Religious leaders vow to confront "difficult periods" with a show of faith and frugal spending.
The Episcopal Church's Executive Council, responsible for managing the churchwide budget and providing oversight for the work of the program and ministry staff, convened from June 23 to June 25 in Linthicum Heights, Maryland.
In his opening remarks, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe emphasized the need for Christian witness in challenging times, lamenting political divisions and violence in the United States, as well as recent conflicts in the Middle East. Rowe acknowledged the fine line church leaders must walk in speaking out on national and global issues, reiterating that the church's first allegiance is not to world leaders or political parties, but to the risen Christ.
House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris also made opening remarks, referring to contemporary issues, tensions, and challenges. She invoked a resolution adopted in 2022 by the 80th General Convention affirming access to gender-affirming care for people of all ages. Harris shared a story about a transgender teenager troubled by a Supreme Court decision allowing states to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.
One of the key agenda items was the presentation by the new Chief Financial Officer, Christopher Lacovara, who was appointed in February. Lacovara, a longtime Episcopalian with financial management experience, gave his first presentation to the Executive Council on June 23. He aims to increase the share of the church's spending on its ministry priorities, addressing the concern that the church's administrative costs and other non-program expenses account for 44% of its budget, higher than the commonly accepted goal in the nonprofit sector of under 25%.
To address this, the church is implementing new financial management systems to improve efficiency and transparency. Lacovara's presentation also highlighted that the church's revenues and expenses for 2025 are mostly tracking the $46 million budgeted.
The downsizing of churchwide staff that started in February will begin realizing long-term cost savings in the second half of the year. This move is part of the church's ongoing efforts to streamline operations and focus resources on its core mission.
In a separate incident, the Episcopal cathedral in Utah offered shelter during a rally where gunfire broke out, demonstrating the church's commitment to serving its community in times of crisis.
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