Connectional Funding Information

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AN INVITATION AND MESSAGE ABOUT CONNECTIONAL FUNDING IN THE NORTHEAST GMC ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Dear Local Global Methodist Church,

Greetings in the name of Jesus! We are very grateful your church is a member congregation of the Global Methodist Church and part of the Northeast Provisional Annual Conference (PAC). Our prayer is that God will keep working through every local church so together we are making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

As a member congregation, you are invited to invest in this important movement through Connectional Funding. Now that you are a member congregation of the Northeast PAC, we invite you to join with your sisters and brothers across the region to provide the financial resources for the continued creation of a healthy and vibrant denomination and conference dedicated to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.

The pages that follow contain information about the basis for connectional funding as Global Methodists, ways to give as local churches, and resources from our Northeast PAC website to help church leaders engage together in Connectional Funding. We invite you to read through this document carefully. If you have questions, you can reach out to our Conference Treasurer, Art Kendall ([email protected]) or me ([email protected]).

Blessings, Steve

CONNECTIONAL FUNDING IN THE GLOBAL METHODIST CHURCH

In the Global Methodist Church, local congregations will not receive a connectional funding bill from either the Global Methodist Church (GMC) or their Provisional Annual Conference (PAC). Instead, a local church calculates the amount it will give for Connectional Funding and then, on a monthly basis, sends a portion of that amount to the general church (GMC) and a portion to their PAC. The following information will guide you through that process.

Connectional funding is addressed in ¶349 of the Transitional Book of

Doctrines and Discipline. The GMC Transitional Leadership Council (TLC), in this season, has set general Connectional Funding remittance at one percent (1%) of a local church’s operating income. Below are examples of what is and isn’t considered to be operating income.

For 2023, the TLC set the Connectional Funding for the Northeast Region at one percent (1%) of a local church’s operating income. For 2024, the Northeast Provisional Annual Conference rate is three percent (3%), as approved by the TLC. Thus, there are two categories of Connectional Funding – one for the general church and one for the provisional annual conference.

NOTE: The Northeast GMC Conference leaders and the Transitional Leadership Council understand that some churches set 2024 spending plans late in 2023, which included 1% for the denomination and 1% for the annual conference, which was the transitional rate, prior to launching the Provisional Annual Conference on January 1, 2024. If making the adjustments in 2024 spending plans for 2024 is difficult for your local church, we understand and we invite you to request a waiver or partial waiver for connectional funding, and set your planned giving for 2024. The request can be sent to your Presiding Elder. We request that you discuss your willingness, as a church, to increase connectionalgiving to 1% for the denomination and 3% for the conference as soon as possible, but no later than January 1, 2025. Your church may decide to increase connectional funding to the full rate in the second half of 2024, or through additional giving, as determined by the local church. Know that we appreciate your willingness to engage with your sisters and brothers in moving towards full connectional funding in the GMC and Northeast PAC.

We have online links to a Connectional Funding Worksheet you can use to determine your church’s Connectional Funding giving amount. In addition, we have included a link to a Connectional Funding Remittance Form for communicating relevant payment information. Both of these forms can be accessed on our website: https://www.northeastgmc.org/cf

DETERMINATION OF CONNECTIONAL FUNDING AMOUNT

Your local church treasurer or designee will calculate the amount to be given, based on your local church’s prior year operating income. This means that for 2024 the calculation is based on your 2023 operating income.

  • What constitutes “operating income” is defined in ¶349.3. ¶349.3a provides that local church operating income includes: “Giving from identified and not identified donors, investment income utilized for operations, building use fees and rental income, and other unrestricted operating income.” You enter these amounts in the appropriate cells listed under “Included in Operating Income” on the worksheet. The worksheet automatically calculates “Total Operating Income” once you have entered the data.
  • ¶349.3b for the exclusion of certain types of revenue from local church operating income. It excludes: “Benevolences (outside ministries supported by the local church), capital campaign receipts, borrowed funds, fundraisers for non-operating expenses, receipts for reduction of indebtedness, memorials, endowments, and bequests whether restricted or non- restricted, receipts for Global Methodist Church special mission programs, grants and support from other organizations, sales of land, buildings or other church assets, and other non-operating income received.” Income from these sources should not be included in the categories which constitute operating income on the worksheet.
  • The worksheet automatically calculates the local church’s “Yearly General Church Connectional Funding” (see Row 13) and “Yearly Annual Conference ConnectionalFunding” (Row 21). The worksheet then calculates the local church’s monthly payment for General Church Connectional Funding (14) and Annual Conference ConnectionalFunding (Row 22).

*The entire Transitional Book of Doctrines and Disciplines of the Global Methodist Church can be accessed here.

