"Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you have already given us."
(I Chronicles 29:14).  

 

It is God who has given us the means to be generous and we thank all our churches for their mission shares’ faithfulness.  Did you know that your giving has:

 

The New England Conference received 75.2 percent in mission-share receipts from local churches in 2011, which is a 2 percentage point decrease from receipts of the past couple of years.  The percent for World Missions was 72.1 percent.  

 

In 2011, the conference used $127,034 of its reserves to pay conference bills and boost its World Missions payment to 75% or $1,290,000.  Our highest World Missions payment in the past six years was in 2007 at 94% and last year’s percentage was 81.8%.  We were pleased to continue to pay 100% of our apportionments for Africa University and the Black College Fund.  

  

Nine more churches than in 2010 paid more than 100% in mission shares billed and the conference had a total of 343 churches in the 100% or greater category.  However that was a total of 27 churches fewer that paid 100% or more than in 2010.  A complete list of churches and percentage paid is available.

 

It is local church mission shares that allow the New England Conference to support global mission and ministry through General Church apportionments. While our payments to the general church apportionments are not what we would hope them to be, the amount we are able to pay is possible with the faithful participation of local churches in the New England Conference – many of whom are making offerings of great sacrifice because they believe in connectional stewardship and the extraordinary witness of faith displayed by United Methodist support of global ministries mentioned earlier in this letter.

 

A recent motion by the Committee on Finance and Administration (CFA) requested that Bishop Weaver call together a task force to examine ways of supporting mission and ministry in the face of declining membership and funding.   

 

A Financial Summit team representing many disciplines, including finance, insurance, ministry areas, trustees, etc., is assessing the resources needed to serve Christ most effectively and examining related matters of apportionments, budget building, clergy compensation and benefits, facilities, stewardship development and other long-terms concerns that may impact our future in God’s work.  At Annual Conference this year, the team will present its recommendations.

 

We thank you for your support and prayers, as we continue to include you in our prayers.

 

Hope and blessings be with you,

 

William V. Burnside II

Conference Treasurer