Treasurer

More than $43 million in appropriations were passed on to local conferences through the NPUC during the last five years.

The NPUC revolving fund is generally open for deposits by members who wish to provide funds for church and school buildings while earning interest on their principal. More than $13 million in interest has been returned to these depositors in the past five years.

Education funding amounts to 71 percent of all appropriations to local conferences and institutions by the NPUC.

The treasurer and the entire treasury department makes sure that financial policies and practices at the North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) are consistent with general church guidelines and ethical financial principles. The treasurer acts as a counselor to local conference, college and academy treasurers. Personnel in this department take care of human resource issues, personnel records, payroll and health benefits and all financial statements that are reported to the executive committee and the members. All tithe and offering disbursements and appropriations are handled here. In addition, the legal entity of the church, the North Pacific Union Conference Association (NPUCA), handles financial investments and the all-important revolving fund which enables many of our churches to obtain building and improvement loans.

To be honest and accountable stewards of the funds God provides for the fulfilling of His mission through this church.

Conference Funding—Because of changes in how the tithe funds are distributed, local conferences are now able to retain approximately $600,000 more per year than they did in 2001. Previously those funds had been passed on to the NPUC. We have correspondingly economized and “rightsized” our union staff and operations to adjust to these changes.

Treasurer Relations—Helped our local conference treasurers acquire new and more efficient accounting software, mentored them in communicating financial data more clearly to membership and helped them track monthly budget changes.

Treasury Staff—Over the past five years, there has been almost a complete turnover in our treasury staff. Our staff is committed, competent and ready to serve the needs of our Northwest members.

Beyond The Bottom Line—Along with the North American Division and the Andrews University School of Business, sponsored a biennial seminar to help educate, train and inspire our church treasurers and accountants toward higher standards and better practices.

Ethnic Funding—With the changes happening in our population and membership throughout North America and here in the Northwest, we need to find better funding to help meet the growing diversity in our church. Our best membership growth is within the Hispanic culture, yet many of our Spanish-speaking families cannot afford to send their children to Adventist schools. We need to meet that challenge.

Church Assistance—We are planning to make some major changes in how we approach evangelism here the Northwest. If these efforts are successful, we will need to provide appropriate assistance to purchase land and buildings for new churches.

Church Employees—We must trust God to help us honor the dedication of our church employees by caring for their rising medical and retirement expenses.

God Will Provide—Overall, we believe that what God has called His church to do, He will enable it to do—and that includes all of us—in His plan for success.