METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA - Online Study Bible

Consequently, the concept of Conference membership fees, otherwise known
as Seed of Faith came into being in January 2001 and has since then formed
a major mode of Conference funding in place of assessment levies.
a. Seed of Faith
Section 410 (a) of Methodist Church Nigeria 2006 constitution listed
Annual Membership fees (Seed of Faith) among other collectable funds in
all its local churches and preaching stations in the Conference Area.
Seed of Faith effectively commenced in January 2001 at the rate of N5.00
per member per week and remained so till December 2002. Sequel to
the decision at the 2002 Conference held at the Diocese of Ibadan, it was
moved up to N10.00 per member per week with effect from January
2003 and remained so till December 2008. Again, the 2008 Ilesa
Conference gave approval to an increase from N10.00 to N20.00 per
member per week with effect from January 2009. Lastly, the 2010
Conference held at Methodist Theological Institute, Umuahia gave
approval to another increase from N20.00 to N50.00 per member per
week with effect from January 2011.
b. 10% of Tithes
Section 411 Sub-section I also went further to mandate Local Churches
and Preaching Stations to remit at least 10% of Tithes collected and the
entire Seed of Faith to the Conference Headquarters in accordance with
procedure set down by the Conference Connexional Council from time to
time.
The slow pace of the Seed of Faith, in its second year of existence, to
rapidly and sufficiently meet the financial obligations of Conference
Headquarters, as expected, necessitated the decision of the 2002 Ibadan
Conference in approving the 10% of Tithes remittance as the second
Conference funding concept. The remittance took effect in January 2003
and from that period till date.
c. WUSTO levy / 10% of other offerings
Collections in aid of the establishment of Wesley University of Science of
Technology (WUSTO) took off in all our Churches in 2004. Levies
ranging from N500 to N100,000 were stipulated for various categories of
members. As in the case of Seed of Faith, the response in respect of
WUSTO levies was adjudged slow and low to satisfy the yearning of the
Church in its quest to meet the conditions precedent to obtaining
provisional licence for the establishing of the University from the
National Universities Commission. The Church therefore, at its 2006
Uyo Conference took the following decisions:
27