CR03 Reduction of National Office Gateway Gift Distribution
PROPOSED MOTION – Gateway – Planned reduction and Funding Cap of Gateway Grants Provided to LCNZ National Office
Submitted by: Mountainside Lutheran Church (M/Side#3)
BE IT RESOLVED:
The Gateway Gift Trust Board reduces the funding to LCNZ National Office by $25,000 each year, starting from the $80,0001 amount last approved
in 2025, until such time that annual funding from the Gateway Gift Trust Board is capped at $25,000pa. The additional funding that is required to run
LCNZ National office is to be funded from sources outside Gateway.
REASONS FOR THE MOTION
Purpose Refocus the Gateway Gift Trust Board grant approval processes to:
- reduce the amount of grant funding provided for the purpose of funding the LCNZ National Office, and
- Encourage local LCNZ Congregational mission and ministry projects by making more funds available to provide a greater proportion of financial
support at the Congregational level.
Explanation
The purpose of the Gateway Gift Trust is to support congregations in their ministry and mission.
The Gateway Gift Trust grant to LCNZ National office was previously focused on supporting the LCNZ Lutheran Support Ministries (LSM) which was placed into recess at Convention of Synod 2015 (remit 6) and thereafter discontinued permanently, and a portion of the LCNZ Bishops salary said to be related to his role as Mission Director including working in conjunction with LSM. Despite no longer having a NZ based Bishop, LSM or other obvious mission focused project being run or organized from LCNZ National Office, Gateway funding has none-the-less been continued and appears to support the general administration and operating costs of the LCNZ National office rather than a specific ministry support project.
This remit is expected to have the following benefits:
1. Financial Stewardship – By establishing a cap in its funding from Gateway Gift Trust over this time period, the LCNZ National Office is encouraged to engage in a review of its National Office activities, budgeted expenditure and to investigate alternative funding sources for budgeted activities eg fundraising efforts, partnerships, and other revenue-generating activities. This encourages a refocus on any specific mission support projects that might be initiated and managed from out of LCNZ National Office as well as a diversified financial base and responsible and sustainable financial management.
2. Transparency and Consistency – A clear funding reduction formula (anticipated to be approximately a three-year process) ultimately resulting in a funding cap, provides transparency for both the Gateway Gift Trust and LCNZ National Office to enable budgeting by both parties and fosters financial independence and long-term sustainability of the LCNZ National Office while still benefiting from Gateway Trust support.
3.Encouraging Mission Growth – This allows for a more equitable distribution of Gateway Gift Trust funds and ensures that the Gateway Gift Trust Board has a greater amount of funds available to support and encourage LCNZ Congregations in their ministry expansion initiatives and projects in a sustainable manner.
Notes: 1 LCNZ Website Gateway Gift 2025 Annual grants awarded.
SUBMITTING BODY DETAILS
This has been approved by the authorised body at a duly held meeting and is confirmed as an accurate and complete version of the agreed proposal.
Submitted by Ray Meharg, Chair Mountainside Lutheran Church Parish Council
Approved at Congregational AGM 30/03/2025
