As of February 29, Per Member Asking (PMA) contributions received by the Office of the General Assembly since the July 1 start of Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) total $1,668,492. The amount received is 4 percent higher—$64,055—than the same period in the previous fiscal year (FY19). The EPC’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30.

Fiscal-year-to-date contributions are $2,947 above the $1,6695,545 budgeted projection to support the EPC’s Collaborative Ministries, Connectional Support, and Custodial Operations.

“I am very thankful for our churches’ faithful commitment to Per Member Asking in the early months of 2020,” said Jeff Jeremiah, EPC Stated Clerk. “PMA is our financial lifeblood as a connectional body, and when we closed the books on February it was the first month in this fiscal year that PMA support eclipsed our projected budget expenditures. I am grateful that the shortfall in December has passed for the time being. At the same time, we are being very careful with our expenses in light of economic uncertainties related to the coronavirus situation.”

Of the $1,668,492 received, $333,580 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA contributions, $4,210,219 in designated gifts were received through February 29. This total was $371,292 (9.7 percent) higher than the $3,838,927 in designated gifts received in the same period in FY19. 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 holiday offerings.

Of the total, $3,482,043 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $728,176 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.

Among the donations received in February designated for specific projects were a $35,000 gift for the World Outreach general fund, and a $25,000 gift to the EPC Emergency Relief Fund. Each of these gifts was donated by an individual or family—not a church or other organization.

“Giving to PMA and designated funds since July 1 together is more than $5.8 million,” Jeremiah added. “I am so grateful for the generosity of churches and individuals who support the ministries of the EPC in such a sacrificial way.”