Regional Synod (askings/assessments)
Tomorrow is the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes Annual meeting. Of all the things we will not be changing, the question about assessing benevolence will probably be one of them.
Last year the Regional Synod (I was not a delegate) decided to cease “asking” for benevolence and start “assessing” them. This seems to make sense, from a certain point…after all, it guarantees money, rather than having to wonder if they’ll come in…and yet, there’s a problem too, I think.
Benevolence are, by very nature, voluntary…aren’t they? And assessments, by very nature, are involuntary fees to cover the working costs of the body…right?
So, if we “require” benevolence doesn’t it remove the voluntary-ness of them? And if they’re not voluntary, doesn’t that sidestep the whole concept of joyfully offering our resources up to God?
Maybe I’m missing something….what do you think?
(BTW, I’m pleased to note that, although our congregation never fully paid the “askings,” the Regional Synod’s attempt backfired in our case — they are not receiving less from our congregation than before.)
Grace and Peace,
`tim
4 Responses to “Regional Synod (askings/assessments)”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
May 1st, 2006 at 9:31 pm
Tim: You and I the only ones here?
We are having similar discussions in Albany Synod (only in small groups so far). I am opposed to askings: the Synod is a group of classes that have covenanted to work together; if the Synod has agreed to a ministry, then the whole Synod shares in the responsibility to support that ministry; one cannot pick and choose parts of the covenant one wishes to participate in. Further, if we really believe that the Holy Spirit acts through the prayerful actions of an assembly, then, even if you disagree with the decision that they made, to fail to support it is, on some level, to deny the workings of the Spirit (more than a little uppity for a Calvinist). Therefore, the whole concept of “askings” is a bit dishonest; an asking is either just a way to assess without raising the assessment, because you have a covenant responsibility to fulfill, or the Synod is putting congregations in the position of being allowed to deny the Spirit (saving your budget by denying the sovereignty of God? What would Calvin say?).
As for the “benevolence” part, it seems to me that these are benevolences of the Synod (discretionary thankful giving of the Synod) not of local congregations (which have that covenant responsibility), just as congregational benevolences are discretionary gifts of the congregations, not of individual members.
May 1st, 2006 at 10:19 pm
James…
Yep, I presume most people have gotten sick of following my weak intellect
Thanks for your insight.
Here’s my question, in response to your post. It has to do with the status of these “ministries.” Are they ministries with whom we have a covenental relationship (thereby responsibility to care for) or are they ministries that the synod (or classis) have approved as sound and appropriate recepients of our (individual and congregational) benevolences?
If these ministries are “approved,” askings make sense to me. If they’re “covenentally engaged” askings are too weak and perhaps assessments are appropriate.
You seem to be saying that they fall under this covenentally responsible category, I guess I imagine them within the synodically approved category.
Which is actually the case?
Grace and Peace,
`tim
May 4th, 2006 at 11:33 pm
For Albany, these are covenental ministries. I can’t speak for Great Lakes (and I would normally be afraid to do so).
It seems to me, however, that, if these are “approved” ministries, then there still should not be an asking. The Synod can simply say “here’s a ministry we think congregations might wish to support, and we think it’s worthwhile,” and then get the heck out of the way. Benevolences can flow directly from congregations to the ministry in question, no extra steps required.
May 20th, 2006 at 1:28 am
I disagree with the assumption that whatever a church body decides, in the minutae of its mission askings, etc., is the explicit work of the Spirit, where failing to comply contravenes God’s will. “Synods and councils may err, and have erred.”