wfn.org | United Methodist churchwide giving up for first 6 months

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

July 20, 2000    News media contact: Joretta Purdue ·(202)
546-8722·Washington     10-71B{334}

United Methodists have contributed about a half-million dollars more to
churchwide mission and ministry during the first six months of 2000 than
they did in the comparable period of 1999.

Figures released by the General Council on Finance and Administration
(GCFA), the church's financial agency, show that U.S. giving to the
denomination's eight apportioned funds in January through June rose 3
percent over last year. Apportioned funds are budgeted by the church's
highest legislative body and divided among the church's geographic units
known as annual conferences.

Giving to the special Sunday offerings during the first half of 2000 was
down 19 percent, but because the much larger apportioned funds increased,
the total for apportioned and special Sunday offerings rose 1 percent over
last year. The combined six-month total for this year is almost $41.3
million, compared to last year's nearly $40.8 million.

Almost all of the apportioned funds increased over the first half of last
year. The largest, World Service, rose from $19.6 million in 1999 to $20.1
million this year, an increase of 3 percent. World Service is the fund that
supports the agencies and boards that provide administrative, program and
monitoring services to the general church worldwide.

The Interdenominational Cooperation Fund, which supports the denomination's
ecumenical efforts, rose 15 percent, but as one of the smaller apportioned
funds, it grew only from $499,547 to $575,838.

Two other administrative funds have also had significant increases. The
Episcopal Fund, which provides for the bishops of the church, grew 3 percent
to reach almost $5.7 million. The General Administration Fund, which
includes the cost of providing financial oversight, administering churchwide
funds, keeping church records and underwriting the General Conference,
received 7 percent more money during the first six months of 2000, compared
with 1999.

Three out of four designated outreach funds experienced some growth. The
Black College Fund, which supports the 11 United Methodist-related colleges
and universities that have historically served African-American students,
experienced 3 percent growth. So did the Ministerial Education Fund, which
helps the 13 United Methodist-related seminaries and generally assists with
various programs of pastor education.

Focus 2000: Mission Initiatives, which funds some special ministries for the
current four- year period, grew only about $2,000 or 1 percent. The Africa
University Fund essentially remained the same, receiving only $8 more this
year than last. Its total receipts at the end of June were $786,958.

"Receipts continue to run strongly for the first six months of 2000," said
Sandra Kelley Lackore, chief staff executive of GCFA and treasurer of the
church. She expressed appreciation to the conference treasurers who are
using wire transfers to speed the delivery of money from the regional units
to the GCFA office. 

Contributions typically lag in making their way from the donor to the GCFA
office during the first three quarters of the year. This year and last year
both, giving to apportioned fund for the first half of the year accounted
for only 31 percent, or just under one-third, of the annual apportionment.

The drop in giving to the special Sunday offerings during the first six
months of 2000 varied from a decrease of 51 percent in the Native American
Awareness Sunday Offering, to $86,794 in receipts, to an 8 percent decline
in donations to the small Peace With Justice Sunday Offering, which stood at
$17,692 on June 30.

Two special Sundays traditionally observed in the fall, World Communion
Sunday and United Methodist Student Day, are up so far this year. World
Communion Day has about $15,000 more at this point, an increase of 27
percent, and United Methodist Student Day has about $21,000 more than last
year, an increase of 20 percent.

Giving to Advance Special Gifts, including the donations to the Bishops'
Appeals, mission program areas and the United Methodist Committee on Relief,
totals almost $15.9 million. Because administrative costs are paid by other
funds, 100 percent of each Advance Special gift goes to the donor-designated
purpose. These contributions vary with need and are not compared to other
years.  

Two other outreach funds, the World Service Special Gifts and the Youth
Service Fund, also contribute to the $57.6 million total churchwide giving
as of June 30.

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United Methodist News Service
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