By Michael Wacht
  
LAKELAND — Connectional giving by local churches during December was better than it has been during the same month in the past several years, according to Dr. Randy Casey-Rutland, Florida Conference treasurer. “Unfortunately, December was preceded by the worst 11 months in recent years,” Casey-Rutland said. “Since December was significantly above average, we’re not out of the woods yet, but the crisis was not as profound as it might have been.”

Connectional giving refers to apportionments. Delegates to the 1998 Florida Annual Conference Event voted to change the term apportionments to connectional giving as a way to better describe the annual giving.

The conference received 85.21 percent of its Fair Share Apportionments in 2002, compared to 85.94 percent in 2001. The conference received $14.79 million in 2002, nearly $170,000 more than last year, but the 2002 budget was almost $350,000 more than in 2001.

The amount left unpaid was $2.56 million in 2002, compared to $2.39 million in 2001. Approximately $310,000 of that amount will carry over to next year because it includes clergy support and other obligations. The more than $2 million shortfall remaining reduces the amount the conference and general church can spend from their budgets.

“The Florida Conference, by most measures, is the wealthiest conference in our denomination,” Casey-Rutland said, adding lower giving by Florida churches diminishes the ministry capacity in both the conference and the general church.

Total giving by churches to all conference, district and general church apportionments and advance specials was down nearly $900,000.

The treasurer’s office and the Florida Conference Council on Finance and Administration were concerned about the conference’s fiscal health last August. August is typically the worst month for giving, but last August was lower than normal, triggering concern that giving might be reduced through the end of the year. At the time, Bill Johnson, chairman of the Florida Conference Council on Finance and Administration, said he was concerned the national economic downturn would weaken December’s giving.

December is historically the best month for connectional giving. The Florida Conference received as much as one quarter of its total connectional giving for the year during December.

Casey-Rutland said the conference’s financial situation is better than it could have been, but it is too early to make a complete diagnosis. “Apportionments are one, but not the only, factor that goes into determining our conference’s fiscal health,” he said. “We now have to wait and see how the other components come in until we can get a clear picture of where we stand.”

The other major factors contributing to the conference’s health include the health insurance and risk management programs and programs and ministries that charge participant or user fees, including Summer Camp ministry and the Life Enrichment Center.