Tampa, Florida, May 4, 2012—United Methodist delegates and guests at their legislating General Conference gave more than $27,000 for missionary support and other ministries during the almost two-week meeting of the church’s General Conference in Tampa.
An opening offering of more than $15,000 was divided evenly between Imagine No Malaria, a church-wide campaign; Ministry with the Poor, a denominational focus areas, and Cornerstone, a local Tampa ministry related to United Methodist Women. The Ministry with the Poor portion will be used for the Laos Mission, which works primarily among the poor.
A total of $9,775.96 was given to The Advance for missionary support in a two-part offering, one part received at the end of a Sunday night celebration and another on the following Tuesday. Following the announcement of the total, a delegate offered a check to push the total over $10,000.
Another $2,769 was given on Sunday afternoon during a service in which new missionaries and deaconess were commissioned. That event was at the Palma Ceia United Methodist Church.
Slightly more than $11,000 was given to be divided among the dozens of pages and marshals who come to General Conference, mostly at their own expense, to assist delegates on the floor and in legislative sessions and to maintain the security of the official “bar” of plenaries and committees.
