The Episcopal Church Joint Committee on Program, Budget and Finance (PB&F) has established a blog for comments on the draft budget approved by Executive Council in January. The blog can be found at http://jscpbf.blogspot.com. "PB&F offers this blog as a place for the Church to comment on the Executive Council draft budget," explained Diane Pollard, PB&F chair. "Concurrently, the purpose of the blog is also to give PB&F an additional way to hear the comments on the Draft Budget." Pollard, a deputy from the Diocese of New York, stressed that the blog is open to all: bishops, deputies, alternates, clergy and lay people. The blog was launched on Thursday, March 8 and will be monitored by PB&F members. Following the approval by Executive Council, the draft budget of $104.9 million was sent to PB&F for review. In July the information shared on the blog as well as the testimony received at three General Convention hearings will help to inform the budget that is presented to General Convention for approval. PB&F will prepare a proposed budget which then will be presented at a joint session of the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops on July 10. The final triennial budget will be approved by General Convention.
