The Connectional Table
The United Methodist Church
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2019
Chicago – The Connectional Table of The United Methodist Church, in its recent allocations report, recommended increasing the World Service Contingency Fund to more than $8.9 million. This recommendation ensures opportunities for new and innovative ministry despite the reality of decreased apportioned dollars.
When budgets are tight, priorities rightly shift from new programming to General Conference mandates and administrative expenses. With increased allocations to the World Service Contingency Fund, our general agencies and apportioned funds will have ample opportunity to apply for funding and continue thriving in their efforts to create disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
"The recommendation to increase the World Service Contingency fund is an important and needed step to enable the denomination, through the agencies, to respond to emerging missional needs and priorities in an uncertain future," says Bishop Christian Alsted, chair of the Connectional Table. "Our aim is to nurture collaborative, adaptive, visionary and innovative efforts to bring vitality to the worldwide connection through a sustained focus on the Four Areas of Focus and other key areas of our church's ministry."
The Connectional Table allocations team's discernment process made clear that the Church is blessed with many resources—including its people, buildings and reserves—that can be creatively employed for mission. Guided by such values as missional priorities, fairness and justice, the team was careful to consider the core mission and financial capacity of each agency and fund. The allocations recommendations, Bishop Alsted believes, "care well for the needs of the whole denomination."
Chief Connectional Ministries Officer the Rev. Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai agrees.
"We don't know what the future holds," she says, "but a larger and mission-focused World Service Contingency Fund can increase our capacity to adapt and to deal with uncertainty. This fund also can help our connection, in particular our general agencies, address innovative ministry in the Four Areas of Focus."
About the Connectional Table: The Connectional Table works to steward the mission, vision and ministries of The United Methodist Church. For more information, please visit connectionaltable.umc.org.
Related Links: The Connectional Table Allocations Team Releases 2021-2024 Quadrennium Report
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Media Contact: Emily Clemons
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