How Do the “ECUSA Sweet 16” Categories Fare under the Proposed Budgets?

from Stand Firm by A. S. Haley 

Back on April 24, our own Greg Griffith published a chart of 16 categories in ECUSA’s anticipated budget, with his predictions for which ones would win out as the budget moves forward toward final adoption. Here is the bracket:

With the Presiding Bishop’s recently proposed budget now online, we may take a look at how well Greg’s predictions are doing thus far: very, very well, actually.
Below are Greg’s categories, linked to the line(s) in the PB’s budget, and the proposed amounts:
FIRST ROUND (Eight Match-ups)

1. Evangelism:  $ 1.5 million (line 45)
2. Church Pension Fund:  $ 8 million (assumed to be 15% of Total Staff Costs in line 381

The Winner: Church Pension Fund, as Greg predicted.

3. Episcopal Church Women: There is no single line item for such an expense; it has to be ferreted out from everything such as “Networking” (lines 66, 122, 168, etc.)  to “United Thank Offering” (line 266). Estimated at $ 3 million.
4. Church Growth:  $ 2 million (line 27).

The Winner: Episcopal Church Women, as Greg predicted.

5. Youth Programs:  $ 2.1 million (lines 67-68, 79, 81)
6. Muslim Outreach:  $ 30,000 (a guess from line 225)

The Winner: Youth Programs - Greg missed this one.

7. Gay Stuff:  Very difficult to estimate, since it obviously permeates the budget, rather than being a line item. But one can attribute to it most of the litigation costs against departing parishes and dioceses, as well as a good chunk of General Convention expense, and a good deal of Anglican Communion efforts, to say the least. Estimated at $10 million
8. Clean Water:  included in $ 1 million for the environment (line 122)

The Winner: Gay Stuff, as Greg predicted.

9. Communications Office:  $ 8.2 million (lines 49-51, 55)
10. Hunger Relief:  $ 2.3 million (in lieu of a specific line item, we may allocate the whole of Haitian relief - line 83)

The Winner: Communications Office, as Greg predicted.

11. Ending Child Slavery: $ 0 (maybe you can find it; I can’t)
12. Lawyers’ Fees:  $ 4 million (lines 276-77, 346)

This was a no-brainer.
The Winner: Lawyers’ Fees, as Greg predicted.

13. Worship Resources:  $ 104,000 (line 130)
14. General Convention:  $ 7.2 million (lines 288-89, 304)

Another no-brainer.
The Winner: General Convention, as Greg predicted.
And the final first-round match (yet another easy pick):

15. 815 Salaries:  $ 52 million (line 381, though not all staff is at 815—but it makes no difference)
16. Ending Poverty:  $ 1 million (line 108)

The Winner: 815 Salaries, as Greg predicted.
*******
SECOND ROUND (Four Match-ups; winner shown in bold, Greg’s predictions in italics; thus correct predictions are shown in bold italics)
First match:

2. Church Pension Fund: $ 8 million (est.)
3. Episcopal Church Women: $ 4 million (est.)

Second match:

5. Youth Programs: $ 2.1 million
7. Gay Stuff: $ 10 million (est.)

Third match (Greg missed this one):

9. Communications Office:  $ 8.2 million
12. Lawyers’ Fees: $ 4 million

Fourth match:

14. General Convention: $ 7.2 million
15. 815 Salaries: $ 52 million

Out of twelve matches thus far, Greg has ten right. Now to the third round.
*****
THIRD ROUND: (Two Match-ups)
First match:

2. Church Pension Fund: $ 8 million (est.)
7. Gay Stuff: $ 10 million (est.)

Second match:

9. Communications Office:  $ 8.2 million
15. 815 Salaries: $ 52 million

Two more wins for Greg - twelve out of fourteen.
And he predicted the winner of the fourth and final round, too.
*****
FOURTH ROUND (Final Match)

7. Gay Stuff: $ 10 million (est.)
15. 815 Salaries: $ 52 million

Greg’s picks: Thirteen out of fifteen - not shabby at all, Greg, not shabby at all.