HEATHER HAHN
United Methodist News Service

If The United Methodist Church had a “Paid in Full” rubber stamp, it would likely need more ink.

That’s because — looking at recent years at least — a record number of conferences have paid 100 percent of their apportionments, part of an overall bright picture in denominational giving.

In 2014, 25 of 57 U.S. annual conferences paid full apportionments to support the national and international ministries of the general church. The Dakotas Conference paid 90% of the apportioned rate in 2015 and is on track to pay 100% in 2015. That number is up from 20 in both 2012 and 2013, and it’s the highest number in at least 10 years — the period of time for which the General Council on Finance and Administration, the denomination’s finance agency, has ready records.

The previous high was in 2007 when 23 conferences paid in full — just before the world economic crisis. At the time, the denomination had more than 60 conferences in the United States.

“I characterize this as very, very good news,” said Charlie Moore, a member of the finance agency’s board. He is chair of the board’s committee on General Agency and Episcopal Matters and a member of Community United Methodist Church in Crofton, Maryland. The Baltimore-Washington Conference, where he serves on the finance committee, is maintaining its tradition of paying 100 percent.

“I think it is a reflection of the recovering economy, but I also think it’s evidence of the continuing commitment on the part of the people in the pews and annual conference leadership to support the connection.”

Apportionments are the share each conference or local church pays to support international, national and regional missions. At the general church level, the money supports bishops, United Methodist ministerial education, most general agencies and denomination-wide efforts such as the Black College Fund and Africa University in Zimbabwe. The offering also pays for the work of United Methodist News Service.

The number of conferences in the 100 percent club is not the only positive sign.

Preliminary figures from the General Council on Finance and Administration show 2014 United Methodist giving to support the denomination is up almost across the board.

Last year, United Methodists gave more than $130 million to general church funds, nearly 91 percent of the requested apportionments. That’s an increase from 2013 when United Methodists gave $128.6 million to general church funds, an apportionment-collection rate of just under 90 percent.

The denomination's budget for general funds is based on the assumption that 86 percent of apportionments will be collected.

In 2014, giving also grew for five of the six Special Sundays — special offerings scheduled throughout the year to support various ministries of the church.

The Special Sundays designated by General Conference are Human Relations Day, One Great Hour of Sharing, Native American Ministries Sunday, Peace with Justice Sunday, World Communion Sunday and United Methodist Student Day. Only Native American Ministries Sunday, which supports Native American seminary students and congregations, saw a downturn in remittances from 2013.

The surge in giving comes as United Methodist membership and attendance in U.S. continues a decades-long-decline. However, Moore points out, those figures don’t tell the story of United Methodist generosity.

“I think what it boils down to is that the giving per member, or the giving per attendee, has been increasing,” Moore said.

He added: “I always characterize it that our church really doesn’t have a stewardship problem as much as it has an attendance problem. The stewardship amongst those who are still with us is still very significant, very positive.”

The United Methodist Church in fact is growing with now an estimated 12.8 million members worldwide.

U.S. United Methodists, at this point, bear the lion’s share of general church expenses. But that could change soon.

Church leaders, including bishops, in Africa, Europe and the Philippines have made it a goal to contribute more to the denomination’s global ministries. The General Council on Finance and Administration board is working with those leaders to develop an apportionment formula for conferences outside the United States that it will propose to the 2016 General Conference.

Every conference in Africa, Europe and the Philippines already contributes at least 10 percent of its bishop’s office expenses. Some pay as much as 80 percent. There are 76 conferences outside the United States.