Ministries aim for growth
BY CHRISTIE ZIMMERMAN
UMCONNECTION STAFF
At this year’s session of annual conference, the Council on Finance and Administration (CFA) proposed a budget that remains the same as 2010, with considerable effort made going forward to “restore trust and confidence” in the apportionment and budgeting processes.
Conference members approved the proposed 2011 conference budget of $14,799,764, which reflects no increase in either 2011 apportionments or the 2011 apportioned expense budget.
Members also adopted the benevolence factor of 19.5 percent, which remains the same as last year.
A tone of gratitude was set by Charlie Moore, chair of CFA, who commended the members and leaders of the Baltimore-Washington Conference on the “inspiring” ways in which they have dealt with the economic instability. In 2009, the apportionment collection rate was 89.24 percent, which reversed the downward trend of the past several years.
In spite of difficult economic times, the Baltimore-Washington Conference remained faithful by paying 100 percent of its General Conference and Jurisdictional apportionments. It was one of only 14 out of 63 annual conferences to do so.
Turning to the 2011 budgeting process, Moore reported that “significant enhancements to the planning and budgeting process were introduced last fall.”
Some of those enhancements included: a greater level of collaboration with constituencies; meetings between the CFA and Discipleship Council to review key 2011 budget assumptions, which were endorsed by the Connectional Table; an input questionnaire sent to all Conference members; and lastly, reviews by the Cabinet, executive team and CFA which resulted in a 3 percent budget increase.
The foundation for the initial 2011 budget planning and projected apportionment billing was based upon projections of 2009 expenses that local churches would eventually report in its 2009 statistical reports.
The initial proposed 2011 budget, with a 3 percent increase, (printed in the Pre-Conference booklet) was predicated on an assumption of a 2.25 percent increase in the local church’s 2009 apportioned expense base, coupled with the assumption of a further increase in the collection rate to a projected 2011 level of 91 percent.
Moore explained that the initially proposed 3 percent increase versus the proposed zero percent increase brought to the floor was a result of further examination of the “expense based” apportionment formula, which dates back more than 40 years.
“The Connectional Giving Committee, CFA and the conference leadership team concluded in 2009 that while we believe that churches faithfully complete their financial statistical reports based on their understanding of what is expected, it is clear that the actual practices differ from church to church,” Moore said. “Your conference leaders recognized that we needed to do a better job in providing consistent and clear information and instructions so that churches are better equipped and reporting is consistent among our churches.”
In an attempt to simplify the stats collection process and eliminate the inconsistencies in data reporting, there were a number of adjustments made in the 2009 statistical reporting process.
“We were hopeful that these changes would produce a much more reliable and uniform set of data,” Moore said.
“Throughout the period of mid-January thru mid-March, the CFA and Conference staff analyzed this most recent data and sought clarification from many local churches as to the data that was submitted. Regrettably, we reached the conclusion in early April that the 2009 expense data that was submitted was too volatile and unreliable to be utilized as the basis for 2011 apportionments,” said Moore.
Fixing the problem, Moore said, will require a concerted effort over a number of months. “It became clear that this work could not be completed in time for this year’s annual conference when we need to approve our 2011 apportionments and 2011 apportioned expense budget,” Moore said.
In the months following this year’s annual conference session, conference leaders will work to complete the analysis and prepare recommendations for potential enhancements to the apportionment process and formula.
Due to a number of requests from local churches surrounding their 2011 apportionments, CFA has formulated an appeal process for those churches, which feel their frozen level of 2011 apportionment billing is highly inequitable.
Moore urged the sparse use of the appeals process. All appeal requests are to be submitted to the conference treasurer no later than June 30 with a decision for each appeal to be made by Aug. 30.
In other news, members heard from the Rev. Debbie Scott, president of the conference board of trustees who reported on the progress of the new conference center being built in Maple Lawn in Howard County. It is expected to open in late August.
Are you up to date on your church’s apportionments?
