WESTERN KANSAS: Show me the money, writes Episcopal Bishop to Presiding Bishop

Via VirtueOnline:

March 4, 2009

An Open Letter to The Presiding Bishop, House of Bishops, Executive Council, and Deputies to General Convention,

I really do not know anymore what is coming next. How things are done and not done are as haphazard as people's ideas; or so it seems.

Now I read that the "New" Diocese of Fort Worth passed a $632,466 dollar budget for a part-time bishop, a little over 19 priests and 62 delegates who represent way less than a thousand people, and $200,000 is from the General Convention budget.

First, I did not see that in the GC budget that was passed in 2006. Where did it come from? Did the Executive Council pass it, which we would not know since the last several meetings' minutes have not been posted? I hate to beat a dead horse but how can there be $200,000 to give away when budgets are being cut and people let go?

If there is $200,000 available, then why was there not more for the Domestic Missionary Partnership to use in the poorest dioceses of the Church? Why did money get initially cut from indigenous ministries to pay other budget items?

This action leads me to ask the following question.

If I, as a Diocesan Bishop, left TEC (which I am not saying I am) with 10 of my churches, could the other 21 get $200,000 to carry on? Since our entire budget for the year was less than $400,000, it would go a long way to let this Diocese be in a better financial position. I am compelled to ask such things because it does not appear that anyone else is and we are about to spend 10's of millions of dollars on another General Convention to set a budget. Can others apply for general budget funds? I know that we can not.

So, what is the secret? Just asking,

In Christ's service,

The Rt. Rev. James M. Adams, Jr.
Diocese of Western Kan