The Finance and Budget Floor Committee wrapped up more than 20 hours of work Wednesday when it brought a recommendation to the floor that asked delegates to adopt a budget for 2009-2011 that didn't further cut either ministerial education or missions.

The committee's proposal supersedes two budget options brought to the convention by the Synodical Council (SC). While the floor committee's proposal and the SC's proposals all cut $8 million from the operating budget in each year of the next biennium, under the floor committee's proposal, the Board for Ministerial Education retains its present three-tier, four-school system. Under the SC's Option B, Michigan Lutheran Seminary would likely be forced to close following the next school year.

The floor committee's proposal also prevents an additional $500,000 in cuts both to Home and World Missions.

In order to make up the $1 million, the resolution calls for "the budgets of the following areas be reduced from the proposed budget Option A/B levels: Communications—$50,000; Financial Services—$100,000; Technology—$150,000; Congregational Resource Team (Parish Services)—$200,000; Mission Counselors—$100,000; Corporate Travel Expenses—$400,000."

Rev. Joel Otto, chairman of the Finance and Budget Floor Committee, says his committee followed three principles—the first that previous conventions established missions and ministerial education as the synod's core ministries. "We also looked at the fact that historically our synod has existed to do things collectively that are difficult to do individually by congregations, and those priorities fall into that," says Otto. Finally, he says: "We tried to cut things that could be most easily restored."

"As long as those two core ministries are funded, in my opinion, then I'm satisfied that we accomplished what we came to do," says David Neumann, a lay delegate from Ascension, Jacksonville, N.C.

Other resolutions the committee brought to the floor offered options for further support. Since the WELS VEBA insurance program has declared a one-month premium holiday for 2009, one resolution called for WELS entities participating in the WELS VEBA insurance program to "remit to WELS the monthly premium holiday amount" for use in the Financial Stabilization Fund—a fund designed to hold one-time dollars such as bequests, grants, specific gifts for use in the year after they are received—and for missions and ministries. Another resolution called for "salary furloughs" if further reductions to the budget are needed for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Since all the budget-related resolutions were brought to the floor toward the end of the day, discussion will continue Thursday morning. A vote could come before noon.

"I think our committee in some ways also thought through some of the objections that might be there, the questions that might come—I don't know if objections are the right word—but definitely questions, which is perfectly appropriate. I wouldn't expect anything less," says Otto.

One other note: In a show of support and concern for called workers already displaced by the latest round of budget cuts, delegates stood and applauded. "And as the applause ceases, our prayers continue as well as our words of encouragement to our brothers and sisters," says WELS President Mark Schroeder.