05540
Oct. 10, 2005   

Leaders warn that money woes
could sink Reformed alliance  

by Peter Kenny
Ecumenical News International 

EVIAN, France — Leaders of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) have warned that the group cannot survive unless it takes dramatic steps to find new financial support. 

     The alert came on Oct. 7, during the annual meeting of WARC’s executive committee, its principal governing body. The meeting lasts until Oct. 15.  

     “We must face up to the financial crisis facing the alliance,” said the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, the group’s president. “Unless we take dramatic steps to find new financial resources and to build a new sense of ownership and responsibility for the Alliance in our member churches, we will have no future.” 

     The Rev. Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the Geneva‑based alliance, noted that it has been operating with reduced staffing for the past year. Nyomi added: “Our institutional challenges, especially with regards to finance, are also many.” 

     WARC represents about 75 million Christians. It has 218 member churches in 107 countries. However, Nyomi noted that only 58 percent of members paid an annual contribution for the current financial year. One of its main contributors reduced its 2004 contribution by 25 per cent and has reduced it further in 2005. 

     “The strength of the Swiss franc against other currencies reduced the real value of our income,” said Nyomi. He said in his report that, as of Dec. 31, 2004, WARC had a negative balance of 56,000 Swiss francs ($43,725). 

     Since 1998, WARC has implemented a “fair-fee” policy for member churches, adjusting their annual contributions by church size and national wealth or poverty.  

     “If every church paid the annual contribution indicated by this scale, there would be no deficit,” Nyomi said. “At current levels of expenditure, we would show a healthy surplus.”