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BY CHARLIE MOORE
COUNCIL ON FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

Many thanks to all of our local churches who are up to date on their 2009 apportionment payments. Unfortunately, there are still a number of churches that are not there yet.

Through the end of May, churches in the Baltimore-Washington Conference paid $5,085,092 in 2009 apportionment dollars. This amount is $175,290 (3.3 percent) below our budgeted apportionment revenue. Fortunately, the conference’s apportioned expenses are currently under budget by a greater amount, so we are OK on a net cash flow basis – for the moment.

An analysis of giving patterns over the past five years indicates that our apportionment revenue could potentially fall short by up to $500,000 by year-end. This projection indicates that our year-end collection rate would be in the range of 87.3 percent, short of our projected goal of 90.25 percent.

As a result, CFA has asked the finance staff to work with each of the teams on the conference staff to analyze their expenses and provide an updated projection for year-end.

This input will be evaluated at the July CFA meeting and appropriate steps will be put in place to insure that we alleviate any shortfall for the year.

Of course, the most appropriate response by everyone is for all of our local churches to reach forward and pay 100 percent of their apportionments.

As we all recall, the 2009 apportioned budget was reduced by $1.9 million back in January in an effort to leave more money for ministry at the local church level. Due to these cuts, it is more important this year than any in the recent past that all churches fulfill this important responsibility of our “connection.”

The Baltimore-Washington Conference has a long standing tradition of paying 100 percent of its General Apportionments and this year is no exception. While we cut $1.9 million out of our 2009 apportioned expenses, not one dollar has been cut from our giving to General Apportionments.

After all, while our current economy may be in a recession, the needs of our worldwide ministry are now greater than ever and our support of worldwide mission giving is essential to meet many of these needs.

I saw this need firsthand when I returned to Zimbabwe in April of this year. I was pleased to see that the General Board of Global Ministries and UMCOR have accelerated their efforts in this marginalized country. While this is encouraging, the Zimbabwean people are still facing critical shortages of assistance in health care, education and ministry.

This pattern is seen throughout the Central Conferences and we are being called once again as United Methodists “in connection” to fulfill our Christian responsibility.

Thanks in advance to all of our local churches for your prayerful and faithful response to God’s calling to be faithful stewards.

Charlie Moore is president of the conference Council on Finance and Administration.