Apportioned Funds - World Service Fund - Overview

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ANNUAL CONFERENCES IN ACTION:

Oklahoma Conference Churches fund 94% of their Apportionments

Giving to the Apportionment in 2009 totaled $2,754,935.33, according to Conference Treasurer Brian Bakeman. Also given were $94,047.61 in Special Sunday offerings and $4,740.87 to the Youth Service Fund.

“Apportioned funds enable United Methodists to do together what no church, district, or annual conference could do alone. By combining several smaller gifts into a larger amount, we can effect change across the world. Individual churches can minister to a small area; however, as a connectional church, we can do big things, all in the name of Jesus Christ,” declares to a statement on the denomination's Web site www.umc.org.

Special giving for denominational programs— amounts not considered for the Apportionment—was highest in 2009 for “One Great Hour of Sharing,” which supports UMCOR (the United Methodist Committee on Relief). Donations to that Special Sunday collection totaled $54,960.21. This year March 14 is designated for that offering.

Other special giving: Human Relations Sunday, $8,437.66; Peace With Justice Sunday, $4,118.50; Native American Ministries Sunday, $5,353.70; World Communion Sunday, $13,407.54; and United Methodist Student Day, $7,700.

News of an Oklahoma increase in Apportionment giving for the first quarter of 2010 brought a smile by Conference Treasurer Brian Bakeman.

"This is the first time since 2008 that we have approached our average giving levels," he reported in the April edition of Treasury Notes.

That’s a good sign for the Oklahoma Annual Conference, within the current national climate of economic scarcity.

Apportionments are the fuel that makes it possible for the Church to make a difference in the world, the news agency noted.

--excerpt from the OK AC website

Churches increase apportionment giving

Apportionment contributions in the Missouri Conference came in from 2009 at $11,346,092, or 86.75 percent of the asking. This is up .44 percent from 2008. There were 656 churches that paid 100 percent of their apportionments, and another 25 which paid more than 100 percent. “We thank everyone for their generosity, especially in a challenging economic year,” said Kendall Waller, director of financial and administrative ministries for the Missouri Conference. Waller was impressed that the apportionment percentage paid was up for the year. “That is exceptional in a year like this.”

This was the highest percentage of apportionments paid since 2001. This is possible because of the vast majority of churches that pay in full every year.

--excerpt from the MO AC website

Apportioned giving was exceptional in 2009

Apportioned giving was exceptional in 2009, especially considering the economic climate. We began the year with the economic chaos of late 2008 still an active part of everyone’s lives. The first two months showed a continuing precipitous drop in the stock market. Everyone and every church had to look carefully at each dollar spent and each dollar given. The economy improved during the course of the year but remains weak even today.

Even during this time, giving to connectional causes in Southwest Texas Conference increased by $470,146 and 1.46 percent, bringing total giving to apportioned causes to $10,628,253.

Consistently, the message I have received from our pastors and lay people is that the times are hard, but our members remain faithful in their giving. Many Methodists were not able to give as much in 2009 as they had previously. Others were even more generous because of the obvious need. On a church level, some churches have had major difficulties because of job related membership loss. Virtually all of our churches struggled financially. Regardless, most of our churches are weathering the economic storm and have been able to continue in significant ministry to their members, their communities and the world.

The giving to apportioned causes in our conference is especially important this year because other parts of the country have been so hard hit by both the economy and the weather. Reports from other conferences are that many geographic areas were unable to have worship for the last one to three Sundays of the year, a time when giving is usually the highest. That makes the apportioned dollars from our conference even more important than ever. In essence, our conference has been able to step forward to give generously when other conferences are experiencing even more financial difficulty. Two thousand nine is a year when many individuals gave more generously than before and similarly, some churches gave more generously to connectional causes than previously.

--excerpt from the Southwest Texas AC website

Committed to the ministry of apportionments

Two North District churches struggled financially, in dissimilar environments, but drew upon the same strength to fulfill their commitment to apportionments. Community UMC of Blythe, California and Heritage UMC of Las Vegas, Nevada were not able to pay all of their 2008 assessed apportionments. However, 2009 proved to be a faith journey for both churches, and because of their commitment to support the Desert Southwest Conference of The United Methodist Church Outreach Ministry, they were able to fulfill their apportionment obligation that year.

