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Governor Bush focuses on family unit
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Governor Jeb Bush
assembled a diverse group of the state’s children and family
advocates in June to tackle issues impacting today’s families.
The Florida Conference was among them. The Rev.
Charles Parker, chairman of the Florida Conference Council on
Ministries’ Church and Society Ministry Team, attended the meeting
at the governor’s invitation.
The Strengthening Families Symposium in
Tallahassee focused on the well-being of children, parental
involvement at schools and recent economic impacts on Florida’s
families.
“Governor Bush’s goal for the symposium was
for advocates to develop a plan of action to build stronger families
in Florida,” Parker said. “I was heartened that the ideas from the
faith community were heard and taken seriously.
“Across the board, in all discussions, it was
obvious that the state wants churches engaged in ministries to help
rebuild the family structure in our state.”
Attendees discussed faith community partnerships
with schools, commitments by ministers to provide quality premarital
and marital counseling, and combined parent and youth small groups
that teach parenting and social skills.
“Churches have a great volunteer base, and we
could certainly help with practical ministries, like absentee phone
calling for neighborhood schools and more long-term ministries, such
as mentoring for parents and children,” Parker said. “If our
United Methodist churches were to team with Florida schools in an
organized way to help, I believe the possibilities are endless—maybe
even everlasting.”
Apportionment giving drops dangerously
low
LAKELAND — United Methodist giving to the
denomination’s seven apportioned funds, which support the bulk of
church-wide programs, dropped 3.3 percent in the first six months of
this year, the church’s finance agency reports.
The General Council on Finance and
Administration (GCFA) in Evanston, Ill., said $37.1 million had been
given for apportionments, representing about $1.3 million less than
what church members had given by June 30 last year.
Giving to all church-wide ministries, including
outreach and relief funds, totaled $53.1 million at the end of June.
Sandra Kelley Lackore, GCFA staff head and
treasurer of the denomination, noted on July 14 that apportionment
giving reflected stronger receipts than previous months this year, but
apportionments for 2003 increased by only 1.4 percent over 2002
apportionments. The increase for the largest apportioned fund, World
Service, was only 0.4 percent. World Service has received almost $19.7
million this year, compared to $20.6 million during the first half of
2002, reflecting a decrease in giving of 4.7 percent.
Only two of the seven apportioned funds showed
increases over last year’s income.
In all, giving to the seven funds halfway
through 2003 accounts for only 28.6 percent of the year’s total
apportionment of $129.6 million. Last year, 30 percent of the
apportioned amount had been received by June 30.
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© 2003 Florida United Methodist Review Online |
