Panama City, Panama….[Libna Stevens/IAD]
More than 60 key church leaders from throughout all 15 regions of the Inter-American Division met for a financial summit to review financial practices in its organizations and institutions, in Panama City, February 22-23.
Filiberto Verduzco, treasurer for the church in Inter-America, led the meetings and stressed to church administrators present the importance of the meetings.
“We wanted to establish parameters to strengthen the financial stability of the church in the next five years,” says Verduzco.
Because of the fast growing church membership during the last five years since the year 2000, which includes a membership of 2.5 million in 15 region territories, a stronger focus is needed, according to Verduzco.
“The growth in Inter-America requires a church to be financially strong to be able to respond to the growth demands,” he adds.
The summit included the establishments of financial directories, recommended staffing level for each organization based on its membership of each organization, and implement a stronger and aggressive stewardship program to bolster faithfulness and financial participation by members. The summit also included review of various health insurance policies and practices as well as the review of the role of administration in auditing for better financial control.
The mayor of the city Juan Carlos Navarro welcomed the church leaders to the special meetings as union and institution presidents, executive secretaries and treasures traveled to the event.
