ALCOA, Tenn. (March 13, 2016) -- Churches gave $9.47 million in tithes to the Holston Conference budget in 2015, but it wasn’t enough to cover $10.36 million in expenditures.
The treasurer’s office reports that the 894 churches in its ledger collectively gave 90.53 percent toward a 2015 budget of $10.46 million, a budget approved by the 2014 Annual Conference. The deficit for 2015 is $893,060, said Rick Cherry, treasurer.
Even if churches had given 100 percent of their calculated tithes, Holston would have experienced a shortfall, Cherry said. “The deficit – if the tithe were paid at 100 percent of the calculated amount -- would have been $227,370."
The tithe for each church is calculated as 10 percent of total income, excluding designated giving.
Cherry reported the following statistics to the Council on Finance and Administration (CFA):
• 230 churches paid less than 96 percent of their tithes
• 664 churches paid 96 to 100 percent of their tithes
• 32 churches (excluding preaching stations) paid $0
• Churches reported a total $26.38 million as designated income
At the 2015 Annual Conference, the CFA reduced the 2016 budget by 10 percent “based on historical collection,” Cherry said. The approved 2016 budget is $9.7 million.
“Collectively, CFA and the district superintendents are working with churches that fail to live up to the covenant and pay the tithe,” Cherry said.
See also:
Renovation at Alcoa headquarters provides space for staff (The Call, 10/19/2015)
Five questions about the proposed apportionment (The Call, 6/9/2010)
Way to Give (Holston CFA, 2014-2016)