Few United Methodists understand or are aware of our "Apportionment" system. As a denomination we fund our regional, national, and global ministries through assigned donations by each local church to their Annual Conference.

Church of the Wayfarer is in the El Camino District of the California-Nevada Conference with its headquarters in West Sacramento. Such ministries include everything from pensions and healthcare for our retired pastors, to the Bishop's salary, to missionary doctors and agricultural workers in Africa, to assuring that Cal-Nevada churches that cannot afford a pastor will get one at minimum compensation. The Apportionment system is one of the ways we connect our common goals and missions as a denomination.

Here in California-Nevada, each local church is asked to tithe their general offerings each year. That is a ten percent (10%) contribution based on the total giving to our operating budgets. This does not include income derived from endowments, such as our Wayfarer Foundation, income from weddings, or rentals of facilities.  

The tithing of apportionments is a relatively new system for us and is so much better, simpler, and engaging than former systems. Most church folk are familiar with the spiritual principal of tithing, dedicating a fixed portion of the wealth God has entrusted to our stewardship for God's work in the world; the Biblical notion of tithing is 10% of one's annual income. 

Today each local church in Cal-Nevada is simply asked to pitch in 10% of the wealth God has entrusted to their stewardship for our connectional ministries.

The power of the apportionments became apparent once again in response to the Napa earthquake on August 25^th. Our beautiful and historic First Napa UMC sanctuary has been "red tagged." The Vallejo UMC has structural damage as well. Each church will have to raise funds to re-build and repair their facilities. If you'd like to help go online to www.napaumc.org or www.vjofirstumc.org to donate.  

And...because of our apportionment system, the regional and national church has already committed to make up any difference, insuring the full funding for the re-building of these churches. The denomination will also contribute expertise and volunteers as needed.

It's heartwarming to know that in a time of disaster United Methodist brothers and sisters will stand by you as you pull the pieces together of your church and its future. That's one of the meanings of "apportionments."