New budget process brings more vision and voice to spending decisions

The Episcopal Church in South Carolina has taken the first steps toward a new budget process that focuses on the vision of the diocese and encourages more people to have a voice in the process of creating the annual diocesan spending plan.
 
The Very Rev. Chris Huff of St. George's, Summerville and the West Charleston Deanery, a member of the ad hoc Budget Creation Committee, reported to Diocesan Council on June 20 about the first phase of the new process, which will begin this summer to shape the 2020 diocesan budget.

The committee, chaired by the Very Rev. Adam Shoemaker of St. Stephen's Charleston and the Peninsula Charleston Deanery, was tasked with recommending a budget process for 2020 and 2021, and setting guidelines for the makeup of a new Budget Review Committee to implement the process. 

The aim is for the new panel that drafts the budget to include representation from Diocesan Council, the Finance Committee and the treasurer and bookkeeper, as well as a diverse mix of lay and clergy from different parts of the diocese, including people from both large and small congregations, Dean Huff said.

Bishop Skip Adams noted at the Diocesan Council meeting that the new process represents an ongoing culture shift for the diocese as it grows in mission and vision, in new ministries and in the number of people served.
 
In previous years, the Finance Committee has developed and recommended a draft budget to Diocesan Council. Last year, however, the process of developing the 2019 budget was enhanced with more input and involvement from Diocesan Council, as well as review and recommendations from the diocesan staff. That process led Diocesan Council to form a Budget Creation Committee to work on further improvements for future budgets.
 
The 2020 budget process will have new features that will carry forward under the new Budget Review Committee, whose members will be appointed by the Bishop this summer. One new feature is a period for soliciting input and feedback from across the diocese. An online form will be available in early July so people can make suggestions about new, increased or continuing budget items.

Key to the process is the Diocesan Vision Statement. Each budget suggestion will be expected to relate to and support some aspect of the Vision Statement. 

Starting in January 2020, the budget process for the 2021 spending plan will  with the Bishop and Diocesan Council opening a discussion on setting vision and ministry priorities for 2021, and then moving on through gathering information and soliciting feedback through the spring and summer.

As is done currently, the Finance Committee would take the resulting draft budget to Diocesan Council for approval in September, and Council members would present it for discussion at the Pre-Convention Deanery Meetings in late September and October. A final draft would then be presented for approval at Diocesan Convention in November.

In addition to Deans Shoemaker and Huff, the ad hoc Budget Creation Committee included Judy Milone of Church of the Messiah in Myrtle Beach in the Pee Dee-Waccamaw Deanery; Lesley Gilbert of All Saints, Hilton Head Island and the Southern Deanery; and Lauren Kinard, Diocesan Administrator and Executive Assistant to the Bishop.

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