The Holston Conference treasurer's office announces that $9.31 million was received for 2011, compared to $9.1 million received for non-benefit related items collected in 2010. The budget for 2011 was $10.4 million.

Health and pensions billed $11.89 million with less than $250,000 delinquent at year end, a 98 percent collection rate.

The conference paid 100 percent of General Church and Southeastern Jurisdictional apportionment payments.

The conference also contributed the amount needed to pensions and health insurance to maintain funding plan to provide future benefits for clergy, current retirees, and future retirees.

The conference collected $1.6 million for special collections from churches in 2011 as compared to $2.21 million for 2010.

"We are in the process of amending the 2012 budget to reflect lower collections than anticipated for 2011 based upon our historical income amounts reported," said John Tate, conference treasurer. 

"While we had increases in our overall collection rate for apportionments, we have lessened our flexibility by committing to pay 100 percent of our general church apportionments. In the past, when we collected 90 percent of revenue, we would remit 90 percent of our apportioned amount to the General Church and fund our benefit plans at 90 percent of the amount required. This process increased our ability to weather reductions in our income by reducing these two large expenditures in our budget."

Twenty churches paid $0 in 2011, compared to 37 paying $0 in 2010, Tate said.

• See Holston finance pages online.