Colleges Urge Assembly Council to Reverse Decision

posted on March 1, 2010 in News | Be the First to Comment | Print

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The Canadian Council of Presbyterian Colleges: David Jennings, convener of the St. Andrew’s Hall board, Stephen Farris, principal of St. Andrew’s Hall, Dorcas Gordon, principal of Knox College, John Matheson, convener of the Knox board, John Vissers, principal of Presbyterian College, Ian MacDonald, convener of the Presbyterian College board. Photo provided by the Canadian Council of Presbyterian Colleges.

Among the specific measures appr-oved by the Assembly Council in November 2009 to trim the national budget was an adjustment in the grants to the colleges. Prior to this, the grants provided to the church’s three theological schools (Knox College, Presbyterian College, and St. Andrew’s Hall) had been calculated at 10.13 per cent of the total revenue. This was adjusted by one quarter of one percent to 9.88 per cent yielding an annual savings to the national church of approximately $25,000.

Those of us who lead and teach in our church’s theological colleges are exceedingly grateful for the funding received from the national church through Presbyterians Sharing and other revenues. We could not do what we do in educating and equipping a new generation of ministers and leaders for congregations across Canada and beyond without this significant support.

Furthermore, we acknowledge that the current economic climate and the demographic decline pose very real challenges for our church and that we must be fiscally prudent in these difficult times. We recognize and accept that the colleges should expect to share in cost-cutting measures.

That said, we do have one concern. The cuts to the grants to the colleges, while appearing modest, are indeed significant. Where many of the cost-cutting measures undertaken by the Assembly Council in relation to the national office were temporary, the percentage cut to the colleges is permanent. For us this measure represents a double-cut since the colleges will receive a smaller wedge of a shrinking pie.

Our disappointment is that a decision of principle (to decrease the percentage funding for theological education) was made without any consultation with our boards. We also note that the Presbyterians Sharing donations received in 2009 were higher than expected; there was a drop of only 1.3 per cent compared to 2008. We would ask the Assembly Council, therefore, to reverse the decision and reinstate the 10.13 percentage.

Going forward, we would urge the church not to lose sight of the significance of a properly educated and professionally trained ministry. In the long run, the answer to a financial challenge is healthier, more vibrant churches. Healthy churches usually have gifted and well educated ministers, the kind of ministers the colleges of the church aim to produce. To that end, we are committed to working at ways that the three theological colleges can cooperate in the delivery of theological education on behalf of the church more effectively and efficiently.