| Connectional giving deadline nears Erik Alsgaard UMConnection Staff  Deadline for local churches in the Baltimore-Washington Conference to have apportionment payments counted for the 2003 calendar year is just around the corner. Pier McPayten, interim conference treasurer, said that the last day for walk-ins to be credited in 2003 is Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004, at 4:30 p.m.
Churches may also mail their apportionment check to the conference center, 7178 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, MD 21046. The envelope must be postmarked by Jan. 2, 2004, to receive credit for 2003, said McPayten. Apportionment dollars received after Jan. 6 will appear on the 2004 statement as prior year apportionments paid, said McPayten. Giving through Nov. 2003 in the confer ence continues to grow, said McPayten. At the end of November, United Methodists in the Baltimore-Washington Conference had contributed $11,600,000 in connectional giving, McPayten said. That was $300,000 more than the same time last year. On a percentage basis, United Methodists have contributed 76 percent of apportionment askings, said McPayten. This compares with 78.17 percent at this same time last year. Apportioned funds enable United Methodists to do together what no one church, district or annual conference could do alone. The general churchs budget is proportionally allocated through apportionment giving. In this way each individual, each family, each congregation gives a fair share for the work of the church. For more information on apportioned funds, visit www.umcgiving.org. | 
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