As of September 30, Per Member Asking (PMA) contributions received by the Office of the General Assembly since the July 1 start of fiscal year 2022 (FY22) total $531,873. The amount received is $20,337 (3.7 percent) less than the budgeted $552,210 PMA projection to fund the EPC’s Collaborative Ministries, Connectional Support, and Custodial Operations. September PMA support was $193,939.

PMA contributions in the first quarter of FY22 are $29,393 (5.2 percent) lower than the $561,266 contributed over the same period in FY21. In addition, the 12-month rolling average for PMA support dipped to $197,749—1.6 percent below the rolling average for September 2020.

“We are disappointed that PMA support is down for the second month in a row,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “Thankfully, our operating expenses to date are more than $100,000 under budget and our overall financial position is strong. I praise the Lord that we have undesignated reserves to withstand a short-term drop. And while it is normal to see a dip in income at this time of year, we all pray that PMA support from our churches grows in the month to come.”

Of the $531,873 received, $106,375 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA contributions, $1,506,647 in designated gifts were received through September 30. This total was $168,873 (12.6 percent) more than the $1,337,774 in designated gifts received in the same period in FY21. Of the increase, more than $85,000 was donated to the EPC’s Emergency Relief Fund and $37,000 to refugee relief since July 1.

“I am so thankful for the generosity displayed by our congregations when disaster strikes,” Weaver said. “When people are hurting, our churches respond—this is a reminder of the best of who the EPC is.”

Of the total, $1,382,642 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $124,005 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.

Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as Emergency Relief, church planting and revitalization initiatives, and the EPC’s Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings.