wfn.org | United Methodists' churchwide giving grows $1.87 million

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Feb. 4, 1999	Contact: Joretta Purdue*(202)546-8722*Washington
10-21-71B{067}

By United Methodist News Service

United Methodists in the United States gave more to churchwide mission and
ministry last year than in previous years by well over a million dollars,
according to figures released by the denomination's financial agency.

Receipts for the church's eight apportioned funds - "askings" based on a
fair-share formula - rose nearly 1 percent to a total of almost $105.4
million, contrasted with $104.5 million in 1997, according to the year-end
report of the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) of the
United Methodist Church.

Giving to the denomination's six special Sundays with offerings rose about
18 percent.

"Overall - including the Special Sundays - giving was up $1.87 million to
total $112 million," observed Sandra Kelley Lackore, GCFA's top staff
executive. 

Participation in the World Service Fund - a churchwide outreach and program
fund - reached 90 percent of the apportionment for the first time in eight
years. The last time it was that high was during a period of high interest
rates, unlike the present, according to Lackore.

"The number of annual conferences participating at the 100 percent level
increased by two to 16," she noted. "The Virginia Annual Conference, with
the largest apportionments in the denomination, paid 100 percent of World
Service, an increase of $176,839. The previous year's contribution had been
93 percent of the apportionment."

The rate of giving to the World Service apportionment reached its low in
1993, when it came in at only 85.3 percent, but because the apportionment
had grown, more dollars actually were given than in 1992. 

In recent decades, the budget set for churchwide work each year was greater
than the previous year's, causing a rise in apportionments until 1998, when
decisions made by the 1996 General Conference dictated no increase,
providing an opportunity to come closer to the goal. Only a 1 percent
increase was apportioned in 1997 and that was the result of a need to fund
special projects voted by the General Conference.

Nine of the churches' 66 annual conferences paid 100 percent on all eight
apportioned funds during 1998, including four that remitted more than asked.
Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference forwarded 105 percent;
Baltimore-Washington, 102.97 percent; South Indiana, 101.08 percent; and
Wisconsin, 100.1 percent.

Those conferences sending exactly 100 percent were Peninsula-Delaware,
Central Pennsylvania, Northern Illinois, Red Bird Missionary and West
Michigan. The  autonomous Methodist Church of Puerto Rico also paid 100
percent of its voluntary financial commitment toward the mission and
ministry of the United Methodist Church.

In addition to the nine annual conferences that paid 100 percent of all
funds, World Service apportionments were paid at 100 percent by seven other
conferences: Detroit, Minnesota, Eastern Pennsylvania, Troy, Wyoming, Rio
Grande and Virginia.

Only the Episcopal Fund, which supports the bishops and their work, declined
- by a bit less than 1 percent. Lackore said she thought this could be
partially attributable to a 0.8 percent decrease in the apportioned amount
asked of the annual (regional) conferences and, through them, the
congregations.

About $6.6 million was received for the special Sundays with offerings, an
increase of more than $1 million over 1997. All six offerings were up,
ranging from an 8 percent increase for Native American Awareness Sunday to a
23 percent increase in World Communion Sunday. The funds vary in size from
the Peace with Justice Sunday, which received $231, 027, to the One Great
Hour of Sharing, which raised more than $3.56 million. The other two special
Sundays are Human Relations Day and United Methodist Student Day.

No annual comparisons are made of the giving for special appeals, disaster
relief and other special outreach funds, as these needs vary widely from
year to year, but during 1998 an additional $31.7 million was donated for
these efforts.

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