he annual council of the General Conference Executive Committee convenes today (Oct. 7) to address serious issues and concerns, particularly related to leadership and remuneration.

On the agenda is a report from the Remuneration Study Committee, along with major items dealing with leadership and elections to several top positions.

In a departure from normal scheduling, GC president Jan Paulsen gives his president's message during the first afternoon session. The committee will also address several strategic issues which arose out of a global study on "The State of the Church." The program will concentrate on the "three strategic issues," unity, growth and quality of life.

"A world survey has been done and we've gathered information on how healthy the church is in these areas," reports general vice-president Gerry Karst. "Some of the information the delegates are going to find interesting. Some of it will be a good surprise to us, and other parts will challenge us when we find out we're not doing as well as we should be doing."

Major decisions are expected to help the move the church forward, especially in the 10/40 window area, as well as developments in the "Go One Million" program. Additionally, delegates will also be confirming the changes to the church structure in Africa with the formation of three divisions.

Elections are also expected for the positions of vice-president, under-secretary, education director and others at the GC, as well as the election of officers for the three new divisions in Africa.

Remuneration: A Contentious and
Intractable Challenge
The contentious issue of church employee remuneration is revisited again at this year's annual council. Having reviewed at Spring Meeting the documents provided by the Employee Remuneration and Allowance Review Committee and the proposed new Philosophy of Remuneration addition to the GC Working Policy, the executive committee continues to deal with many questions of both philosophy and practice.

Because many different variations to the denominational wage scale have arisen it has become necessary to urgently address this issue, say church administrators. The review committee was set up to seek answers to the increasingly disparate wage scales being introduced in the church's organizations and institutions.

"This most significant item again demands our attention," notes Athal Tolhurst (left), GC undersecretary, retiring at this annual council. "Because of its potential impact in such areas as policy, budgetary funding and current employment practice, there is much to be reviewed. In particular concerns focus on the parameters to be used when applying the philosophy of remuneration to the various organizations associated with the church."

Some entities identified as "commercial business organizations"-for example the healthcare institutions-are not part of the policy. "In the case where most of the organization's funds come from non-church sources and where they do not receive denominational appropriations, such organizations will be able to establish their own remuneration plans, approved by the organization's full board. Division executive committees will approve such plans for their respective organizations, and the GC will do the same for GC institutions," comments Tolhurst.

The policy document cites both Biblical texts and Ellen White quotes to provide a spiritual basis for the church's philosophy of remuneration, however there continues to be much debate over the application and implementation of the concepts cited.

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Jonathan Gallagher is the United Nations liaison director for the General Conference.