Money
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA), working with the 56 annual conferences in the United States, reports that 27 annual conferences have paid 100 percent of their 2016 apportionments to the seven general Church funds. This is a slight increase over the previous year during which 26 annual conferences reached this milestone. The 2016 payout rate of 91.8 percent is the highest it has been in the past 20 years, according to GCFA records.
The 27 annual conferences are: Alaska, Baltimore-Washington, Central Texas, Desert Southwest, East Ohio, Eastern Pennsylvania, Great New Jersey, Illinois Great Rivers, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, New England, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma Indian Missionary, Oregon-Idaho, Pacific Northwest, Peninsula-Delaware, Red Bird Missionary, Rocky Mountain, Susquehanna, Tennessee, Upper New York, West Ohio, West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania.
Bishop Michael McKee, GCFA president, said: “We are always honored to work with the people of all annual conferences and are pleased to make this announcement this year. This is one more indication that United Methodists are most generous people and that connectional giving in our denomination remains strong. We thank not only those conferences able to pay 100% of their general Church apportionment – but also all those conferences who did not attain the 100% level but who continue to strongly support the connection. Several conferences significantly increased their percentage paid, and these increases helped to create the favorable payout rate for 2016. All segments of the connection are important to fulfilling the ministries of the Church, and we look forward to working with the Central Conferences as they expand their general Church apportionment giving in 2017.”
Sharon Dean serves as the media contact for the General Council on Finance and Administration.