| Giving strong despite economy by Erik AlsgaardUMConnection Staff United Methodists in the Baltimore-Washington Conference saw the second best year in the last dozen in terms of financial stewardship in 2002, and churches in the Cumberland-Hagerstown District set a mark that may be unprecedented. According to figures released Feb. 6 by Conference Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, the Rev. James Knowles-Tuell, total giving to the conference and denomination came to $13,384,994, or 92.5 percent of apportioned askings for the year. In 2001, churches contributed 93.9 percent of apportionments, the best year in the past two decades, Knowles-Tuell said. We were able to reach the 92.5 percent figure because of a surge of late payments in January, Knowles-Tuell said. It feels as if people are being particularly faithful despite the economy. That faithfulness extends from the Baltimore-Washington Conference to the general church level, he said. For the sixth straight year, the Baltimore-Washington Conference paid 100 percent of all its general church asking. Churches in the Cumberland-Hagerstown District can claim giving above 100 percent. In 2002, the 83 churches paid $882,801, or 100.1 percent of an apportioned $881,984. This is the first time, said Knowles-Tuell, that he recalls any district doing this.  Theres not a person in this conference who wont help a person in need, said Cumberland-Hagerstown District superintendent, the Rev. Ken Lyons. They just need to know the need.
Lyons gave credit to the UMConnection for helping the entire conference stay connected and telling the stories of how money given for apportionments enables mission and ministry around the world. Folks on our district take great joy and satisfaction in caring for those in the community that need help the most. Even though theyre in the farthest part of the conference they have made the longest leap in connecting with those in need, said Lyons. The Washington East District, under the leadership of the Rev. Mary Jane Coleman, superintendent, showed the most improvement over 2001. As of Jan. 6, there were eleven or twelve churches in the conference that had paid nothing towards their apportionments, Knowles-Tuell said. | 
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