In Memory of Francisco Bongoan Bilog

In Memory of Pastor Francisco B. Bilog: Faithful Servant, Devoted Teacher, and Shepherd of Souls

THE CONNECTION OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (LECTURE)

Rev Francisco Bilog

    Par. 203, BD 2008 Defines the local church as “a connectional society of persons who have been baptized, have professed their faith in Christ, and have assumed the vows of membership in The United Methodist Church.” This is clearly saying that a person joining a local United Methodist Church joins not just that local church but the entire connection of The United Methodist Church.

Now the purpose of the connection are two-fold: 

  1. The connectional nature of the church is set to facilitate the carrying out of the mission of the church to

the uttermost part of the world.

  1. The connection must empower local churches to undertake ministry and mission as local persons

understand it in their particular situation.  On the other hand, conferences must seek the most effective way for initiatives that enjoy a wide connectional consensus to be interpreted and supported in the local church.

        This connection is manifested in the Episcopal nature of the church, when a Bishop is elected, he is elected as bishop of the United Methodist Church, then is assigned to supervise a  certain unit of the connection.

        This is also true with the District Superintendent. They are first appointed as member of the cabinet of the Bishop, then, are assign to supervise a certain district.

        The Ordained clergy are first elected as member of the conference, then appointed to pastor a local church. They are not member of the local church nor employee of the local church.

       The connection is also seen in the legislation of laws. The legislative body of the church is composed of representative from the connection. If there are church laws such the constitution changes, the whole connection gives their approval.

       Another face of the connection is seen in how the entire connection shares and participates in the carrying out of the mission of the church.

       In every unit of the connection, such as General Conference, Central/ Jurisdiction Conference, Annual Conference, Charge conferences, there are agencies under them to carry out program for the mission of the church.

General Agencies:

General Board of Global Ministries

General Board of Discipleship

General Board of Church and Society

General Board Higher Education and Ministry

General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concern

General Commission on Religion and Race

General Commission on the Status and Rule of Women

General Commission on United Methodist Men

Administrative Agencies:

General Board of Pension and Health Benefits

The United Methodist Publishing House

The General Commission Archives and History

General Commission on Communication

The General Council on Finance and Administration

General Funds:

  1. World Service Fund– This is the basic financial program of the UMC. This is where the basic minimum needs of the General agencies of the Church.
  2. General Administration Fund– Supports the expenses of the session of the General Conference, Judicial Council and other special commission created by the General Conference.
  3. Interdenominational Cooperation Fund– This provides the budget for GCCUI and also to the interdenominational cooperation such as WCC, NCCP, WMC, etc.
  4. The Ministerial Education Fund– Goes support ministerial education and seminaries.
  5. Black College Fund– Support Black Colleges in the US.
  6. The Episcopal Fund-Provides for the salary and expenses of effective bishops and the support retired bishop and surviving espouse. This amount is apportioned to a charge in the same proportioned as the charge pays its pastor.

Financial Appeals Beyond the General Funds:

  1. The Advance for Christ and His Church.- Designated funds approved by the Advance Committee to be publish word wide through the Advance pamphlet for individual or church support.
  2. World Service Specials– goes to designated project approved by the General Conference and on the Interim GCFA.
  3. Special Churchwide Financial Appeals-Any general appeal to the church at large for financial support of any cause, such as Malaria, Haiti disaster, Undoy disaster, and Pedring disaster.
  4. General Church Special Sunday Offerings:
  1. One Great Hour of Sharing- Special Offering taken during 4th Sunday of Lent and to support UMCOR.(4th Sunday of Lent)
  2. Human Relations Sunday– Taken as special Offering during Human Relations Sunday to support programs on Human Relations. This fund is administered by GBGM and GBCS.
  3. United Methodist Student Day– Special offering on the last Sunday of November to support United Methodist Scholarship and the United Methodist Student Loan Fund.
  4. Peace With Justice Sunday. Special offering on the first Sunday after Pentecost. This is to support programs for peace and justice. 50% is given to the Annual Conference for the program of Board of Church and Society and the 50% is given to the GCFA for the GBCS.
  5. Native American Ministries Sunday– Special offering taken 3rd Sunday of Easter to support Native American projects.
  6.    World Communion Sunday– Special offering taken during the first Sunday of October to support racial and ethnic persons pursuing various avenues of ministries, through Crusade Scholarship, National Leadership Development Grant. (1st Sunday of October)

Philippine Central Conference Connectional Obligations:

In addition to the connectional obligations mentioned above, the PCC also approved the following connectional obligations:

  1. Central Administration Fund (CAF) Apportionment.
    This amount comes as a portion of the local church apportionment submitted

     to the Annual conference for the Administration expenses of the PCC.

