Conference gears up for year-end apportionment collection
By Jessica Brodie
The countdown is on as South Carolina approaches the close of another conference budget year. Once again, conference financial leaders are hoping to achieve as close as possible to the 2024 budgeted goal of $14 million.
As of Oct. 22, the total apportionment percentage collected is technically 70.39 percent of the total. However, Beth Westbury, treasurer and director of administrative services for the South Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church, said this 70.39 percent includes apportionments paid by churches that separated in 2023 but were required to pay six months of apportionments into 2024.
As she noted, when the amount paid by the 2023 separating churches is removed (roughly $1.3 million), the percent collected on 2024 apportionments is 60.88 percent. That 60.88 percent is less than the collected amount last year at this time, which was 66.55 percent.
Westbury noted the count of churches by percentage paid is level to the prior year. As of Oct. 22, 35 percent of churches have already paid 100 percent of their apportionments, the same percentage last year at this time.
The Columbia District is leading the conference’s districts in percentage collected as of Oct. 22 with 85.53 percent. The Marion District is in second place, with 79.56 percent, and the Walterboro District is in third with 78.19 percent.
Westbury said that she is hopeful that churches will step up and pay their apportionments, hopefully getting the percentage as close to the budgeted goal as possible.
“I am encouraged by the message of hope and healing that Bishop Fairley is bringing to South Carolina,” Westbury said. “As churches get to know him, they will be inspired by his leadership, his deep faithfulness in Jesus Christ and his caring presence.
“I have no doubt that the churches will partner with him to deliver outstanding mission and ministry.”
Westbury asked churches working toward separation in 2025 to pay their 2024 apportionments in full in 2024.
“Payment of the 2024 apportionments is required,” she noted. “Paying it in 2024 is to make my life easier.”
Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, is the last day to pay 2024 apportionments. Payments must be in the treasurer’s office by 4 p.m. that day. The postmark is not the deciding factor, and the treasurer’s office is not responsible for delivery delays regardless of which carrier is used.
The treasurer’s office can accept wires if necessary, but wires can be expensive to send and receive.
If paying by Vanco, the payment must be initiated by 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14.
Information on paying by Vanco can be found at https://www.umcsc.org/apportion
ments.