultations were held with significant support and work to further implement the recommendations of the initial consultation and to develop ongoing short-range and long-range funding goals and procedures for the continuation of the National United Methodist Native American Center. The final consultation was held within the context of the joint meeting of the General Council on Ministries and the General Council on Finance and Administration in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 29, 1995.
This consultation recommended that, with the assistance of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the National United Methodist Native American Center would submit a proposal to General Conference that outlined the short range mission of the Center with a request for their needed funding for the 1997-2000 quadrennium. Additionally, the proposal would present a vision for the future continuance of the historic functions and purpose of the Native American Center and its vital contributions to the ministry of Christ with and for the Native American community(ies) to the world, through The United Methodist Church. This petition by the Native American Center will be included in Volume II of the Advance Daily Christian Advocate
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21711-GJ-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference