Attached at the bottom of the page are the various budget documents presented at the 87th Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia. If you don't already have it, get Adobe Acrobat Reader (a free download) to access these files.The 2006 Proposed Detail Budget and the 2006 Proposed Summary Budget are the documents referred to in Bishop Powell's message below.

Financial Resolutions

Challenge Letter from St. John's, Bedford

Budget Message from Bishop Powell

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

This year’s budget is the most challenging we have faced for many years. We anticipated a $36,000 increase in giving from churches but instead received a decrease of $101,000 resulting in a tremendous gap of $137,000. Far and away the largest decrease was from St. John’s-Roanoke. But overall there were eight decreased pledges, 24 increased and 24 stayed the same.

This decrease has forced us to make difficult decisions. Nickel-and-diming the budget achieved only a small portion of the $137,000 difference between pledged income and the original proposed budget. Among the options we considered were eliminating support to Phoebe Needles Center immediately and not replacing the open youth coordinator position as of September 1.

On the positive side, we have faith that pledges will return to better levels in 2007. So rather than do harm to ministry by cutting staff positions immediately, we have opted to build a bridge that will temporarily tide us over until 2007 by securing a $114,000 line of credit. This was not a decision that was reached easily by staff or Executive Board. However by the end of the challenging, three-hour, January 7 budget discussion, the board voted unanimously to support this plan.

The Executive Board has committed to work to raise the difference by year-end so we pray we will not have to borrow from the line of credit. By the end of the meeting the Executive Board had identified potential sources of new money equal to almost half of the money needed to avoid borrowing to balance the budget. The Executive Board will be meeting in March and May to focus on stewardship matters, the budget shortfall and monitor the need for the line of credit.
Proposed Budget

The budget posted below, in detail and summary form, reflects the proposal of the Finance Committee and the Executive Board.

Financial Resolutions

Budget Resolution #1 from Bill Kirshner, Lynchburg Convocation member,
concerning balancing revenue and expenses in 2007 failed.

Budget Resolution #2
From: Jack Roper, Abingdon Convocation member
Concerning: Mission and Priority

Whereas we need to recover all sense of Mission, and

Whereas we can only do so with meaningful dialogue in each parish and
convocation, and

Whereas this process needs to begin immediately, and

Therefore Be It Resolved that the entire Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
engage in discussion about Mission and priority with programs before the
budget of 2007 is formulated.

Budget Resolution #3 from the New River Convocation concerning opposition
to a line of credit failed.

Budget Resolution #4 (as reconsidered)
From Bob Pohlad, Roanoke Convocation member
Concerning: Phoebe Needles Director Position

Amend the budget recommendation that the Phoebe Needles Director position
be removed from the 2007 budget.

The Phoebe Needles Board of Directors, in conjunction with St. Peter’s,
Callaway Vestry, look into the possibility of having the salary of the
Phoebe Needles Director be supported in full. This would be reported to
the Executive Board. In addition, considering the hardship of eliminating
the support of the position completely in 2007 that if it is determined
that a reduction is in order that an incremental decrease be put into
place over 4 years of $10,000.00.

Budget Resolution #5 from the Vestry of Grace Episcopal Church, Radford,
Virginia concerning proposed expenditure reductions to the proposed 2006
diocesan budget failed.