By: The Finance / Stewardship Committee
Apportionments are often talked about and often misunderstood, but they are a small part of Ayden United Methodist Church’s budget that allows our church to have an impact in our state, in our nation and in our world. AUMC’s approved budget for 2015 totals $184,438 and, of that amount, apportionments represent 14% or $26,237.
What are apportionments?
The United Methodist Church is a connectional church which means that as a local church we are in shared mission not only with other local United Methodist churches, but nationally and internationally as well. We do this because we know that together we can accomplish more than we can alone.
A Closer Look at Apportionments
AUMC’s apportionments for 2015 total $26,237. Below is a chart that shows how that money is divided to support UM church ministries.
- World Service Fund – $20,962
- Past Service Liability – $4,096
- Episcopal Fund – $715
- Black College Fund – $327
- African University Fund – $73
- Interdenominational Cooperation Fund – $64
- Total budgeted apportionments for 2015 -$26,237
- Total amount of the approved 2015 budget -$184,438
- Apportionments as a percentage of 2015 budget -14%
This collective work is supported through something we call apportionments which are the funds our local church contributes toward these missions through the North Carolina Annual Conference and General Conference of the United Methodist church. These funds support the inter-connectional ministries of the church which are as follows:
- World Service Fund – The World Service Fund helps to build new churches, pay missionary salaries, expand Bible studies, provides leadership for youth ministry and much more. World Service is the financial lifeline to a long list of Christian mission and ministry throughout the denomination. By giving to World Service, we each play our part in doing God’s work in the world.
- African University Fund – Africa University is the only General Conference-approved degree-granting institution of higher education supported by the United Methodist Church on the continent of Africa. Men and women from 27 countries in Africa receive postsecondary education and postgraduate degrees. When we support Africa University Fund, we nurture students in Christian values and develop visionary leaders.
- Black College Fund – Through the Black College Fund, The United Methodist Church helps the 11 historically Black United Methodist related colleges and universities to maintain solid and challenging academic programs, strong faculties, and well-equipped facilities. Their graduates – teachers and doctors, ministers and bishops, judges, artists and entrepreneurs – are leaders nationally and internationally.
- Episcopal Fund – Bishops are an integral part of the spiritual and administrative leadership of The United Methodist Church. We elect and consecrate bishops to speak to and from the church. This fund pays bishops’ salaries and covers office and travel expenses. It also provides their pension and health benefit coverage.
- Interdenominational Cooperation Fund – The Interdenominational Cooperation Fund enables United Methodists to have a presence and a voice in the activities of several national and worldwide ecumenical and interreligious organizations. It provides the United Methodist share of the basic budgets of these organizations and pays travel expenses of United Methodist representatives to meetings that advocate for unity among the worldwide Christian church.
- Past Service Liability – Pension and insurance support for retired clergy.
Apportionments are our first mile of mission giving which forms the framework for the rest of our congressional ministry and mission. As you prayerfully consider your financial contribution to God and the church, please consider generously supporting the ministries of our church. We are committed to being a warm hearted and open minded church that welcomes everyone who comes to experience God’s love in Christ regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey of stewardship.