Friday, June 12, 2009

Missouri United Methodist Annual Conference

According to Bishop Robert Schase, the extraordinary generosity of the Missouri annual conference in 2009 is humbling; Missouri is one of three or four conferences in the entire USA that can say that 86.3 % of congregations gave money for all their church apportionments. Church apportionments cover maintenance and running of camps, retirement and health care for pastors, missions, and partnerships with numerous organizations. To name a few: "Nothing but Nets" for the prevention of malaria, colleges and universities, educational events for young people, the Mozambique initiative to improve the quality of life in that country.

Attendance in the conference increased by 500 in 2008 and local church budgets have increased 10.6%.

In spite of the emphasis on numbers, delegates to the conference were encouraged to return to their local churches with the message . . ."It is not about taking care of me, it is about taking care of others."

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