UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Is it better to give donations directly to missionaries. The UPCI charges 23% for overhead on donations. So if 4 million is collected this year for missions, they get 1 million to answer the phone. overhead seem high. can anyone explain this better to me.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Can you prove that?

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

That's hard to believe!!!
Where did you get this information??

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

I don't think anyone could possibly "explain" your figures until you disclose where you get the "23%" figure.

Seems like a post designed to get people to NOT support Foreign Missions, IMHO.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

I'm not "buying" this until the facts can be proven, and quite frankly, I don't think they can! :D

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Thank you, I'm still waiting myself.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

I'm not UPC and I don't know what the handling fee is. 23 percent seems high.
Some of that might go toward a retirement fund, toward hospitalization and life insurance, or as with holding for taxes.
So it may not go to the missionary as cash but they do receive it as a benefit.

It is my understanding that if money is given directly to a missionary, it causes a tax problem with the government where the missionary is located. It is also my understanding that if a UPC missionary receives money directly, they have to report that to UPC headquarters and then what they receive from headquarters is reduced by the amount the missionary received directly.

Like I said, I am not UPC and do not know how the system works, but from what I've heard, there is a reason for the system being the way it is.

Someone like Sis. Alvear who knows some UPC missionaries would be in a better position to comment on this.

Let's not make this another "bash the UPC" thread.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

:chirp

... Been almost an hour Bro.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Interesting point made here.

Still waiting for all that proof.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Facts where might those facts be?

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Amen! :thumbsup

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Why not? If those fat cats are collecting 23% of the funds intended for our dear struggling missionaries, they need to be bashed.

AREYOULUCKY's going to come through with THE FACTS! in just a minute... that'll show 'em. C'mon, AREYOULUCKY... tell us! You've got the goods... slam those guys... c'mon! dude? are you there? ... hello?

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

I was told 25% by a minister who payed there missions direct because of this, i was so surprized, i called hazelwwod my self. I was told by there office 25% was wrong, they only charge 23%. If you dont belive me, do what i did and call them yourself.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

I don't know if 23% would be high or not. But if it is going to things like paying retirement money to missionaries who have spent their lives on the mission field and for their benefits packages for the rest of their lives, then I say that that is a very legitimate use of those $$$$'s.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Yes, the benefits package that each missionary receives isn't a "withholding" by HQ's for someone "to answer the phone..." Also, I understood from years ago that there was a bit of redistribution of funds to other missionaries when whenever one family raises more than their budget.

I don't know what RULUCKY means by paying his "direct..." but he's taking money out of the common pool when he does this.... and that's just for UPC missionaries. Others have means of raising support through other efforts and a direct payment may be the best way to go.

And what's with the intentional typo's AREYOURUCKY? What else you hiding?

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

I have worked on the mission field for over 40 years...I Have never belonged to the UPC but I can tell you their missionaries are well taken care of...I know no missionaries in Brazil that have complaints...most don't really know HOW much they are blessed...

I do see that it is easy to throw stones but to do what the UPC has done is a different story...so all things must be considered not just some case where some missionary could not get along with the UPC...

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

As one who has lived his entire life seeing first hand what good UPCI Missions have done, I may be a tad biased. I have been personally involved in UPCI based humanitarian and spiritual work that has saved the lives of untold thousands when no other international organization was present. I can think of no other organization that I feel as comfortable supporting. Anybody lobbying to cut support to missions will have a lot to answer for in my personal opinion.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Furthermore,

If those Missionaries go into that program knowing what the score is then we probably ought to keep our noses out. If they agree to a covenant that is not our problem. We give the money to and for them. They are voluntarily in that org. This argument has been going on for years.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Stew, I'm with you on this one. I had two pastors who left us to go to the mission field under the UPCI. Two of the finest pastors anyone has ever had. I am convinced that God calls the BEST to go to the mission field because He knows what kind of a job they will do.

I am also convinced that while they live adequately, they do not live "high on the hog". And now that both of these men are officially retired, I would want nothing less for them than for them to be well taken care of by the organization that served so faithfully under for so many years.

As to the 23% figure, I was thinking about it and one thing that occured to me is that it probably costs MORE to provide for the retired missionaries who live in the USA now than it does to provide for the missionaries who live on foreign soil. Let's face it, the cost of living here can be very high. I realize that there are places in the world where this wouldn't be true. But over-all, I'm thinking it's probably cheaper to have a missionary in the field than it is to have them here in the US. But that doesn't mean we are any less obligated to take care of these fine people in their retirement years.

The other thing to consider is that missionaries who are on the field come home to deputize (raise funds) about every 4 years. Missionaries who are retired don't have to deputize any longer. Am I right about that? So their funds would have to come out of the ones raised by those still active in service.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

The only thing that I think UPC has missed (and understand this is coming from a personal event)...........when a missionary is killed on the foreign field, there is really not much help for his widow and family. Eddie's mom gave up her comfortable life to work in Africa for years, assisting her husband. But when he was killed, there is no recourse financially for the family that is left. To me, there should be a big insurance policy paid for by HQ for all missionaries. Then in the unfortunate case of a sudden death of a missionary, the wife and kids wouldn't struggle to live.

Maybe this has changed since the 70's - I really hope so.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Bogus - http://theapostolicreport.wordpress....ions-division/

AR: What is the total percentage deducted from funds for world evangelism center and for FMD administrative cost?

FMD: The Foreign Missions Division deducts 10%. By action of the General Conference, monthly PIM support is subject to the World Evangelism Center (WEC) 4% deduction as well. The total deducted is 14% for administration costs.
AR: What funds are subject to these deductions?

FMD: The Foreign Missions 10% administrative deduction applies to all funds sent to headquarters with the exception of missionary love offerings, medical assistance, memorial funds, foreign travel for associated ministers, and offerings sent by a foreign donor, such as an overseas church.

The WEC 4% deduction applies to Monthly PIM support and does NOT apply to funds sent for missionary love offerings, medical assistance, overseas buildings, literature, Bibles, evangelism, memorial funds, missionary equipment and other special projects. Also, the WEC 4% does not apply to AIM support.

AR: How is the Foreign Missions administrative deduction used?

FMD: The Foreign Missions 10% administrative deduction is used to pay the division’s monthly operating expenses. This includes such expenses as staff payroll, telephone expense, printing costs, OnSite, Insight, and Focal Points printing and mailing costs, General Conference display, and missionary orientation costs.

It also covers the promotion of fundraising for the missionary family. The 10% administrative deduction is established by action of the General Conference, and Foreign Missions Division and is the only division restricted to a defined percentage of gross revenues to cover operating expenses.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

We've had a couple threads on this already.

http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...ad.php?t=14025

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Renda, you are GOOD! I knew there is a reason we keep you around here. LOL

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Sherri, I too hope that this has been rectified.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

Margie, I can tell you that a missionary family who goes to the field with the right motives and method makes sacrifices that most will never truly comprehend....especially missionaries who serve in tough countries.

Re: UPCI charges 23% of missions giving
 

LOL! Thanks, but it's not that hard. If you go to the bottom of this page the other thread is listed there.