Per Capita for Teaching Elders

Really?

The commissioners voted down, 42%-58%, the opportunity for Teaching Elders (pastors) to pay per capita to the General Assembly.  That's $7.02 per person. One pastor got up and complained about how strapped she was.  Isn't that about two Starbucks a year? Really?  We can't find a way to do that?

In the Presbytery of Santa Fe we invited Teaching Elders to support their "home church" with offerings during 2014. Probably 20 pastors have done so, to a tune much more generous than $7.02. If you multiply that amount by several thousand pastors, that would have made a nice dent in an ever-shrinking GA budget. Think 1001 New Churches. Think theological students.  Think the new emphasis on missional churches.  I just think that if we can't cough up $7.02 to support the mission of our denomination, we've got other fish already in the frying pan.

Paul and I are tithers. We give 10% of our income to our family's home church, and give other gifts to places like Austin Seminary. I think we could skip a couple of Starbucks a year and find some money for GA.

Doesn't it say somewhere that where your treasure is, there will your heart be also?  Not that I have any feelings about this!