umc church giving

United Methodist Connectional Giving PowerPoint Presentation

This presentation was created by the Connectional Giving Team (CGT), United Methodist Communications.

We hope it will help you and your congregation to learn more about the mission and ministries of The United Methodist Church funded by your congregation’s remittance of conference and general church apportionments and your designated giving to the churchwide special Sundays with offerings, The Advance for Christ and His Church, and other opportunities.

Permission is granted to duplicate or edit this presentation for use in United Methodist churches.

To edit this presentation, save to your computer’s hard drive, then adapt as appropriate for your setting.

To view the notes that accompany these slides, go to View and click on Notes Page.

For more information about connectional giving, go to www.umcgiving.org or contact InfoServ by email: [email protected]

To contact the Connectional Giving Team, go to www.umcgiving.org and click Contact Us.

To order additional copies of this CD, call 1 (888) 346-3862 and request item # 100430.

Produced by United Methodist Communications

Serving God Through Our United Methodist

Connectional Giving

ARE GIVING CHURCHES

Practice Full Connectional

Giving


Connectional Giving

PURPOSES OF PRESENTATION

• Celebrate Impact of United Methodism’s Connection in Action

• Explore the Connection and Its Opportunities for Connectional Giving

• Consider Strategies for Leading Congregations Into Full Support of the Connection

• Look at Resources Available to Support This Process

Think about an exciting or important ministry about which you are most passionate right now!

How Do You

View Giving Beyond

the Local Church?

Giving Realities

Some local churches face tremendous financial pressures because expenses have increased faster than giving.

Although expenses have increased, giving has not increased proportionately.

Lack of funds can dampen the will of congregations, stifle local ministries and diminish the ability to participate fully in wider ministries.

Connectional Giving Realities

Congregations are concerned about funding of apportionments; however, the real issue is dealing with systemic problems related to giving and not just “pushing” apportionments.

Congregations are unlikely to increase significantly remittance of apportioned funds without improvement in the funds that support their local churches.

Some United Methodists Describe…

• Apportionments as:– taxation without representation– “franchise fee” for local use of United Methodist name

on signage– “We need the money locally”– “I don’t believe in what “THEY’ do with my money”– “Where does the money go? For all I know, it goes for

church bureaucrats’ salaries and fringe benefits!”

Some Key Realities About United Methodist

Connectional Giving

• Payment resulting from denominational loyalty is declining.

• Clergy are the “gatekeepers” of connectional support.

• Give UM people a reason to give, and they will give.• Give UM people an opportunity to give, and they will

give.

ApportionmentsApportionments Are...Are...

• an extension of each local church’s mission and ministry beyond its community.

• the opportunity to support together with 36,000 other UM churches what no local church could do alone.

• remittance of the local church’s “fair share” of the annual conference’s apportionments for UM ministries in your Conference and the global community.

Remember! Our mission is to make disciples of

Jesus Christ.

The Impact of United Methodist

Connectional Giving

SHARING GOD’S GIFTS

We United Methodists believe that each of us is called to participate in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

We do this in connection globally with• more than 42,000 local churches • comprised of 9.75 million members • and 2 million preparatory members

We Share A Ministry

Today, through the United Methodist connection, we share a ministry

• In 165 countries• 1,812 supported mission personnel• 80,000 Volunteer-in-Mission placements• 102 UM-related community centers • More than 2,000 approved Advance

projects.

WE SHARE A MINISTRY

Within the Jurisdictional Conferences (U.S.A)through• 225 retirement homes and long-term care

facilities• 70 hospitals and health-care facilities• 50 child-care facilities• 30 ministries for differently abled persons• 114 colleges, universities and seminaries• Day-to-day witness and outreach through

26,000 pastoral charges

What We Can See Each Week

• Persons at worship in mission congregations• Babies baptized; youth and adults confirmed• People of all ages receiving medical care• Hurting persons helped at drug-abuse

centers• Children nurtured in after-school programs• People fed, clothes distributed• Community centers in urban and rural areas

Local Church• Worship & Nurture

• Education

• Outreach

• Administration

Distri

ct

Outreach

Witness

NurtureChurch

Council

Categories

OF

Ministry

NurtureWorship

Sunday School

Music

Small

Groups Disciple

Education

Sunday School

Vacation Bible School

UMYF

Bible Study

Outreach Ministries

•Assembling UMCOR flood buckets

•Feeding the hungry

•Distributing clothing

•Building Habitat houses

•Tutoring children

•And so much more

Church Council

• Salaries and Benefits

• Debt Service

• Utilities

• Office Expense

• Building Maintenance

What is the heritage of our United Methodist Connectional Giving?