Christ indeed made his teaching real. Both Community UMC and Heritage UMC struggled with the little they had and stepped out in faith and allowed God to multiply their resources.

--excerpt from the Desert Southwest AC website

North Texas Conference apportionment payout

The North Texas Conference Treasurer's office proudly announces that the 2009 apportionment payout is 97.3%. Total apportionments paid were $12,011,682. Outh the 306 congregation in the conference 279 paid 100% of their apportionments.

Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe praised churches and district superintendents for this outstanding effort.

--excerpt from the North TX website

APPORTIONMENTS

Ninety-one (out of 128) congregations have paid 100% of their apportionments for the year 2009. On behalf of the Conference, I thank them for fulfilling their connectional commitment in full. While acknowledging, with a word of appreciation to all 128 congregations for their connectional commitment, I do encourage those who could not make 100% to continue their efforts with a gradual increase in the percentage. I strongly suggest you develop a strategy for making your apportionments 100% in the next few years. Paying your apportionments makes a difference in the lives of people and communities locally, nationally and globally by sharing our resources generously.

---excerpt of an e-mail from the Wisconsin AC

The World Service Fund truly demonstrates the Mission of the United Methodist Church by:

• Supporting specific local church work with children, youth, students, persons who are mentally and physically challenged, adults and older persons;
• Providing leadership and coordination for denominational ministry with youth;
• Continuing nearly 200 years of commitment to quality college and graduate education;
• Certifying United Methodist professional Christian educators, communicators and musicians;
• Assuring United Methodists speak and work to help encourage a more ethical, just and human world;
• Continuing a proud tradition of cooperation and dialogue with other faith traditions through interdenominational and ecumenical work;
• Giving our denomination a presence in the mass media and making new communications technologies accessible to the church.

Ten traits of Disciple-Making Churches

Disciple-making churches are dedicated to becoming as spiritually healthy as they can. Unless the church is healthy, it will have a difficult, if not impossible time, developing healthy disciples. People want to be a part of what they believe is a healthy church. Trey Morgan, whose website is treymorgan.net, describes himself as “a Christian husband and father who moonlights as the minister for the Church of Christ in Childress, Texas” and he has compiled a list of the Ten Traits of a Healthy Church. See if you agree or disagree with his traits.

1. Healthy churches talk about Jesus all the time. Their main focus isn’t their building, budget or bottom line; it’s Jesus Christ. They don’t have gimmicks, they have Jesus at the center of everything they do and teach.

2. Healthy churches involve people. Healthy churches don’t have 10% or 20% of the people doing 90% or 80% of the work; everyone is involved in some way.

3. Healthy churches use the Bible. The best book ever written is full of answers for people’s lives. To use something other than the Bible is stupid. People will come if you preach from the Bible.

4. Healthy churches put a BIG focus on children. Children are the future of every church; you can’t put too much emphasis on youth/ children. VBS, Bible classes, youth activities, etc. are valuable assets, not liabilities.

5. Healthy churches teach the Bible so people can understand it. A lesson taught/preached without any application is a great mistake. People MUST be challenged and need practical lessons that will help in their daily lives. God didn’t make the Bible difficult so don’t you, either.

6. Healthy churches open their arms and lives to others. They know the old saying,” People don’t care about what you know until they know how much you care.” A healthy church is not just about learning Christianity but LIVING Christianity.

7. Healthy churches are actively involved in outreach. A healthy church is ALWAYS looking for ways to reach out to the lost around them. Their mission is to share the Good News and they remind themselves regularly to “keep the main thing, the main thing.”

8. Healthy churches have leaders who lead. Churches reflect the personality of their leaders. When leadership stands up and goes to work, so will the church.

9. Healthy churches have an atmosphere where people will want to bring their unchurched friends. “The last place I wanted to bring my friend was to church because I knew the preacher would say something to embarrass them or me” is not heard in a healthy church. A healthy church promotes a safe environment where people know they can bring family and friends.

10. Healthy churches communicate clearly. In real estate, the key is location, location, location and the key to a healthy church is communication, communication, communication. Use every tool available to communicate because you cannot over-communicate. Want to become a disciple-making church? Start by becoming a healthy church and use these traits as a starting point.

--adapted from the West Ohion website

Apportioned Funds - World Service Fund - Overview

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