Local Church Financial Reporting

All United Brethren congregations are required to help support the administrative and ministry costs of the US National Conference. Churches are to send a check by the 15th of the month to cover the preceding month (for example, send a check by February 15 to cover the month of January).

The amount is the same for every congregation: 3.5% of their total income for the month, after deducting giving toward mission work (both UB and non-UB) and new construction, and any estate gifts. This amount is a substantial reduction of the previous "assessment" amount which churches sent to their conference, which was typically around 10%. With the disbanding of most conferences, this layer of overhead has been eliminated or reduced.

The amount is calculated this way:

Please do not send us any support for United Brethren camps. Send it directly to the camp.

History

Until 2006, support for denominational interests was raised through the regional conferences. Congregations sent their support through regional conferences. They would send a check for their "assessments" to the conference treasurer. Part of that amount would remain with the conference to help support conference ministries (superintendent, camp, church planting, seminars, etc.). The other part would be sent to the national headquarters. The denominational Finance Director dealt primarily with conference treasurers.

That all changed on January 1, 2006. Now, local churches are required to send their support directly to the national office. The regional conferences are being phased out. Some have already disbanded, while others remain in transition. Churches in conferences which have not yet disbanded may still be required to send a separate check to the conference treasurer to cover ongoing conference expenses, at a rate determined by that conference (in Central Conference, it is 1%). But every church must send their 3.5% partnership fee to the national headquarters.

Three Report Forms

We have provided three new report forms.

1. National Church Finances

Churches will use this form to itemize their payments to the national office. It includes lines for General Benevolence (the 3.5%), in addition to funds for staff disability insurance and staff pension contributions.

• Disability. If your pastor is enrolled in the UB Headquarters disability plan, you will be mailed an invoice once a year (plus any needed updates).
• Pension. You will be mailed an invoice each month if your pastor is enrolled in the denominational pension program.

In all cases, payments for one month are due by the 15th of the next month (January payments due by February 15).

These payments are not tax-deductible, and no receipt will be issued to your church. Make checks payable to: United Brethren in Christ.

2. Global Ministries Contributions

Use this form to itemize church gifts toward our joint missions efforts. This can include missionary support, mission projects, and other needs. These payments are tax-deductible, unless for personal gifts. Receipt forms will be mailed to your church for these donations. Make checks payable to: Global Ministries.

"Return Receipt Forms" should still be used for recurring donations (for example, monthly support for a particular missionary).

3. Treasurer Information Form

Since the national church will now deal directly with local church treasurers, we need contact information about the treasurers. A church treasurer needs to complete this form and send it just once.

It would be helpful if you send a separate check for each form (one check for the National Church Finances, another for Global Ministries Contributions).

We Want to Help You Learn This New System

There is a learning curve associated with any new method--a learning curve for you at the local church level, and a learning curve for the UB Headquarters accounting staff as they begin dealing directly with local church treasurers. Please feel free to contact us when you have questions. We want to help.

You can contact the following persons:

Marci Hammel, Finance Director
Mabel Mundy, Accounting
Darlene Burkett, Global Ministries

All three of them can also be reached using the following numbers:

Toll-free: 1-888-622-3019
Local phone: 260-356-2312
Fax: 1-260-356-4730