When it relates personally, "eliminated" is rarely a word we want to hear. That is precisely the wording that relates to "our" seminarians in the recently released Executive Council Draft Budget 2013-2015: Line 352
"Theological Education - Seminarians...
Seminarian scholarship grant eliminated."
Investing in future ordained leaders was a significant step at the 2009 General Convention. That support represented historic change for TEC. It was the first time the budget of The Episcopal Church included financial support of theological education - for either seminaries or seminarians.
Though the Executive Council's draft budget is not final, the potential of "elimination" is now very real. There are, however, reasons to believe the final budget may extend the 2009 General Convention support for theological education. Resolutions from different diocesan conventions support the continuance of triennium budgetary support for seminarian scholarship grant aid. The national church's Standing Commission on Ministry Development supports the extension of the current triennium's seminarian scholarship grant aid in the coming 2013-2015 budget.
Is TEC focused on finding and nurturing the leadership talent it needs to reverse declining numbers and "increase the ministry" in the future? Is the elimination after one brief attempt of the historic commitment of the 2009 General Convention toward relieving seminarian debt short term thinking?
For the sake of the future of the Church, SIM invests in future ordained leaders to serve The Episcopal Church. SIM is the only organization raising funds on a national basis for the support of Episcopal seminarians. If not SIM, who?