OUR BIBLICAL TRADTION

• Offers many examples of giving as grateful response to God

• Contains teachings about responsibility to share with others

• Includes warnings against selfishness and misuse of economic resources

• Extends concern for others into the whole world

Luke 3:10-11, NRSV

OUR WESLEYAN TRADITION

• Wesley urged those in connection with him to “Earn all you can and save all you can, so that you can give all you can.”

• Wesley modeled modest living and sacrificial giving.

• Class offerings in Wesley’s day were taken for outreach.

• This practice was repeated in the United States

The Book of Discipline Speaks…

“Each and every year, United Methodists... in every local U.M. church shall remit all apportionments in full….”

(As spoken by God to John Wesley and recorded in the Book of Discipline, 1784, and interpreted afresh to each new generation by your bishop, your D.S., your conference treasurer and the pastor.)

“Show Me the

Money!”

Apportionments are one “outward and visible sign” of the connection in United

Methodism.

84.3 cents: Local

church

3.3 cents: General Church, including United Methodist

Women

12.4 cents: Annual Conference, district, episcopal area and jurisdiction

Where the average local church expense

dollar goes!

Discover the exciting ministries made possible

through our United Methodist connectional

giving!

Sharing God’s Gifts

Serving Christ Through Our United Methodist Connectional Giving

Conference Benevolences

Apportioned Funds World Service, General Administration, Episcopal,

Africa University, Black College, Ministerial Education and Interdenominational Cooperation

Churchwide Special Sundays with Offerings Human Relations Day, One Great Hour of Sharing,

Native American Ministries Sunday , Peace with Justice Sunday, World Communion Sunday, United Methodist Student Day

Designated Giving Opportunities The Advance for Christ and His Church

World Service Special Gifts

Complete information is available at www.umcgiving.org

Through the World Service Fund, we:•Undergird our network of missionaries serving around the world

•Strengthen evangelism efforts, stimulate church growth, expand Bible studies and nurture spiritual development

•Enrich our congregational life with worship, retreat and camping resources, leadership development and stewardship training

•Provide leadership and coordination for denominational youth ministry

•Continue nearly 200 years of commitment to higher education

•Equip and nurture our lay leaders through education and professional support

•Support a program of chaplain certification

•Certify UM professional Christian educators, communicators and musicians

•Assure United Methodists advocate and help build a just world.

•Fund our denomination’s presence in the mass media

•Support ministries of peace and justice and efforts to build a truly inclusive church and a society

For more information, go to www.umcgiving.org

World Service Fund Apportionment

Through the Episcopal Fund, we:•Pay the salaries of our bishops

•Pay episcopal office expenses

•Recompense 67 percent of the costs for episcopal residences

•Provide pension and health-care benefit for bishops and their families

•Cover costs of episcopal travel

•Defray moving expenses of bishops

•Provide pensions for retired bishops and surviving spouses, and minor children of deceased bishops

Episcopal Fund Apportionment

Through the General Administration Fund, we:

•Operate a system of administrative oversight and fiscal accountability

•Underwrite the legislative work of General Conference

•Fund the work of the Judicial Council

•Maintain United Methodism’s official documents and historical artifacts

•Designate historical shrines, landmarks and sites

For more information, go to www.umcgiving.org

General Administration Fund Apportionment

Working at his desk in an office complex in Harare, Zimbabwe, Edwin Ngonyamo looks like a typical manager. Get him talking poultry and it's a different story altogether. He loves his work and credits Africa University with making him good at it.

Through the Africa University Fund, we:•Continue the development of the first private university for men and women in sub-Saharan Africa

•Offer post-secondary education for students through schools of agriculture and natural resources, management and administration, education, humanities, social sciences and theology

•Provide a higher education of excellent quality to nurture students in Christian values and to help the nations of Africa develop the leaders of the future

I'm working in Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola. … Everywhere I go, I call on classmates and a growing network of Africa University alumni," he says.

