Axe falls at World Council of Churches: poor finances result in job cuts.Geneva Geneva, canton and city, Switzerland Geneva (jənē`və), Fr. Genève, canton (1990 pop. 373,019), 109 sq mi (282 sq km), SW Switzerland, surrounding the southwest tip of the Lake of Geneva. Faced with a predicted financial shortfall of more than six million Swiss francs Noun 1. Swiss franc - the basic unit of money in Switzerland franc - the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 centimes centime - a fractional monetary unit of several countries: France and Algeria and Belgium and Burkina Faso and Burundi and ($6.44 million Cdn) in 2003, the World Council of Churches -- the world's biggest church grouping -- has said it will reduce its staff by 15 per cent to a total of 141 posts by the end of next year. "The reorganization reflects the WCC's need to reduce planned expenses for 2003, and new thinking on how to fulfil ful·fill also ful·fil tr.v. ful·filled, ful·fill·ing, ful·fills also ful·fils 1. To bring into actuality; effect: fulfilled their promises. 2. the council's mandate of seeking unity and co-operation among its 342 member churches worldwide," the WCC WCC n abbr (= World Council of Churches) → COE m (Conseil œcuménique des Églises) WCC n abbr (= World Council of Churches) → Weltkirchenrat m said in a November statement. The WCC currently has the equivalent of 165 full-time positions. The council did not, however, say how many people would be affected by its measures, but said in its statement it was cutting the equivalent of 16 full-time posts. Measures to achieve this will include termination of contracts, reduction in working time and relocating activities to partners in other parts of the world. "The council, through this reorganization, has manifested its will and its ability to respond constructively to a critical situation," said the WCC's general secretary, Konrad Raiser Konrad Raiser (b. 25 january 1938) is a former General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC). Born in Magdeburg, Germany in 1938, Konrad Raiser studied theology and started working with the World Council of Churches, first in the department for Faith and Order. . The announcement came at the end of months of speculation about possible layoffs after a September meeting of the council's main governing body Noun 1. governing body - the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something; "he claims that the present administration is corrupt"; "the governance of an association is responsible to its members"; "he , the central committee, revealed a critical financial situation for the ecumenical body. The WCC's budget reductions this year will mean a 1.1 million franc ($1.18 million Cdn) surplus which will "allow the council to begin replenishing its general reserves and ... provide a cushion for contingencies," the WCC added. The WCC said the financial pressure was due to a combination of reduced contributions from donors and losses in the value of its investment portfolio. The situation faced by the WCC is similar to that of other churches and church organizations throughout the world. Meeting just before the WCC announced its cutbacks, the National Council of Churches in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , which has also been facing severe financial problems, announced it had balanced its budget and paid off its debt. |
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