Resource: What is Per Capita?

Resource B: What is Per Capita?

For 2014 the total Per Capita assessment for congregations in the Presbytery of Carlisle is $25.00 for each active member.

                                    General Assembly                     $7.02

                                    Synod of the Trinity                  $2.20

                                    Presbytery of Carlisle                $15.78

                                    TOTAL 2014 Per Capita       $25.00

• The Presbytery of Carlisle has, since 2006, created a financial system that functions with one, unified budget. Thus the Presbytery does not maintain a distinction in our financial system between Per Capita and Shared Mission contributions. All Per Capita Contributions and Shared Missions contributions from our congregations are unified into one operating budget from which all expenses are drawn. (Please contact me for a copy of our 2014 Budget).
• Our Presbytery’s unified budget clearly reflects a changing definition of the understanding of the church today. Everything the church does is mission. As discussed in the essay, “From castle to frontier outpost: changing views of mission”, this unified budget reflects an understanding of the church as a frontier outpost. Thus even a congregation’s Per Capita contribution should be considered part of their mission. This unified budget system also creates a clear, clean and transparent financial system.
• At the General Assembly the distinction between Per Capita and Shared Mission giving is fully separate. Per Capita supports the Office of the General Assembly. Shared Mission Giving supports the General Assembly Mission Agency. The Office of the General Assembly and the General Assembly Mission Agency are separate agencies within the General Assembly.
• Funded by Per Capita, the Office of the General Assembly is responsible for all governance and constitutional matters, all judicial and disciplinary concerns as well as the actual meeting of the General Assembly and the work of the General Assembly Moderator. (The next General Assembly is June 14 – 21, 2014 in Detroit).

Questions for prayer, pondering and discussion:

• Is being connected together with other congregations through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) important to you as a session?
• How do you participate in those connections?
• In what ways have our connections together been strained and broken in recent years? In what ways have you contributed to enhancing and nurturing our connections?
• How do you financially support the connections we share?
• Will you contribute your Per Capita contribution to financially contribute to these connections?