Africa University Fund Apportionment

Bennett College Greensboro, N.C. * Bethune-Cookman College Daytona Beach, FL.

Claflin University Orangeburg, S.C. * Clark-Atlanta University Atlanta, GA.

Dillard University New Orleans, LA. * Huston-Tillotson College Austin, TX.

Meharry Medical College Nashville, TN. * Paine College Augusta, GA.

Philander Smith College Little Rock, AR. * Rust College Holly Springs, MS.

Wiley College Marshall, TX.

Historically Black Colleges of The United Methodist Church

Through the Black College Fund, we:

•Help these institutions maintain challenging academic programs, strong faculties and well-equipped buildings

•Create vibrant spiritual environments

•Encourage pride and self-esteem

•Prepare and educate people for the new global and technological world

•Strive for academic excellence based on the Christian perspective of community service and social responsibility.

Black College Fund Apportionment

The 13 U.M. Seminaries

Boston University School of Theology, Boston

Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta

Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA

Drew University, The Theological School, Madison, N. J.

Duke University, The Divinity School, Durham, N.C.

Gammon Theological Seminary, Atlanta

Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL

Illiff School of Theology, Denver

Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Delaware, OH

Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas

Saint Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, MO

United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH

Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C.

Thirteen U.M. Seminaries

Through the MEF, we:•Support a trained and educated clergy

•Equip annual conferences to meet the needs of those in the ministry

Ministerial Education Fund Apportionment

With other Christians, we declare the essential oneness of the church of Jesus Christ and seek to participate in the experiences and insights of sharing with other denominations and churches our common faith in Jesus Christ.

Through the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund, we:

•Enable United Methodists to have an effective presence in the following ecumenical organizations:

• Churches Uniting in Christ

• World Methodist Council

• Commission on Pan-Methodist Cooperation

• World Council of Churches

• National Council of Churches

•Provide the U.M. share of budgets for those organizations

•Fund participation of UM representatives at meetings of these organizations

Interdenominational Cooperation Fund Apportionment

"Ecumenical formation, the need to develop future generations of ecumenical leadership, will continue to be a top priority of our commission," The Rev. Larry Pickens, General Secretary, Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns

For more information about the special Sundays with offerings, visit www.umcgiving.org.

Unique Features:

Today, through the Advance, United Methodists are in mission in 100 countries around the world and in the US.

Individuals, groups and congregations may choose from among 2,000 ministries, each carefully evaluated and approved.

The Advance for Christ and His Church

100% of your giving to the Advance goes to the ministry you designate.•Advance administrative costs are funded from World Service and other sources.

•Advance giving is completely voluntary and is in addition to apportioned funds support.

•Advance giving is called “second mile” giving because the “first mile” is for local churches to pay 100% of World Service and conference benevolences.

How United Methodist

Connectional Giving Is

Apportioned

General Conference determines a spending plan for 2005-08

General Conference apportions spending plan to annual conferences based upon a formula approved by General

Conference.

Annual conferences apportions to local churches based upon a formula approved by the annual conference.

Local churches receives tithes and offerings every week.

Local churches remits its conference and general church apportionments to conference treasurer.

Conference treasurer sends general church apportionments to the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA).

GCFA credits the general boards and agencies for their appropriate amount based on the spending

plan.For More Information about this process, go to www.gcfa.org

The Structure of The United

Methodist Church

Organized for ministry at several levels that maintain “connectional” links to one another

The Local Church

Bishops

Conferences

General

Jurisdictional

Annual

Charge

Judicial Council

General Boards and Agencies

The Organization of the United Methodist Church

5 2L o ca l

C h u rch es

E a stern D istrict

4 4L o ca l

C h u rch es

W estern D istrict

6 6L o ca l

C h u rch es

N o rth C en tra l D istrict

5 4L o ca l

C h u rch es

N o rth E a st D istrict

9 6L o ca l

C h u rch es

N o rth W est D istrict

6 3L o ca l

C h u rch es

S o u th C en tra l D istrict

5 9L o ca l

C h u rch es

S o u th E a st D istrict

7 8L o ca l

C h u rch es

S o u th W est D istrict

A n y A n n u a l C o n feren ce

A n y J u risd ictio n

G en era l C o n feren ce

Increasing our giving by 1 percentage point per year

Demonstrating the Impact of Increasing United Methodist

Household Giving By…

1% Point

A Membership Snapshot of The United Methodist Church

Total Number of Churches 35,275Total Membership 8,298,460Total Attendance Per Sunday 3,546,695Average Church Membership 235Average Church Attendance 101

