Quilt Presentation Celebrates Diversity and Creativity
At the 2025 Northern Illinois Annual Conference, the NIC Anti-Racism Task Force unveiled the Arts & Culture Quilt—a powerful symbol of unity, justice, and cultural pride.…
The Conference Council on Finance and Administration is recommending to Annual Conference this year a new apportionment formula.
CCFA created a task force almost a year ago to develop a new formula. This past January, CCFA approved the task force’s recommendation. The Annual Conference Shepherding Team and the Cabinet affirmed their support for this formula in March.
The recommended apportionment formula for the total apportionment (conference and General Church):
Income shall be defined by the amount provided in the church’s statistical report. It shall be computed by subtracting the amount on line 53 from that on line 55 (total income minus capital improvement funds). The most recent income information available shall be used.
Churches may not appeal the apportioned amount. Previous appeal and adjustment limitations will no longer be in effect.
The recommended apportionment formula is:
We recognize that every church, small and large, has bills to pay. Smaller churches, many of which are in more impoverished communities than larger churches, have fewer resources and opportunities. The task force used Luke 12:48 as their guiding principle: to whom much is given, much will be required.
The recommended process strives for equality in the formula. Whenever a church’s apportionment was reduced on appeal, its future increases were limited to 9 percent per year irrespective of its financial capacity. This perpetual limitation has caused churches to fall further and further short of the amount they would otherwise be apportioned. The 9 percent increase limit has caused equity issues among churches.
The table below summarizes how the recommended apportionment formula will impact churches.
|
Less Than $250,000 |
$250,000- $750,000 |
More Than $750,000 |
Total* |
Total Number of Churches |
195 |
60 |
19 |
274 |
Churches with Appeals |
31 |
25 |
12 |
68 |
Churches whose Apportionment will Decrease |
144 |
28 |
5 |
177 |
Churches with No Change |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Churches whose Apportionment will Increase |
50 |
32 |
14 |
96 |
* Twenty churches did not provide statistical reports.
More detailed information is in the legislation, which will be available after May 9, 2025 to view on the AC25 Legislation page.
At the 2025 Northern Illinois Annual Conference, the NIC Anti-Racism Task Force unveiled the Arts & Culture Quilt—a powerful symbol of unity, justice, and cultural pride.…
Members of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference approved the 2026 conference budget and a simplified apportionment formula during their Jun…
The Northern Illinois Conference recognized five churches with One Matters Awards. The United Methodist Church’s Discipleship Ministries created this award in 2015 to encourage congregations that…
As we continue to look for ways to support international students, the Immigration Team of the NIC Conference Commission on Religion and Race has been presented with an urgent need.