Grantsburg UMC ~ Stewardship Grant Comments

What Are Apportionments?

Apportionments are a combination of funds needed to provide the minimum level of financial support for the mission and ministry of the United Methodist Church as a denomination. Plus the funds needed to provide the minimum level of mission and ministry support within the Wisconsin Annual Conference, and our additional general Church, jurisdictional and annual conference commitments.  

Note that payment in full is identified as the first financial priority of the local church.  Central has been unable to fulfill that commitment for the past 3 years.  We are taking steps to try and correct that this year.  The finance committee has applied for an Apportionment Reduction for 2017.  We have not heard from the Conference about that application.

It is the vision of the United Methodist Church that each member of each congregation will make a commitment to fully fund the apportionments.  If each member takes seriously this commitment, then it will be a simple matter to hold the church accountable. To pay our apportionments in full costs less than $2 per member each week.  Two dollars a week?  To serve millions of people and save millions of lives?  To spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the entire world?  To feed the hungry and house the homeless?  To clothe the naked and heal the sick? Two dollars seems a small price to pay to transform the world, yet that is all that is asked by the United Methodist Church.

The church does not ask individuals to give beyond their means, nor do they expect any local church to suffer financially.  Churches should never feel forced to pay apportionments.  When faithful Christians understand the good that is done and the benefits received, they will choose to pay apportionments with joy and pride.

Throughout the year we will help you understand the great good that the larger church can accomplish through our apportionment giving.  We will explain exactly what apportionments are and where the concept came from.  If we understand the way the United Methodist Church works and how apportionments are used, paying our apportionments in full may be something we take more seriously.

 

Posted in Grantsburg