GA06137

Assembly adopts mission budget

by Shane Whisler

BIRMINGHAM, June 22 — The 217th General Assembly approved a $97.6 million mission budget for 2007 Thursday morning. The total amount for 2008 is $96.3 million.

Assembly actions this past week prompted changes in the budget that will cost nearly $92,000 over the next two-and-one-half years. The General Assembly Council is instructed to make the adjustments necessary to incorporate the items with financial implications into these budgets.

Mission Coordination and Budgets moderator, elder David Norton, said that many of the necessary changes made in the budget were painful, but he commended the "worshipful work that went into the mission budget."

"As we depart this assembly to lift up this concern in our congregations, encourage them to support the work and budget of our connectional church," Norton said.