Local church giving to the Southern New England Conference came in over budget for 2022 – welcome news as the new Conference emerges from the pandemic.
In a video message, Conference Board President Tracy Keene thanked everyone for their contributions.
"Despite the strong headwinds of a war in Ukraine, high inflation, social unrest and division, and the lingering effects of Covid ... My siblings in Christ, you really stepped up last year," he said. "And for that I want to express our deepest thanks and gratitude."
In total, Proportional Giving to Our Church’s Wider Mission was $3,451,140 – 4 percent higher than what had been budgeted. This was in part thanks to 36 churches that gave in 2022 who had not given in 2021, and another 24 churches that had not given since before 2020.
"This is such fantastic news, and I was amazed when the numbers came in!” said the Rev. David Cleaver-Bartholomew, Director of Stewardship.
“To me, these results imply a few things. First, our churches are feeling less shell-shocked as the negative effects of Covid are less paramount and/or on the wane,” he said. “Second, more churches understand the shift to the Proportional Giving method and are adopting it as a better method for them regarding their financial support of mission and ministry at the Conference and national settings. Third, more churches are feeling connected to SNEUCC and realize that their relationship with the Conference can be a truly symbiotic one.”
Of the 590 churches in the Conference, 475 of them contributed, giving an average of $7,266.
The national setting of the United Church of Christ will also see an uptick in income, because 2022 income to the Conference forms the basis for 2023 Proportional Giving passed on to the national setting. For 2023, the Conference expects to contribute $1,094,500 to the National setting. This is $31,500 higher than the 2022 contribution, and $51,000 higher than initial projections would have indicated for the current year.
“This year I am humbled, ecstatic and most of all grateful for the ways you have all invested in us continuing to become a thriving new and formative conference,” said Executive Conference Minister the Rev. Darrell Goodwin.
“This year I am humbled, ecstatic and most of all grateful for the ways you have all invested in us continuing to become a thriving new and formative conference,” said Executive Conference Minister the Rev. Darrell Goodwin.
“Collectively the local church, the association and the conference make up the members of the United Church of Christ in Southern New England,” he said. “It is when we see our ministry as collective, cohesive and interdependent that we can truly make living the love and justice of Jesus a tangible reality.”
Of the 590 churches in the Conference, 475 of them contributed, giving an average of $7,266.
During 2022, the Conference worked to support clergy, many of whom experience exhaustion and burnout after more than two years of responding to the pandemic. That support included a clergy retreat, clergy revivals, days away at the Conference retreat centers, and discounted tickets to plays and the ballet.
The Conference also supported churches and clergy engaged in the search process, producing a new series of videos to explain the search and call process, and facilitating the placement of nearly 80 pastors in local churches.
And the Conference strived to support lay leaders, who have found themselves working to adapt to a religious landscape that is rapidly changing. That included offering numerous online programs, including a Small Church Summit, Lunch & Learn Sessions, Training for Treasurers, Digital Ministry consultations and more.
Justice was also a focus during 2022, with a justice summit held in-person in the fall, and online programs around supporting refugees, racial justice training, and environmental justice cross-pollination gatherings.
"I think a few of the greatest and most wonderful aspects about our churches' generous giving last year are that it will enable us to: have a bigger impact on people's lives and the communities in our region; empower our churches to be as strong and vital as they can be and are called to be; and for the Conference to more completely fulfill our shared vision, be a brighter beacon of hope, and to more powerfully live out the love and justice of Jesus," Cleaver-Bartholomew said.
Watch this video for a look at what Proportional Giving supported in 2022:
Watch this video for a look at what Proportional Giving supported in 2022:
Author
Tiffany Vail
Tiffany Vail is the Director of Media & Communications for the Southern New England Conference.