News and Views

By Rev. Daryl Williams
Chair, BWC Commission on Finance and Administration

February is always an exciting time for me. It is not simply because of Valentine’s Day or my wife’s birthday, but also because the books for the previous year are closed, and we get to see how we did financially as an Annual Conference. Sure, it’s a little strange to look forward to, but we all have our guilty pleasures. I look forward to it because it is always a testament to how good God has been and how faithful the people of the Baltimore-Washington Conference have been. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to be faithful stewards of God’s resources, recognizing that all we have is entrusted to us for the purpose of furthering God’s Kingdom and this past year has been an amazing show of our faithfulness to the cause of Christ.

We are pleased to report that our conference achieved an 84.5% collection rate on our mission share giving, resulting in a total of $12,197,147 in giving to support the connectional work of the Baltimore-Washington Conference and The United Methodist Church.

While our collection rate was slightly down this year, our overall income increase showed the growing strength and generosity of the people of the Baltimore-Washington Conference. This increase represents an increase of 3.48% in actual giving above the previous year, which is an encouraging sign of growth, resilience, and commitment to our stewardship efforts. It shows that we, as a conference, are continuing to gain strength and move forward on a path to abundance.  

This upward trajectory is a direct reflection of your trust in God’s provision and your unwavering support for the mission and ministries of our connectional church. Of note, this strong showing continued to accelerate as the year progressed. The last quarter of the year was our best quarter proving that we are moving in the right direction and gaining momentum.

Also, our total expenditures as a conference were 1.9%  less than the 2024 budget. While we spent less than we budgeted our expenses in 2024 returned to levels not seen since prior to the pandemic. This growth shows that we are largely back on track and have recovered from the dips in the pandemic years. This controlling of cost is a testament to the great work of the conference finance office under the leadership of, Paul Eichelberger.

As you know, the conference is moving forward this year with a restructuring plan to increase our effectiveness. We continue to maintain that the restructuring will be budget neutral, meaning that we should not have to increase connectional giving to reach our goals, but we are depending on you. We are continuing to depend on your faithful financial support to provide for the ministry that God has assigned to us in this season.

While our plans are budget neutral, I want to challenge us as a conference. I want to challenge us all to take up the mantra of being 100% at 100%. While our collection rate was strong in 2024, I want to challenge us to push towards all of our churches being 100% on our mission shares. Faithful financial support means making our stewardship a priority. When we make our stewardship a priority, it is an act of faith in the word of God. It shows that we are committed to what God has for us to do, but also that we trust God to be obedient to God’s commands.

Stewardship is not simply a financial practice — it is a spiritual discipline that calls us to place our trust in God rather than in material wealth. Scripture reminds us:

"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, NIV)

Our generosity is a reflection of our faith, our love for the Church, and our commitment to Christ’s mission. This year, I want to encourage each of us to continue to give prayerfully, sacrificially, and faithfully. Whether through tithes, offerings, or special gifts, our collective generosity enables life-changing ministry to continue and lives to be changed.

Our mission is far from complete, but in the words of Caleb in Numbers 13:30, “we are well able” to meet the challenges ahead. There are still needs to be met, communities to be served, and lives to be transformed. As we move forward this year, let us commit to an even greater spirit of generosity, knowing that our giving is an act of worship and a declaration of our trust in God’s provision.

I truly believe that if we work together, grow together and give together, the best is yet to come.