Group falls behind after official’s death

To the Editor:

The National Council of Churches was recently cited on your Watchdog Watch list (September 28) because we had not responded to the Wise Giving Alliance’s survey.

We apologize for not filling out the form. Our much-beloved and ever-vigilant associate general secretary for administration and finance, Leora Landmesser, in whose bailiwick such reports fall, was sick for much of the past year and passed away in June of 2006. We are looking for someone to fill her shoes, but in the meantime some paperwork has gone astray.

We want to assure our supporters that the solid financial condition of the National Council of Churches has been sustained. We have just concluded a “clean” audit for the 2005-6 fiscal year. Our revenues exceeded expenditures for the sixth year in a row and reserves total more than $8-million.

We apologize for the oversight with the Wise Giving Alliance.

Bob Edgar
General Secretary
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
New York