  1. Retired Worker’s Fund (RAF) Apportionment.

This amount goes to the Pension Trust Fund of the Clergy and Deaconess of the PCC. 

  1. Support to the General Church Apportionment. 

This amount comes from the local church apportionment submitted to the

         General Church through the Annual Conference, and PCC Treasurer’s.

  1. Wesley Divinity School.

This money support the Wesley Divinity School that goes mostly for scholarship. Local churches raise this amount either through special offering or included in their regular church budget.

  1. Holy Week Communion Offering.

The offering in the local churches during Maundy Thursday or the celebration of the Holy Communion during the Holy Week is submitted to the PCC Treasurer for the Pension Trust Fund.

  1. Commission on Early Childhood Education and Development (CECED)

This is raised by the local churches  for the materials and support of the yearly seminars for teachers and administrators of UMC Kindergarten Schools.

  1. Christian Education Sunday Offering.

This is an special offering during celebration of CE Sunday during September. The offering is divided into three portions: 1/3 for the Local church CE Program; 1/3 for the annual conference CE program and 1/3 submitted to the PCC Treasurer.

  1. Harris Memorial College Sunday Offering.

Local churches are encourage to observe HMC Sunday with special offering that goes to the support of HMC scholarship programs. Other churches include this amount in their regular church budget as an expression of their commitment for the training of deaconesses in the Philippines.

  1. Mary Johnston Hospital Sunday Offering.

Being the only Methodist hospital in the Philippines all local church are encourage to observe MJH Sunday with special offering. This amount goes to the support of the MJH ministry. 

  1. Union Theological Seminary Sunday.

UTS is one of our Methodist Seminary that trains our pastors. Special offering for UTS goes to the scholarship of seminary students.

  1. Board of Pension Fund Raising.

The present BOP Fund raising scheme for the past quadrennium are: 

  1. The 1000 pesos yearly contribution by the clergy;
  2. The 150 pesos yearly contribution of every local church members;
  3. Wesley 1000. This scheme is to recruit 1000 members who will pledge Php. 1,000 pesos monthly for a period of 10 years that goes to the Wesley 1000 Pension Trust Fund, the purpose of which is to support the pension of church workers here in the Philippines.
  4. Asuncion A. Perez Memorial Center Foundation (Offering).

Asuncion Perez Memorial Center Foundation is a Methodist social arms that responds to the social, economic and disaster needs of people and communities.

The stewardship support of these funds are given on the following basis:

  1. Given as apportionment to Charge Conference/ local Church based what was agreed upon either the General Conference, Central Conference and or Annual Conference.
  2. Given as a special offering during Sunday worship and or special appeal gatherings.
  3. Designated giving or donation by churches, groups and individuals.
  4. Funds coming from income generating projects of the projects.

How are General Funds / Special Funds Distributed?

  1. For General Funds it is budgeted by the GCFA to the General Agencies that implement the program of the General Church.
  2. For Designated Funds it goes to the Agency that manages the program to where the designated fund is intended.
  3. The General Agencies on the hand spend the money for the programs approved by the Agencies: Missionaries, Christian Education and Evangelism Materials, Relief and Rehabilitations, etc.
  4. Conferences, churches, Organizations, Individuals can avail of these funds through Program/ Project Proposals approved by the Annual Conference and endorse by the Bishop of the Area.

                  Aside from the General Funds for worldwide programs and projects, the Phil. Central Conference and the Annual Conference also apportioned amount to be supported by the Charge/Local Church and individuals to be used within their area of Jurisdiction.

Examples: 

    EMPAC Pension Trust Fund-

  1. 30% income of the San Address Farm.
  2. Special offering during Holy Communion, except First Sunday of October (World Communion Sunday)   and Holy Communion Offering during Holy Week.
  3. Individual and group donations designated for that purpose.

    EMPAC MINIMUM EQUITABLE SALARY TRUST FUND

  1. 30% from the net income of San Andres Fund.
  2. Budgeted Amount from the Annual Conference general Fund.
  3. Contribution from local churches.

LOCAL DESIGNATED SPECIAL OFFERING  decided upon by the units of the church as PCC, Annual, District, and Local Churches.

The Upward flow of the money passes through the:

  1. Local Church Treasurer
  2. District Treasurer.
  3. Annual Conference Treasurer.
  4. Phil. Conference Central Treasurer.
  5. GCFA-General Conference

Downward normal flow of the funds passes through:

  1. Treasurer of the General Agencies.
  2. Central/Jurisdictional Conference Treasurer
  3. Annual Conference Treasurer
  4. Project Proponents/holders.
  5. In some special cases General Agencies have their own Financial Person in the country/ or transmit the fund through the office of the Bishop of the area.
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