The Golden Rule

Please let the GM editors buy a few indulgences and present some thoughts. Judy Mills Reimer's resignation could just be the financial shot in the arm that the denomination so sorely needs. Don't get us wrong; it's not that we think that giving has been withheld because of her leadership. Instead, it's the vacancy that's been created that could prove to be a boon. It is a vacancy which just cries loudly for the attention of every special interest group in the denomination.

It's the well known "Golden Rule." Those who have the gold make the rules. If a group wants to peddle their influence they are going to have to show they've got clout, and it's going to be the financial clout that carries the most weight. So there is an opportunity on the horizon and when it comes knocking, it could very well have its wallet out. The General Board just needs to take its time in its search for a new General Secretary. And each group that tries to influence the search process with threats of withholding should be shown another group that has given significantly and has its own agenda. Ideally, we'll have givers scrambling over each other to see who can be the most generous in order to prove their influential ability and, as a result, the denominations coffers will be filled.

And let's not stop with the search for the next General Secretary. We can extend this to Annual Conference and base congregations' representation on their denominational giving. After all, why should a congregation that does not give money to the programs of Annual Conference have an equal voice in how those programs are run as a congregation that supports them generously? Rather than making decisions based on what might be lost, Annual Conference and the General Board would be able to make decisions on what's actually been given.