UMNS: United Methodist giving to churchwide ministry and administration is up modestly compared with last year at the end of November, but totals just 59.5 percent of the year's goal.
The denomination, like other churches and charities, receives a disproportionate amount of its annual income during the last weeks of a year.
At the end of November, donations to the seven funds that make up the bulk of the general church budget had increased 2.9 percent over 2003, a gain of more than $2.2 million.
But because the conferences were being asked for more during 2004, according to the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) additional giving was only a 0.3 percent greater portion of the "asking" or amount budgeted for churchwide mission and ministry.
