A Contemplative Dialogue about Partnership and Budget

On April 11 and 12, 2005, representatives of the Synod of the Pacific’s and its eleven presbyteries came together to make difficult decisions regarding the 2006 Synod mission budget. Forty-two members traveled to Sacramento for the two- day event.

 On day one, attendees were lead by Bread of Life Center for Spiritual Formation.  The emphasis of the day was placed on learning how to slow down the dialogue process and how to listen intentionally.  We learned (and practiced) how to ask hard questions of each other without raising defenses as well as how to give thoughtful responses.  The main topic of discussion was partnership. “How do we view the partnership within the Synod of the Pacific?  What does it mean to be in partnership with one another? Do we want to continue to be in partnership with one another? Does partnership mean more than just balancing the budget?”  

At the end of day one, there was a clearer sense that the individual partners did want to be in partnership with one another, and that this was just the beginning of learning new ways to be in partnership around the budget consultation table. 

Gary Torrens, Coordinator of Governing Body Relations of OGA and GAC, facilitated the budget process on day two.  After two rounds of making partner cuts, the consultation moved on to making across the board recommendations.  The final recommendations to balance the 2006 Mission Budget were to first, reduce presbytery block grants to 2005 levels unless the presbytery was requesting less in 2006. (Two presbyteries were voted to receive more than their 2005 budget for new mission programs.)  Secondly, Synod was requested to increase per capita an additional fifty cents.

Most of the consultation participants have reported back to the Mission Partnership Task Force that, although the budget process is always difficult, this year they came away feeling the decisions were fair and they had been treated respectfully.  There was a feeling that those who attended the consultation returned home with a new sense of Partnership.