Our Leadership Decision at a Crossroads

Over the last couple of months I posed a question to the Leadership Board. Since giving continues to grow, should Salem try to pay our apportionments in full this year? Or should we be careful about paying in full too quickly and instead use the money first to do what’s necessary to grow and be more healthy?

 If you don’t know, apportionments are the way we United Methodists give financial support throughout the world to things like new churches, missionaries, Africa University, ministerial education, and the cost of bishops. Bishop Lindsey Davis says “Apportionment giving financially underwrites United Methodist ministry and mission beyond the local church.” Currently, Salem’s apportionments are a little under $4,200 each month.

 Until the last two years, Salem has always paid its apportionments. They were paid fully in 2008 and 2009 after the flood, but it hurt the church. We used $29,000 in cash reserves to pay our apportionments and it left us in a very difficult situation. A couple of months before his death, long-time leader and supporter of mission, Chuck Scott, told me it was a mistake to pay our apportionments those two years after the flood. I agree. While we have not paid our apportionments in full in 2010 and 2011, we have paid 40%. That allows us to seek forgiveness for unpaid apportionments when we do begin paying in full again.

 This year our giving is growing. We find ourselves at a crossroads. It looks like we could potentially pay our apportionments in full this year. It would be a stretch, but it could happen. If we do pay our apportionments in full, however, we will again be in a difficult position. We won’t have any money to support those areas that need attention now so that we can grow.

 Some Annual Conferences (though not Iowa yet) do not ask congregations that have experienced a disaster to pay their apportionments. They have recognized it is too big a burden for these churches to continue paying for ministry beyond the local church while simply trying to recover from disaster. One of the amazing things about Salem’s recovery is that this congregation has continued its strong mission giving.

 Therefore, after wrestling with this question, the Leadership Board made the decision to not pay our apportionments in full too quickly. We will instead continue to pay 40% as we have done the last two years and use the available money first to grow stronger and healthier. We will pay our apportionments in full again. And when we do, we will likely pay more because of our growth. But at this crossroads, as we recover from the flood, we have determined it is more important to do what’s necessary to grow more fully in our mission of making disciples who will transform the world. This is a great decision for the church’s future.

 Our first objective is youth. At the conclusion of the Study Committee a year ago, the Study Committee, Leadership Board, and Staff met together and determined not only Salem’s three greatest strengths (welcoming others, our mission focus, and our teaching), but also Salem’s three most significant weaknesses (lack of space, lack of youth and youth ministries, and lack of hands on mission work). Because of work we are doing in other areas (the Building Committee and missions), our youth and youth ministry is the priority.

 A year ago, the leaders affirmed a willingness to make the difficult decisions required for change and growth. Our Leadership Board has done just that with this decision. We will not pay our apportionments too quickly and instead use those funds to hire a part-time youth leader. Please pray that we will connect with a person who has the gifts and passion for this ministry.


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