As of March 31, Per Member Asking (PMA) contributions received by the Office of the General Assembly since the July 1 start of the EPC’s fiscal year total $1,762,310. The amount is $53,839 (3 percent) less than the $1,816,149 budgeted projection to support the EPC’s Collaborative Ministries, Connectional Support, and Custodial Operations. March PMA contributions were $204,964.

Fiscal-year-to-date contributions are $48,115 (2.7 percent) less than the 1,810,425 received from July 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021.

“As we noted last month, we are experiencing the effects of high inflation and economic uncertainty,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “But God is so good—all the time. I am very thankful that our churches continue to demonstrate their support of the EPC through their financial support. Our staff at the Office of the General Assembly also continues to exhibit excellent stewardship, as we are $23,000 under budget in our spending.”

Of the $1,762,310 received, $352,462 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA contributions, $5,043,020 in designated gifts were received through March 31. This total is $862,965 (20.6 percent) higher than the $4,180,055 in designated gifts received from July 1 through March 31, 2021. Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as the Domestic Emergency Relief Fund, church planting and church health initiatives, and the EPC’s holiday offerings.

Of the total, $4,617,731 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $425,289 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.

“In the midst of our current economic climate, individuals and churches gave more than $220,000 to our International Disaster Relief Fund since we launched it on March 1,” Weaver said. “Those donations have been sent to our partners in Eastern Europe, who are helping Ukrainian refugees and sharing the gospel with thousands of people. And I know many of our churches have set up relief efforts of their own. As we have seen over and over again through the years, when needs are great the people of the EPC answer the call.”