ENS Editor’s Note: The Episcopal Church’s Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance (PB&F) began its preliminary work on the draft 2016-2018 triennium budget when it met Oct. 27-29 in Linthicum Heights, Maryland. ENS coverage of that meeting is available here. That proposed draft budget had been finalized in the days prior to the PB&F meeting by Executive Council’s Joint Standing Committee on Finances for Mission, which has been working on the draft for more than a year. ENS coverage of the Executive Council meeting is available here.

[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs press release] Episcopalians across the church are invited to review and comment on the preliminary draft 2016-2018 triennium budget as it is prepared for approval by the Episcopal Church Executive Council in January 2015. From there, Executive Council will present the draft budget to Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance (PB&F) in February, which will then prepare a final budget for approval at General Convention next summer.

The preliminary draft budget is available here.

“In creating this preliminary draft of the budget for 2016-18, the Executive Council Joint Standing Committee on Finances for Mission (FFM) has asked for and received input from leaders all over the church, in a variety of ministry areas,” explained the Rev. Susan Brown Snook of the Diocese of Arizona, a member of Executive Council, and a member of FFM.  “We have worked in collaboration with CCABs (commissions, committees, agencies, and boards), with Executive Council, with staff, and with members of the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget, and Finance (PB&F).”

Snook continued, “We are releasing this preliminary draft budget three months early because we would like to give people all over the church the opportunity to give us input and feedback. We will review their comments carefully and update our budget proposal in January, before releasing a final draft to PB&F in January.”

On the web page, a narrative provides overview information about the document. The preliminary draft budget document and a place to provide comments are prominently displayed on the website.

Executive Council member Bishop Mark Hollingsworth of Ohio, who chairs FFM, added, “This preliminary draft of the 2016-2018 triennium budget is the product of a two-year process of very intentional listening. Through structured conversations and surveys that began in the fall of 2012, FFM has endeavored to hear the hopes and concerns of the wider church from staff, CCABs, Executive Council colleagues, and others. In an effort to provide Program, Budget, and Finance Committee with the most beneficial base possible to begin their work at General Convention, we have had representatives of PB&F at each of our meetings throughout the current triennium.”

He concluded, “The listening process continues now with the release of this preliminary draft, and we look forward to receiving many thoughtful reflections and responses to it in advance of our January meeting.”

“We believe that this proposal is both realistic and visionary, and we have worked to make sure it incorporates the hopes and visions of others,” Snook added. “We hope that our work will provide a solid foundation for PB&F to build on as they create the final budget proposal for General Convention in 2015.”

The Episcopal Church 78^th General Convention will be held June 25 – July 3 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, UT (Episcopal Diocese of Utah).