Each January a local church treasurer will be provided a new connectional funding worksheet to the Conference Treasurer, based on the Connectional Funding rate set by the TLC or the annual conference members in the prior year’s annual conference session. Your church then makes its Global Methodist Church Connectional Fundingpayment either through electronic transfer using this link (our much-preferred method): globalmethodist.org/connectional–funding/ or by check payable to:

Global Methodist Church
11905 Bowman Drive, Suite 501A
Fredericksburg, VA 22408

In addition, your church will make its Northeast Annual Conference Connectional Funding payment either through electronic transfer (our much-preferred method) using the following link: northeastgmc.org/cf or by check payable to:

Northeast Annual Conference of the GM Church
c/o Art Kendall
PO Box 584
Rock Hall, MD 21661

Payment of your Connectional Funding by electronic (ACH) is beneficial not only to the general church and annual conference, but also to your church. Since the amount of the payment does not change from month-to-month, paying electronically allows you to set up recurring payments once per year rather than expending the effort to generate and mail a check each month. Instructions for setting up electronic transfer payments are found in the following pages.

Local churches can send more than one month’s payment at a time. However, we encourage local churches to send Connectional Funding payments on a monthly basis.

We look forward to receiving your local church’s Connectional Funding Giving and to sharing with you the fruits of our connected ministry.

In Summary:

1. Within the first few weeks after receiving these instructions, the Connectional Funding Worksheet for 2024, scan to an electronic file, and email to the Conference Treasurer, Art Kendall, at [email protected].

2. When you are ready to make your first month’s connectional funding payment, either:

A. Set up your electronic ACH giving account through the Realm link to Connectional Funding at this website: northeastgmc.org/cf and submit your monthly or recurring payment.

OR

B. Mail your first annual conference check, after having emailed your scanned Remittance Form to [email protected], to:

Northeast Annual Conference of the GMC
c/o Art Kendall
PO Box 584
Rock Hall, MD 21661

3. Then, either:

A. Set up your electronic ACH giving account for the denomination through the link to Connectional Funding at this website: globalmethodist.org/connectional–funding/ and initiate the first Global Methodist Church payment.

OR

B. Mail your first Global Methodist Church check along with the Remittance Form to:

Global Methodist Church
11905 Bowman Drive, Suite 501A
Fredericksburg, VA 22408

4. If paying Connectional Funding at this time of transition creates a financial hardship for your church, please contact the Northeast Provisional Annual Conference Treasurer, Art Kendall at (410) 708-3456 to discuss your situation.

Thank you!

Mr. Arthur Kendall

Chief Financial Officer

Art Kendall Bio

David Watson

David F. Watson is Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has authored or edited a number of publications, including Key United Methodist Beliefs (with William J. Abraham), Wesley, Wesleyans, and Reading Bible as Scripture (edited with Joel B. Green) and has written a variety of articles and book chapters. His most recent book is Scripture and the Life of God: Why the Bible Matters Today More than Ever (Seedbed, 2017).  At present he is working on a book on Methodism and the Bible. He serves as Lead Editor of Firebrand and is one of the hosts of the Firebrand Podcast. 

David is an elder in the Global Methodist Church and serves on its Transitional Leadership Council. He and his family attend Stillwater Church in Dayton, Ohio.

Ms. Emily Allen

Emily Allen is the Coordinator of Worship at Asbury Theological Seminary where she is a current MDiv student, planning to graduate in 2025. She is a 2020 graduate of Houghton University with her Bachelor of Arts in Theology and a minor in Biblical Studies.

Emily is passionate about worshiping Jesus and raising up leaders in the church to do the same. Her favorite part of her job is working collaboratively with the 15 person Chapel Intern Team, as together they learn the theology of worship and plan Chapel services. She also has interest in the fields of spiritual formation and discipleship, church music, outdoor leadership, and all things British!

Emily currently resides in Wilmore, KY but calls Penn Yan, New York home. She is “To Be Ordained”Deacon in the Northeast Provisional Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church.

Rev. Steven Taylor

Rev. Steven Taylor serves as the President Pro Tem of the Northeast Provisional Annual Conference. Steve has been a follower of Jesus his whole life, but felt Gods call on his life when he was 12 and again at age 28. He’s been a Methodist pastor for over 20 years, ordained as an elder in 2011. In March 2020, Steve became a founding member of the GMC’s Transitional Leadership Council, helping to shape and steer the new world-wide Methodist denomination.

Steve grew up in Lancaster, NY and was baptized, confirmed, and heard his call to ministry through the Methodist Church and Christian camping. Steve holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from SUNY ESF and a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. Prior to answering the call to pastoral ministry, Steve worked for 10 years at an international consulting firm as a professional environmental engineer. He has served on The Confessing Movement Board of Directors, the regional Wesleyan Covenant Association board, and multiple leadership teams. Steve and his wife, Stacy, have two grown and married children, two grandchildren and one due in May 2024, and now reside in Syracuse, New York. Steve enjoys flying his drone, disc golfing, hiking, archery hunting, motorcycle riding, and spending lots of time with family.

Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory

Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory currently serves as the President Pro Tempore for the Global Methodist Church’s Mid Texas Annual Conference. After 30 years in the United Methodist Church, she became an Elder with the Global Methodist Church in June of 2022. During her ministry she has served as a laywoman in the Oklahoma Conference, as a pastor in the North Texas Conference and the Central Texas Conference.  Before leaving the UMC, she sat on the Central Texas Cabinet of the UMC as a District Superintendent for six years, including serving as Dean of the Cabinet for five years.

Leah has a heart and a passion for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.  She has spent much of her ministry in church revitalization, revival and church growth.  She is excited about the Global Methodist Church and the orthodox witness which is being awakened within our congregations as they discern their next faithful step.

She holds a Doctorate in Ministry in Church Leadership Excellence from Wesley Theological in Washington, D.C.; a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology; and a bachelor’s in psychology and sociology from Texas A&M Commerce.   She is married to partner in ministry, Stan.  They have two daughters and sons-in-law and a son Will who is still at home.

Rev. Dr. Steve Cordle

Rev. Dr. Steve Cordle is the founding and lead pastor of Crossroads Church, a cell-based congregation with four locations in the Pittsburgh metro area.

He is also the Executive Director of The River Network International, a non-profit dedicated to starting and strengthening churches around the world. He also coaches pastors and church planters.

He is the author of three books: The Church in Many Houses; Hear It, See It, Risk It; and A Jesus-Shaped Life.

Steve was named Outstanding Doctoral Alumnus at United Theological Seminary and is a winner of the Denman Award for evangelism. He chaired the Church Multiplication Task Force for the Wesleyan Covenant Association.

Cordle is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended high school in Brussels, Belgium. It was there that he came to faith in Christ and sensed a call to ministry.

In his spare time, Steve likes to play softball, run, play classical piano, and cheer on any Pittsburgh sports team.

Cordle is a graduate of Wittenberg University (BME), Asbury Theological Seminary (MDiv), and United Theological Seminary (DMin).

Steve and his wife Linda have three grown sons, three daughters-in-love, and five grandchildren.

Bishop Mark Webb

Mark J. Webb currently serves as a bishop in The Global Methodist Church.

He was elected a bishop in The United Methodist Church and consecrated on July 20, 2012, at the Northeast Jurisdictional Conference. Mark served as the episcopal leader of the Upper New York Area of the United Methodist Church from September 1, 2012, until December 31, 2022. On January 2, 2023, he was received as an elder and bishop in The Global Methodist Church.

Mark holds a M. Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Shippensburg University. He also holds a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Connecticut.

He served pastorates at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Mechanicsburg, Pa. from 1994-2007, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Wormleysburg, Pa. from 1991-1994, and Linglestown United Methodist Church from 1989-1991. He served as District Superintendent of the York District of the Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church from 2007-2012.

Mark currently serves as a Trustee of United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.

He received the Harry Denman Evangelism Award in 2002 and in 2018, was named as one of the top 100 leaders by the John C. Maxwell Transformational Leadership Award.

Mark encourages clergy and laity to work together in the development of discipleship pathways that will point people to Jesus Christ and bear fruit for the kingdom of God. He has a passion for Christ-following leadership development, new faith communities and ensuring existing congregations grow in vitality and fulfill the mission of “making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly and witness boldly”.

He is a native of Williamsport, Pa., and is married to Jodi. Mark and Jodi live in Lititz, PA and have two sons, Tyler, who is married to Lyndsay and Benjamin, who is married to Mary.

Bishop Emeritus Young Jin Cho

Young Jin Cho (Bishop Emeritus) graduated from the Methodist Theological Seminary in Seoul, Korea (Th. B. and Th. M.) and came to the United States in 1979 and continued to study at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. (M. Div. and D. Min.). He was transferred to the Virginia Annual Conference in 1983 and served the Korean UMC of Greater Washington in N. Virginia for 22 years.

During his tenure the church grew into the largest United Methodist congregation in the Virginia Conference measured by worship attendance. In 2005 he was appointed to District Superintendent of the Arlington District, serving in that capacity for 7 years and overseeing the planting of several new faith communities. He was elected and consecrated as Bishop in the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference in 2012. He served the Virginia Annual Conference for four years and retired in 2016. His consistent message had been “No Spiritual Vitality, No vital Congregation.”

In retirement Bishop Emeritus Cho remains engaged in ministry and mission. From 2019 to 2022 he helped three Korean congregations as an interim pastor and has been serving as a co-mentor of the Bishop Cho Scholars (D. Min. Program) at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He is also involved with Durihana Mission, which works with North Korean refugees in the United States.

Bishop Emeritus Cho has been married to Kiok Cho (Retired Deacon) for 48 years, and they have three adult children, Grace, Sophia and Chris and two grandchildren, Luke and Lily.