Visit www.bwcumc.org/apportionments
UMCONNECTION STAFF
At this year’s session of annual conference, the Council on Finance and Administration (CFA) proposed a budget that remains the same as 2010, with considerable effort made going forward to “restore trust and confidence” in the apportionment and budgeting processes.
Conference members approved the proposed 2011 conference budget of $14,799,764, which reflects no increase in either 2011 apportionments or the 2011 apportioned expense budget.
Members also adopted the benevolence factor of 19.5 percent, which remains the same as last year.
A tone of gratitude was set by Charlie Moore, chair of CFA, who commended the members and leaders of the Baltimore-Washington Conference on the “inspiring” ways in which they have dealt with the economic instability. In 2009, the apportionment collection rate was 89.24 percent, which reversed the downward trend of the past several years.
In spite of difficult economic times, the Baltimore-Washington Conference remained faithful by paying 100 percent of its General Conference and Jurisdictional apportionments. It was one of only 14 out of 63 annual conferences to do so.
Turning to the 2011 budgeting process, Moore reported that “significant enhancements to the planning and budgeting process were introduced last fall.”
Some of those enhancements included: a greater level of collaboration with constituencies; meetings between the CFA and Discipleship Council to review key 2011 budget assumptions, which were endorsed by the Connectional Table; an input questionnaire sent to all Conference members; and lastly, reviews by the Cabinet, executive team and CFA which resulted in a 3 percent budget increase.
The foundation for the initial 2011 budget planning and projected apportionment billing was based upon projections of 2009 expenses that local churches would eventually report in its 2009 statistical reports.
The initial proposed 2011 budget, with a 3 percent increase, (printed in the Pre-Conference booklet) was predicated on an assumption of a 2.25 percent increase in the local church’s 2009 apportioned expense base, coupled with the assumption of a further increase in the collection rate to a projected 2011 level of 91 percent.
Moore explained that the initially proposed 3 percent increase versus the proposed zero percent increase brought to the floor was a result of further examination of the “expense based” apportionment formula, which dates back more than 40 years.
“The Connectional Giving Committee, CFA and the conference leadership team concluded in 2009 that while we believe that churches faithfully complete their financial statistical reports based on their understanding of what is expected, it is clear that the actual practices differ from church to church,” Moore said. “Your conference leaders recognized that we needed to do a better job in providing consistent and clear information and instructions so that churches are better equipped and reporting is consistent among our churches.”
In an attempt to simplify the stats collection process and eliminate the inconsistencies in data reporting, there were a number of adjustments made in the 2009 statistical reporting process.
“We were hopeful that these changes would produce a much more reliable and uniform set of data,” Moore said.
“Throughout the period of mid-January thru mid-March, the CFA and Conference staff analyzed this most recent data and sought clarification from many local churches as to the data that was submitted. Regrettably, we reached the conclusion in early April that the 2009 expense data that was submitted was too volatile and unreliable to be utilized as the basis for 2011 apportionments,” said Moore.
Fixing the problem, Moore said, will require a concerted effort over a number of months. “It became clear that this work could not be completed in time for this year’s annual conference when we need to approve our 2011 apportionments and 2011 apportioned expense budget,” Moore said.
In the months following this year’s annual conference session, conference leaders will work to complete the analysis and prepare recommendations for potential enhancements to the apportionment process and formula.
Due to a number of requests from local churches surrounding their 2011 apportionments, CFA has formulated an appeal process for those churches, which feel their frozen level of 2011 apportionment billing is highly inequitable.
Moore urged the sparse use of the appeals process. All appeal requests are to be submitted to the conference treasurer no later than June 30 with a decision for each appeal to be made by Aug. 30.
In other news, members heard from the Rev. Debbie Scott, president of the conference board of trustees who reported on the progress of the new conference center being built in Maple Lawn in Howard County. It is expected to open in late August.
Are you up to date on your church’s apportionments?
Visit www.bwcumc.org/apportionments
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