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Apportionments World Service and Conference Benevolences

World Service and Conference Benevolences is one apportionment item derived from two dif­ferent sources: World Service is an apportionment that supports the essential ministry of the worldwide church, while Conference Benevolences supports basic ministries of the Oklahoma Annual Conference. Full payment of this apportionment "is the first benevolent responsibility of the Church." (Book of Discipline, _ 812)

World Service fund develops resources for Sunday school and the whole church, to recruit and equip pastors; to inform us of what the Church is doing around the world, and much more. Of special interest to us in Oklahoma: These funds are also used to help provide salary and pension payments for ministers in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference as well as the Rio Grande Conference. The largest portion of World Service fund supports the worldwide mis­sion program of The United Methodist Church in other countries. No congregation alone can do what we do together in World Service.

Conference Benevolences fund supports the Annual Conference Council and help provide training for local church officers and Sunday school teachers. In addition, these funds support the children's min­istries, youth and student ministries, and family and adult ministries. Conference Benevolences funds support the work of the Mission and Service Ministry Team, providing ministries in transitional commu­nities, rural ministries, and in places such as Russia and Central and Eastern Europe.

This one apportionment supports organizations and programs that serve both as resources to local churches and as extensions of local churches in mission on conference, national, and world levels.

The World Service and Conference Benevolences dollar is one of the hardest-working dollars in The United Methodist Church.