wfn.org | Church Gives Extra Funds to Conference

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
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Note 511 by UMNS on Dec. 16, 1997 at 15:18 Eastern (2271 characters).

CONTACT: Thomas S. McAnally			699(10-71B){511}
		Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470	Dec. 16, 1997

Mississippi church gives
extra funds to apportionments

by Woody Woodrick*

	BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (UMNS) –- With a building project going on in addition
to many other ministry programs, Main Street United Methodist Church here has
plenty of ways to spend extra funds.
	So one can imagine the surprise of the pastor, the Rev. Van Carpenter, when
the church’s administrative board voted unanimously to give $10,000 in budget
surplus to apportionments -- funds local churches are asked to give for
district, conference and general church programs.
	"I was really surprised," Carpenter said. "I was kind of speechless. I’ve
never had a church that wanted to pay extra on apportionments. After I thought
about it, I realized that’s the way Main Street is."
	The amount a church is asked to give to apportionments is based on its
financial strength and ability to give.  Main Street Church had already paid
about $20,000.
	"By giving $10,000 over their fair-share apportionment, the Bay St. Louis
congregation has gone the third mile," said Mississippi Bishop Jack Meadors. 
"I commend Pastor Van Carpenter and the members for their generous support of
God’s mission in the world."
	The idea behind the donation was to assist churches that are unable to pay
their full apportionment, Carpenter said. "A lot of people said there are
churches that can’t pay their apportionment and why not send it to help them."
	Main Street Church has about 400 members and averages about 165 for Sunday
services. By the end of the year, the church expects to take in 35 new
members, half of whom are professing faith in Christianity for the first time,
according to Carpenter.
	The congregation could easily have used the funds for local expenses. In
addition to a $650,000 building program, which is slated for completion late
in 1998, the church has 11 different music programs ranging from children’s
handbells to two adult choirs and quartets. The church also recently began a
second Sunday morning service.
 #  #  #
	*Woodrick is editor of the Mississippi United Methodist Advocate, the
biweekly newspaper of the Mississippi Annual Conference.
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