On behalf of the Conference Council on Finance and Administration (CF&A), we thank each of our churches in the Rocky Mountain Conference for your faithfulness in your monthly connectional giving.As of Sept. 30, the conference has received $3,862,781 in connectional giving of our budgeted $5,630,000 for the year.

Realizing that revenues at the local church level might be tight this year, CF&A asked each conference ministry budget administrator at the beginning of 2017 to limit spending to 92 percent of the annual budgeted amount. This has allowed us to hold expenses to an amount that is approximately 2.5 percent over our current year-to-date revenue. In other words, we are pretty close to meeting our expenses.

You may still be wondering just where all that money goes. Pictured at left is a pie chart that breaks it down (you can also download it):

• 23 percent of your connectional giving dollars goes to Benevolence and Program Ministry
• 24 percent goes to Spiritual Leadership Ministry
• 33 percent goes to General Church and Jurisdictional Apportionments
• 20 percent goes to Financial and Administrative Ministry

OK, so what do those categories include?

Benevolence and Program Ministry
This budget is for the program ministries of our Annual Conference such as: Justice Ministries, Acts of Repentance, Racial-Ethnic Ministries, Ecumenical Ministries, Young People’s Ministries, Higher Education and Campus Ministry, New Church Development, Leadership Development, Congregational Vitality, Camping and Retreat Ministries, Compassion Ministries, and Communications.

Spiritual Leadership Ministry
This budget includes lay ministries, the Board of Ordained Ministry, and expenses of the Cabinet and Districts. It also includes clergy moving and other clergy support expenses.

General Church and Jurisdictional Apportionments
These contributions support the connectional structure and the humanitarian ministries of The United Methodist Church, both nationally and internationally. These include the Episcopal Fund, World Service Fund, Black College Fund, Ministerial Education Fund, Africa University Fund, Interdenominational Cooperation Fund, and General Administration Fund. It also includes our Western Jurisdiction apportionment.

Financial and Administrative Ministry
This budget covers the administrative costs to operate the Rocky Mountain Conference Office, retiree healthcare subsidies, the administration of conference property, computer expenses, and legal and audit fees.

More information can be found online at www.rmcumc.org/budgetconnectionalgiving.

If you would like additional information, please contact Noreen Keleshian, Conference Treasurer and Benefits Officer. She can be reached at 303-325-7051 or noreen@rmcumc.com. Rev. Kirsten Barlow serves as the president of the Conference Council on Finance and Administration.