A Financial Stewardship Snapshot ofThe United Methodist Church

Source: 2002 General Minutes

Total Number of Churches 35,275

Grand Total Given $5,043,693,838

Average Total Given Per Church $142,982

Average Giving Per Member $607.79

Average UM Church Membership 235Total Dollars Raised for All Causes $142,982.00Average Per Member Giving $607.79Number of Households (Average 2 Persons Per House) 2 118U.S. Census Burea Statistic (Average 2.59 PPHH) 2.59 91Average Giving Per Household (2 PPHH) 2 $1,216.87Average Giving Per Household (2.59 PPHH) 2.59 $1,575.84

Average U.S. Household Income--Census Bureau, 2002 2002 $50,046.00

Giving as % of Household Income ($50,046.00)2 Persons Per Household 2 2.43%2.59 Persons Per Household 2.59 3.15%

If 50% of our average households tithed, church would receive $298,534If 25% of our average households tithed, church would receive $220,758If 10% of our average households tithed, church would receive $174,092

Calculating United Methodist Giving Potential

2.59 Persons Per Household Now Give on Average: 3.15% or $1,575.84 Average U.S. Household Income: $50,046

Increasing Average Household Giving by 1% of Average Income: $500.46

Yields additional giving to our 35,275 churches in the amount: $1,603,492,857(8,298,460 UM members divided by 2.59 PPHH times 1% ofAverage Household Income of $50,046)

Local Churches would retain 84.3% $1,351,744,479

Annual Conference would receive additional 12.4% $198,833,114

General Church Ministries would receive additional 3.3% $52,915,264

The Impact of Raising UM Average Household Giving by 1%

Ways to Increase United Methodist Household Giving 1% Between 2005-08

Be faithful stewards of our personal wealth by increasing our own giving by at least 1% per year for 2005-08.

Engage, inform and inspire our congregations about the ministries that are possible if we increase our giving by 1%.

Challenge the administrative leadership of our congregations to remit 100% of conference and general church apportionments if currently not doing so.

Challenge the administrative leadership of our congregations to remit 101% of conference and general church apportionments if currently remitting 100%.

Challenge our congregations to observe the six churchwide Special Sundays with offerings by giving $1.00 per member per Special Sunday which would mean approximately $50 million for these ministries.

Challenge our congregations to support at least one Advance project per year.

Ask how we can help to tell the story of connectional giving in our congregations, districts and conferences.

Suggest new, innovative ways that UMCom can engage, inform and inspire our congregations about giving.

Pray that we and all the people of The United Methodist Church will open our hearts, minds, doors, and wallets to the needs of God’s people everywhere.

United Methodists

Are Unequivocally Connected Together

In the Mission of Making Disciples

for Jesus Christ

Visit United Methodist Giving Website www.umcgiving.org

United Methodist Communications Connectional Giving Team

P.O. Box 320 Nashville, TN 37202-0320

Barbara Dunlap-Berg (615)[email protected]

Celinda Hughes (615) [email protected]

Kent McNish (615) [email protected]

Tracy Wood (615) [email protected]

Ordering ResourcesOrdering Resources

To order resources about the connectional giving of The United Methodist Church:

•Call Toll Free 1 (888) 346-3862 (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Central Time) Monday-Friday.

•Fax orders anytime to: 1 (615) 742-5499

•Mail orders to:

United Methodist Communications

P.O. Box 320

Nashville, TN 37202-0320

•Order online: www.umcgiving.org

For more information about The United Methodist Church, call InfoServ 1 (8000 251-8140 or email [email protected]

Informative Websites Related to United Methodist Giving

• www.umc.org• www.umcgiving.org• www.gcfa.org• http://www.gbod.org/stewardship/• http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/• http://gbgm-umc.org/advance/• http://gbgm-umc.org• http://www.gbhem.org/bcf/• http://www.gbhem.org• http://www.africau.edu/• http://www.umcgiving.org/content/MEF/default.asp• http://www.gccuic.org/• http://www.umc-gbcs.org/


Connectional Giving

umc church giving

Documents