finance

Delegates urged to ‘restart’ church with less

Leaders presented a sober picture of United Methodist finances, including the need to reduce bishops. At the same time, delegates heard hope for the denomination to pivot from church exits to revitalization.

Theology and Education

Birmingham-Southern College, a United Methodist-related school in Birmingham, Alabama, will close May 31 due to financial struggles. United Methodist officials noted that the school has sent many graduates on to seminary and clergy careers in the denomination. Photo courtesy of Birmingham-Southern College.

Birmingham-Southern College to close

The United Methodist-related school, which could not overcome financial woes, trained many clergy over the years.

Mission and Ministry

Participants at the first national Fresh Expressions conference, an effort for church revitalization that is part of United Methodist Discipleship Ministries, compete to see who can make the structure with the highest marshmallow during the Feb. 7-9 gathering at Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, N.C. Panelists said new approaches to ministry require new approaches to funding those ministries. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Fresh expressions needed in funding, too

In a time of declining church membership and giving, the way money is collected for United Methodist ministries could use a wider net that includes grants and being more entrepreneurial, say members of the denomination involved with the Fresh Expressions movement.

General Agencies

The Rev. Reggie Clemons, a General Council on Finance and Administration board member (center, with microphone), and the Rev. Theon Johnson III, a Connectional Table member (on keyboard), join together to lead worship at a joint Feb. 19-20 meeting to finalize the proposed denominational budget heading to General Conference. In developing the 2025-2028 budget, the GCFA board and Connectional Table found common ground at the recent meeting in Franklin, Tenn., even as they grappled with shrinking the budget to account for church disaffiliations. Photo by Melissa Jackson, General Council on Finance and Administration.

Amid church losses, proposed budget slashed

The United Methodist Church’s financial leaders met to finalize the proposed denominational budget heading to General Conference. Their work included making more cuts while shoring up financial support for the bishops.

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