Treasury

Fast Facts

$678,022 was given by the North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) for Hispanic scholarships within the K–12 educational program.

A total of $19,223,642 was given by the NPUC and its conferences to Walla Walla University.

The NPUC received a clean, unqualified audit opinion for each year during this quinquennium.

In 1915, the NPUC received $130,909 in tithe donated. One hundred years later, in 2015, the NPUC received $93,767,370 in tithe donated.

Mission

Our mission is to be honest and accountable stewards of the funds God provides for the fulfilling of His mission through his church.

Summary

As we review the past five years, the North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) is grateful for the faithful stewardship of its members and friends as we wait for the return of Jesus. Each year, with the exception of 2012, there has been a positive increase in tithe donations and an increase in the operating net assets.

The treasurer and the entire treasury department ensure that financial policies and practices at the NPUC are consistent with general church guidelines and ethical financial principles. The treasurer provides monthly financial statements and reports to the executive committee members and departmental directors. He also acts as a counselor to local conference, university and academy treasurers. Personnel in this department take care of human resource issues, personnel records, and payroll and health benefits.

What’s Been Accomplished

EVANGELISM FUNDING — The North Pacific Union Conference is committed to providing increased evangelism funds to our local conferences each year. With the basic amount given each year, the NPUC has provided an additional 30 percent of evangelism funds to local conferences:

• Alaska Conference received a combined total of $418,936.

• Idaho Conference received a combined total of $483,982.

• Montana Conference received a combined total of $437,286.

• Oregon Conference received a combined total of $1,570,114.

• Upper Columbia Conference received a combined total of $1,187,986.

• Washington Conference received a combined total of $1,081,442.

EVANGELIST FUNDING — In addition conference directed subsidies, the NPUC is committed to staffing union evangelists to assist and provide evangelism meetings within our local conferences. Two teams of evangelists are employed within the NPUC — the only union in the North American Division to do so.

EDUCATION SUPPORT — The NPUC receives 2.35 percent of tithe from the North American Division for use within the K–12 education program. In addition, the NPUC contributes another 0.9 percent of tithe received for this function. Total allocation for the K–12 education program for this quinquennium was $13,764,491. During this time, $19,223,642 has been appropriated to Walla Walla University — $5,473,383 from the NPUC and $13,750,259 from local conferences. 

TREASURER RELATIONS — During the past five years, we have assisted all of our six local conferences in converting to a new and efficient accounting and payroll software package from the North American Division office. We have annually conducted a treasury council for all conference treasury personnel and academy vice presidents for finance. In this setting, we have discussed changes and developments of accounting practices and policies of the church and created a forum for interactive training. The NPUC is a mentor to its local financial leaders in how to communicate financial data clearly and distinctly to its constituents.

The Challenges Ahead

FUNDING DIVERSITY — Provide additional funding for ethnic group ministry and the growing diversity within our territory.

INTERNSHIPS — We need to encourage our young graduates to add their talents to the church mission. We must provide additional funding for business interns to be employed within our conferences and academies.

WOMEN IN MINISTRY — We are committed to fostering more opportunities for women to minister and to support them with additional funding.

TITHE TRENDS — During the past five years we saw the lowest quinquennial tithe increase (2.51 percent) since 1935. This compares with former quinquennial increases of 20 percent or more.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT — We must provide funding for local capital needs. The physical plants and campuses of our churches and schools are aging and in urgent need of renovation.

EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS — With the challenging costs of Adventist education, we must find ways to provide for the increasing need of educational scholarship funding.

ECONOMIZE — We must prayerfully find ways to decrease expenditures without undermining essential programs and support services.