| Conference finances improving despite lower
givingBy Michael Wacht
LAKELAND — Despite lower giving by local churches to the
conference and general apportionments, the Florida Conference is in a better financial
condition than it has been the past two years, according to Dr. Randy Casey-Rutland, the
conference’s treasurer.
“The conference is in good fiscal health, but we can certainly
do better,” Casey-Rutland said. “Apportionment giving by local churches is
slightly behind 1999 and 2000 in both total dollars and percent received.”
As of June 30 the conference had received a little more than $6.5
million dollars or 38.28 percent of the total amount local churches are asked to give. In
the previous two years, churches had paid as much as 40 percent by this time.
Casey-Rutland said the decrease may be related to a “general
economic slowdown,” which could further impact the conference’s finances.
“Conference finances are dependent on regular, faithful giving by churches and church
members,” he said. “If the economy continues to deteriorate, giving to local
churches and giving to apportionments will decrease, and the conference could be in a
worse financial situation.”
Regardless, the conference’s finances are stronger,
Casey-Rutland said. “We’ve done a better job of managing our expenses, so our
overall financial situation is better than in 1999 or 2000.”
One step the conference has taken is asking specific areas of the
conference to spend 60 percent of their budgets. Casey-Rutland said the conference expects
to receive 86 percent of its apportionment dollars so it can only spend 86 percent of its
budget. Since two-thirds of the budget, including utility bills, salaries and insurance
premiums, must be paid at 100 percent, the remaining one-third can only be paid at 60
percent.
Casey-Rutland said the conference will still be underfunded by
approximately $110,000, despite the 60 percent spending limit. “The troubling thing
about the budgeting and apportionment process is that many good things in the conference
budget that were voted on and approved at annual conference aren’t done because the
money doesn’t come in,” Casey-Rutland said.
Overall Casey-Rutland said he is hopeful about the conference’s
finances. “I’m optimistic that some of the things the bishop, cabinet, CCOM
[Conference Council on Ministries] and other areas of the conference are working on will
strengthen the local churches and, therefore, strengthen the conference financially.”
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