budget

The Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters, an international United Methodist leadership body, gathers in front of the entrance to a medieval castle in Braunfels, Germany. During a meeting in Braunfels, the group discussed the challenges facing its proposed Africa Comprehensive Plan, which would add five more bishops to the continent. Photo by Klaus Ulrich Ruof, Germany Central Conference.

Plan to add 5 African bishops faces challenges

An international United Methodist group has long been working to increase the number of bishops on the African continent but learned of financial and other difficulties now facing the plan.

General Church

Members of the Connectional Table lay hands on Bishop Mande Muyombo (center), chair of the Connectional Table, and Judi Kenaston (fourth from right), interim chief connectional ministries officer, during the group’s meeting Feb. 24 in Atlanta. The leadership body helps determine the budget of The United Methodist Church. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Group plans for budget cuts, regionalization

Meetings of the Connectional Table in Atlanta were productive, with efforts to come up with a consensus budget, move toward a U.S. regional conference and streamline the leadership body’s own membership all moving forward.

General Agencies

Cynthia Bond Hopson leads a meditation for General Council on Finance and Administration board members and guests during a worship service at the Upper Room Chapel in Nashville, Tenn. Hopson called on the finance agency to be bold in a time of uncertainty. “Tomorrow is uncertain,” she said. “Today is all we have.” She serves as chief equity officer and assistant general secretary of the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Amid church exits, work starts on record-low budget

United Methodist leaders agree that big changes are coming as the denomination grapples with rising church disaffiliations. But disagreements remain on how best to balance financial uncertainty with missional commitments.

General Church

A graphic depicts how giving flows from local churches to annual conferences to the denomination-wide ministries of the global United Methodist Church. In a time of mounting church disaffiliations, the denomination’s financial leaders are trying to develop a church-wide budget that keeps in mind needs at all levels of the denomination. Graphic courtesy of the Connectional Table.

Debate looming on how low budget should go

The two bodies that develop The United Methodist Church’s budget agree cuts are needed, but disagreements are brewing over stewardship in a time of mounting church disaffiliations.

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