Nashville, TN – Given the nature of the ongoing conversations within the denomination, General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) leadership believes it is important for Church decision-makers to have access to information about the financial realities of the general Church.
In a communication on Jan. 31, GCFA said it would engage “various official bodies of the general Church in conversation about the possible impacts” of legislative proposals related to the structure of the Church “on the funding of existing connectional ministries and apportioned funds.” The hope is that inviting feedback will be valuable insight into the operations of the general Church which will result in information that is both clear and comprehensive.
As a way to initiate this process, on Feb. 6, GCFA shared an informational document to various official bodies within the Church. This is being provided to inform decision makers on the current state of Church finances and the possible impact of proposed legislation.
“We are committed to being transparent about the funds the faithful members of The United Methodist Church give to support ministries of the Church. This document is not legislation. This document answers some of the questions being raised as we work diligently to be good stewards of all the Church’s resources,” said Bishop Mike McKee, president of the GCFA board.
The complete document, “Financial Narrative – The Possible Impact of Proposed Legislation” can be found on the GCFA website.
The GCFA Board will review the feedback it receives at the next in-person meeting of the Board set for March in Nashville, TN.