wfn.org | Weather, cancellations affect 2000 mission giving totals

[wshuffit@oc.disciples.org]

Date: February 9, 2001
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Clifford L. Willis
E-mail: CWillis@oc.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

01b-12

	INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- Mission giving in the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ) dropped three-tenths of a percent in 2000. 

	Weather-related cancellations because of unprecedented snowfall, sub-zero
temperatures and ice storms in December may have contributed to the $64,578
decrease, according to Lois Artis Murray, Church Finance Council president.
"Many Basic Mission Finance Mission checks arrived late in the mail, but,
thank God, they arrived." 
	
	Basic Mission Finance is the shared ministries fund of the church that
supports the work of regions, general units and church-related higher
education institutions.  
	
	More than 800 congregations in 17 regions increased their giving over
1999. Congregations in 19 regions exceeded potential BMF giving as
determined by the Commission on Mission Funding.  

	Among Disciples regions, West Virginia increased its BMF giving by 13.37
percent. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in South Carolina had a
12.34 percent increase in contributions.

	The Christian Church in North Carolina, which was profoundly affected by
floods in 1999, recorded the largest dollar increase ($44,922) among the
regions. Other regions posting significantly higher dollar increases were
Virginia, $37, 295; Oklahoma, $35,470, and Kentucky, $30,565.

	Despite the shortfall in the overall total, "we learned that giving is
still increasing in local congregations where there is a passion for
mission," said Murray. "We learned that by faith we can increase our giving
through Basic Mission Finance by more than 6 percent in the next year."

	Regular giving for the Reconciliation and Week of Compassion ministries
dropped 13.91 percent and 1.24 percent, respectively. 

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