The Grace of Letting Go

A Wesleyan idea. John Wesley organized the first Methodists into a “connexion” of small groups, societies, and conferences because he saw that people who pooled their resources could accomplish far more than they could as individuals. Connectional giving is not a modern administrative invention. It is one of the oldest habits of our tradition, and the Book of Discipline calls it “the first benevolent responsibility of the church.”

Where thirteen cents goes. Of every Mission Share dollar, about 68 cents stays right here in Mountain Sky. It pays for the district superintendent who supports our congregation in times of transition, the Board of Ordained Ministry that trains and credentials our pastors, camping and campus ministries, disaster response coordination, and grants that seed new ministry in local churches. The other 32 cents goes to the wider church: the World Service Fund, seminaries, Africa University, eleven historically Black colleges, the bishops, and the administrative backbone that lets UMCOR send 100 percent of every disaster gift straight to the disaster.

Close to home. Grace UMC, just across town, used a conference Abundant Health Grant to open a center for art-based activity, offering Sketching 101, watercolor, and journaling workshops that draw neighbors and members alike and ease the stress so many people carry. When the Marshall Fire swept through Colorado, UMCOR sent an emergency grant to Mountain Sky for evacuees. Both of those happened because congregations like ours paid their share first.

Our honest numbers. Our 2026 operating budget is $442,184. Thirteen percent of that would be about $57,500 a year, or roughly $4,790 a month. What we actually budgeted for Mission Shares this year is $25,000, and what we have actually been sending is $2,083 a month, or $16,667 through the end of August. That works out to about 5.7 percent of our income, less than half of what our sister churches are asked to give. Conference-wide, churches gave about 10.8 percent last year, so we are not alone in falling short, but we are further behind than most.

Where we want to go. In November 2025 our lay leader, finance chair, treasurer, and pastor signed Mountain Sky's covenant on connectional generosity, and this fall I have begun talking with our Finance Committee and Administrative Council about a path toward keeping that promise. My hope is that we can take a meaningful step toward 9 percent before the end of this year and continue growing from there until we reach the full 13 percent. Nothing has been decided yet; these conversations are just beginning, and I want the whole congregation to be part of them. Watch for more from your leaders as the 2027 budget takes shape.

The promise we made. The covenant includes a paragraph written for the whole congregation: “As United Methodists of the Mountain Sky Conference, and participants in the life of this congregation, we commit to active connectional engagement through our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. We covenant to make participation in conference mission shares a priority and pray that our generosity will foster our ongoing connectional capacity to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

What you can do. Give faithfully and, if you are able, consider growing your pledge for 2027. Ask questions; I would rather explain Mission Shares ten times than have anyone feel they are a mystery. And pray for the congregations across our conference who are yoked with us in this work.

In the words of the covenant we signed: “May God help us to be generous people, richly blessed to be a blessing.”

Learn more: Mountain Sky Conference Mission Shares, and UMC.org, “What do apportionments pay for?”