Diocesan brothers and sisters -
I am sharing a story featured in The Living Church, which discusses dioceses across the country that are not able to satisfy their assessment to The Episcopal Church (TEC). As you will see we are the wealthiest diocese in the group.
Many months before I was contacted about this story, we had been discussing our commitment to TEC. In each of our many budget meetings we addressed and discussed this with you. For the last 13 years, this diocese has not met our TEC commitment.
Starting in 2020, this will change and we will meet our assessment. I believe that with our resources, we should meet our assessment in 2019.
In the last three years, we have changed the way this office works for you. We have restructured and reduced staff and found innovative ways to fund programming. We are now below 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 staff funding levels; and have eliminated a $872K deficit from the budget.
Despite these reductions, we are out more with our churches and doing more than before. We are revolutionary.
We are ready to make good on our commitment to TEC. Not only because if we do not we will miss grant opportunities and funding for three current projects, but because it is essential to our identity. As Episcopalians, we must do this.
Thank you for your continued support, guidance and love.
