Stewardship

Amy Carmon, a member of Mary’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Bean Station, Tennessee, gets emotional during the dedication ceremony for Dzobo United Methodist Church in rural Zimbabwe. At left is the Rev. Samuel Dzobo, whose dream for a sanctuary in his home village inspired Mary’s Chapel to raise $48,000 to help build the church. At right is the Rev. Gerald Russell, a retired pastor in the Holston Conference and former United Methodist missionary. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

Like a mustard seed, tiny gift grows into new sanctuary

After a Tennessee United Methodist gave the Rev. Samuel Dzobo one dollar to help build a sanctuary in Zimbabwe, “miraculous things” unfolded.

General Agencies

General agencies face tough budgeting season

United Methodist general agencies are developing their spending plans for the year ahead. The ongoing fallout of COVID, high inflation rates and rising church disaffiliations are affecting finances across the denomination.

General Church

Christine Dodson and the Rev. David Bell, General Council of Finance and Administration board members, raise their hands during a meeting at Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville, Tenn. The board voted to send the smallest budget the General Conference in more than 30 years. Photo by Kathleen Barry, UM News.

Potential split leads to deep budget cuts

The United Methodist finance agency’s board narrowly approved reductions to an already slashed denominational budget. The result would be the smallest budget since 1988.

General Church

The Rev. Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai attends a Connectional Table meeting in 2015. Bigham-Tsai, who was a Connectional Table member before becoming its top executive, helped develop the recommended allocations of the 2021-24 general church budget. File photo by Kathleen Barry, UMNS.

Group proposes how to divide slashed budget

A Connectional Table team recommends substantial cuts for some church organizations and programs while holding the line for others in the 2021-24 church budget.

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