Focus On: Apportionment to Wisconsin Conference, United Methodist Church
“Apportionment” is a word that I still don’t fully understand. I originally thought of it as membership dues to the United Methodist Church. The connotation was that it was something like taxes where we “had to” pay it and the money kind of disappeared….somewhere.
Well as you know I participate in the Missions Team at Church, and we try to connect Church-comers (goers sounds like we’re trying to leave!?) to service projects, educational speakers and community outreach. I am fascinated to realize that so much of Apportionment money (85% I believe) directly supports people in need. It is almost TOO EASY to help so many great programs at once. You simply check a box on your giving envelope marked “Apportionment” and magically that money gets directed into various amazing programs.
Here are just a few of areas Apportionment dollars support:
*Fighting hunger and poverty worldwide via 170 global ministries
*Disaster response teams in the United States
*Providing “Kits” of many varieties: health, school, birthing, sewing, layette and clean-up locally, nationally and globally
*Harbor House Crisis Shelters
* Feeding programs in Wisconsin and around the world: Northcott Neighborhood House and United Methodist Children’s Services provide thousands of meals each year
*Health and Welfare Ministries including food pantries, Head Start programs, after school and family programs
*Youth Camps and Retreats
*Campus Ministry for college students
*Mission trips and volunteer service programs
*Spiritual leadership and support to individual churches
*Imagine No Malaria campaign
Finally, why should we give through Apportionment and not only via individual donations to organizations of our choice? Well, to me it is the greater focus of energy: spiritual and monetary. We have great power with our shared intentions. Our dollars truly are a voice we can use for greater good. As noted at www.umcgiving.org, “We give because: Many together are greater than one alone. The United Methodist Church’s special giving structure ensures your generosity blesses as many people as possible in sustainable, strategic ways.”
by Katy Meyer