By Randy Bowman, Director of Finance & Administration
The Desert Southwest Conference continues to be in strong financial shape with over $3 million of cash reserves. It is that financial strength that allowed us to credit all of our churches with a one-month apportionment dividend payment in January. As a result, our total apportionment receipts through July are above both last year’s level and our 10-year historical average. Excluding the apportionment dividend paid by the Conference, we are a bit behind in terms of apportionment receipts. Through 07/31/2021, we have received 47.9% in total apportionments – 8.3% paid by the Conference and 39.6% paid by our churches. That compares to 40.2% last year and a historical average of 45.8%.
July apportionment receipts are detailed by district as follows:
July apportionment receipts are shown by church in this month’s apportionments detailed report. (Click here to download that report.) At this rate, we currently project an overall year-end apportionment contribution percentage (including the 8% paid by the Conference) of about 83%. Uncertainty remains, however, as COVID variant infections increase, vaccines roll out, and in-person worship and other gatherings increase. We will continue to monitor these results and report to you monthly. Remember that apportionments are a way to look beyond just ourselves. Please do all that you can to help our churches and our ministries continue to change lives by contributing apportionments as fully as possible in the last five months of 2021. Thanks again for your commitment; it truly provides the financial stability for our connectional programs to work.
