What are Shares of Ministry?
Shares of Ministry are 884 United Methodist congregations in central Pennsylvania sharing the cost of mission and ministry around the world. Shares of Ministry support national and global mission and ministry. They also stay here in central Pennsylvania Conference. In addition to Shares of Ministry, churches may go “the second mile” by supporting special mission projects and ministries of their choice. These ministries are called Advances. 100% of your Advance giving goes to the mission project or ministry you choose. Nothing is taken out for overhead. Your Shares of Ministry also pay for the cost of the infrastructure (support personnel, organizing, equipment, etc.) that is needed to make mission and ministry possible.

Conference and Local Missions
Every year when annual conference meets, it decides certain conference and local mission work is so essential that it has to be part of the church’s basic budget. Other mission efforts can be paid by Advance giving, but these are so essential they must be part of Shares of Ministry giving. These essential conference and local missions include: Benevolent Homes for the Aged; Home for Children; Neighborhood Center; New Church and Parish Development; College Scholarships; Campus Ministries; and Leadership Development.

How do Shares of Ministry Work?
Every four years representatives from every annual conference meet to pass a budget which covers the share of these cost is based on the conference’s membership and budget. Every year representatives in the Central Pennsylvania Conference meet and pass a budget to cover the cost of doing ministry and mission in Central Pennsylvania. This budget includes our share of the national church’s budget. When you give your tithes and offerings, you join 8 million other United Methodists, doing your part to pay global, national and local mission and ministry through your church’s Shares of Ministry. When your church prepares its annual budget, it includes your Shares of Ministry – your pat of doing ministry in the conference, nation and world – in your local church budget. Every local church’s share of the annual conference budget is based on current expense (not building or benevolence funds) and membership. This is your church’s Shares of Ministry.