Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1993

34 1993 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD OF THEor (3) place on Synod's docket forlater consideration. Recommendationsof the Business of Synod Committee may include thefollowing: (l)return of the paper with reasons for the return stated.(2) immediate action by the Synod. (3) referralto a standing orspecial committee, commission or board for study and recommendations,or (4) consideration by the Synod at another time.FINANCESThe 1992 Synod passed the following recommendation of the FinanceCommittee: "That Synod require the committee on the Business of Synodto make specific recommendations regarding the financialpriorities ofSynod" (Minutes of Synod, 1992, page 24).In response to this mandate, the committee asked that a sub-committeecomposed of Kenneth Smith, Raymond Morton, and Harry Metzger meetwith representativesof the Finance Committee Paul Finley and KeithMagiU, along with Synod's Treasurer, Louis Hutmire.Our committee needed clarification as to what kind of help the FinanceCommittee was requesting. The conference was helpful but inconclusive.There was agreement on Synod's direction in handling its finances since1991, but how does the Finance Committee of Synod decide priorities? Atthis time of undergoing some change in our financialpolicies, we havebeen experiencing increases in requests from Synod's agencies whileSynod's M & M as a percentage of total income in congregations hasdeclined. Acknowledging the crunch as real and also as indicative ofchange in congregations' priorities, the Finance Committee senses it hasbeen given an assignment to determine priorities rather than distributefunds based on Synod's priorities. Their problem became clearer. We arenot ready to propose an answer at this juncture. The earlier attempt bySynod's Committee on Priorities and Administration setting percentagesseemed to us to address their question, but apparently this seemed to be tootheoretical. Perhaps. But perhaps not. We will seek to address the questionagain, but this reportcannot make any further recommendations. Sufficeit to say that before this is resolved, the participants in Synod's M & M mayhave to sit down together and agree on a viable manner of distribution. Buteven that approach needs some guidance from Synod. We agree thatSynod's Finance Committee should not have to decide Synod's financialpriorities.UNDERSTANDING THE TIMESPartly because of the press of time in 1992, no report on "Understandingthe Times" was given and no continuing committee was appointed.The committee believes that such a reportis valuable and has asked Roy