Connectional Giving/Family Funds

           

            All churches are encouraged to educate their congregations about the “Apportionments,” or “Family Funds.”  Each church is encouraged to highlight a portion of the fund  from the pulpit, in their newsletters, telling what each category is, what it accomplishes, etc. to help the congregation understand the process of where the money goes in the UMC. The information is also available on the conference website at www.nxtconf.org under financial administration, Benevolence Booklet.

This month, we will continue our look at the following United Methodist Church’s connectional items apportioned to all local churches, District Superintendents Fund, Episcopal Fund, Equitable Compensation Fund Ministerial Education Fund and Supplemental Health Insurance Program.

            The District Superintendents Fund provides funding for the salary, travel, continuing education, insurance, pension, and moving expenses for the District Superintendent.  Four District Superintendents serve the Northwest Texas Conference by acting as points of connection among the local churches, the district, and the Annual Conference. Our Abilene District Superintendent is Ava Berry.

            The Episcopal Fund pays the salary, pension and travel for active bishops. Our bishop is D. Max Whitfield.  Bishops serve the Annual Conference and also provide leadership to the entire denomination by serving as the connection among their Annual Conference, the general church, and the world.

            The Equitable Compensation Fund provides salaries for pastors of mission plan churches. Short-term grants are offered for churches with special needs, and the commission works with churches becoming self-supporting, so that no full-time pastor will have to live below a minimal economic standard.

            The Ministerial Education Fund provides educational support for those seeking to be ordained elders, ordained deacons, and diaconal ministers of the church, through funding for theological schools, recruitment, professional development and continuing education.  A percentage of the money stays in the conference to directly aid students and local pastors.

            The Supplement Health Insurance Program supplements the insurance costs for retired pastors and surviving spouses, students appointed to attend school, persons on Disability Leave and Conference Evangelists. It also provides for the administration of the health insurance program.