North Georgia Celebrates 2016 Apportionment Giving

At the close of 2016, North Georgia United Methodist churches had paid 94.7 percent of the apportionment budget, the highest percentage of apportionments paid in 15 years. Apportioned giving totaled $20,896,626. 
 
Six of the 12 districts increased versus the previous year, including the Atlanta-Marietta District which paid five percentage points more than the prior year. 
 
Conference Treasurer Keith Cox celebrates the percentage increase, explaining that it signals an alignment between connectional giving and church budgets. He also makes an important note that the budget in 2016 was substantially less than the previous year, so the total dollars received was less than previous years. 
 
Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson celebrates the generosity of North Georgia United Methodists as well.
 
"I am very grateful to our churches for supporting the connection and funding ministries that we do better together," said Bishop Sue. "I take our stewardship of these funds seriously, and we all are striving to streamline our Conference work so that more dollars remain in our local churches to make disciples and transform the world. I also see this level of support as a vote of confidence in our Conference leadership and ministries. Thank you for your faithfulness!"
 
Sean Taylor, chair of the Conference Council on  Finance and Administration, shares that the committee's work has been guided by the mission of the church. CF&A works with the treasurer, Conference leadership and local churches to set each year's budget. 
 
"I think this is a concrete result of years of hard work by the CF&A and Conference staff to promote reduction in non-programmatic expenses and increase our mission effect," explained Taylor. "The churches hear this and are more likely to pay their apportionments, knowing these funds are furthering our mission as United Methodists. Speaking on behalf of CF&A, we will continue our focus to be hard-working stewards of that which God has given us responsibility to oversee."

Find helpful resources on apportionment giving on the North Georgia Conference website at http://www.ngumc.org/giving.