wfn.org | Pace of Giving Slows

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3222 notes).

Note 3222 by UMNS on Oct. 10, 1996 at 16:43 Eastern (4850 characters).

SEARCH:   Giving, benevolence, apportionments, GCFA, Lackore

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

Contact:  Joretta Purdue                         508(10-71B){3222}
          Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722           Oct. 10, 1996

Giving higher for nine months;
September lower than expected

     EVANSTON, Ill. (UMNS) -- Giving to the United Methodist
Church's apportioned funds showed a very modest increase at the
end of the third quarter, according to figures compiled by the 
denomination's finance agency.
     Apportioned funds are allocated to the annual conferences --
and through them to the local church -- to support the common work
of the church.
     The General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) had
recorded receipts of more than $51.9 million by Sept. 30 for World
Service, four designated outreach funds and three administrative
funds. Comparable benevolence income during the first nine months
of 1995 was $51.8 million.
     Although the percentage of increase over last year was only
one-fourth of 1 percent, that represented additional giving of
more than $127,000.
     Sandra Kelley Lackore, GCFA general secretary, said that
giving had been up steadily through August. September represented
a drop in receipts for some of the apportioned funds.
     "I'm disappointed in the World Service percentage -- [a
decline from last year of] 1.7 percent," Lackore said.
     World Service supports most of the denomination's churchwide
ministry and accounts for just over half of the churchwide 
apportionments. Receipts for World Service have totaled $27.3
million through Sept. 30, a dip from almost $27.8 million at the
same time last year.
     Lackore noted that in one of the church's five U.S.
jurisdictions, two conferences did not send any payment to GCFA
for the month, and receipts from two other jurisdictions were down
slightly.
     Possible reasons, she speculated, include the way the Sundays
fell and "some significant weather in the month of September in
several giving areas.
     "We've had some real success stories in Africa University,"
she said of the institution opened in 1992 by the denomination
with financial support from United Methodists throughout the
world. Thus far in 1996, $1.1 million has been received toward an
annual apportionment of $2.5 million.
     Receipts for the apportioned funds are greater during the
final months of the year.
     "We've had some real positive experience with the Black
College Fund this year. It continues to have very healthy
support," Lackore reported. The Black College Fund, with almost
$4.4 million in receipts this year, shows a 2.25 percent increase
over giving to the same fund at this time last year.
     The Ministerial Education Fund (MEF) also showed an increase
-- 2.56 percent -- over the comparable 1995 figure. MEF receipts
have totaled almost $8.4 million by Sept. 30, 1996, and were
nearly $8.2 million a year earlier.
     "We can keep up those good trends," Lackore said with
enthusiasm.
     She also observed that the General Administration Fund is up
4.2 percent. "We need that in a General Conference year," she
said, adding that this fund pays for General Conference, the
denomination's legislative assembly held every four years. 
     "I think people have been very good. I think we see a slight
anomaly [in September figures]. My hope is that it's just a
blurp," she said.
     "I would hope in this year of General Conference when we've
just passed a new budget [for the next four years] that those of
us who voted on that and passed it and those of us who are excited
about some of the new ministries we voted at General Conference
would help us rally round this as we enter this last quarter," the
general secretary said.
     Comparisons with previous years are not made for the
voluntary giving to designated mission projects and relief work,
as these funds vary with the needs and emergencies.
     During the month of September alone, United Methodists
contributed $1.5 million in special gifts to Bishops' Appeals,
national and world missions, and the United Methodist Committee on
Relief (UMCOR). Of the $1.5 million $470,000 was given to UMCOR.
The agency has received $5.9 million this year.
     During September, UMCOR helped church organizations in
several areas of the United States and Puerto Rico deal with the
effects of devastating hurricanes. The development and relief
agency also has continued extensive work in Bosnia, Africa, Asia
and South America.
     Receipts were received for all six of the church's special
Sunday offerings although the generally observed dates of none
occurred during the month. 
                              #  #  #

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