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The General Council on Finance and Administration was created by the General Conference to perform defined responsibilities of review and oversight on behalf of the General Conference in relation to the other general agencies receiving general Church funds. It is amenable and accountable to the General Conference and reports to it. All monies contributed by a local church to any of the general funds of the Church and such other funds as may have been authorized by the General Conference are held in trust by the council and distributed only in support of the ministries of the respective funds. The council is accountable to The United Methodist Church through the General Conference in all matters relating to the receiving, disbursing, and reporting of such funds, and agencies receiving such funds are fiscally accountable to the council.

The purpose of the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) is to be accountable for the financial plan of the Church, through a servant ministry promoting fiscal integrity, strategic alliance building, and steadfastness to historic United Methodist traditions and disciplines, thus, enabling the fulfillment of the mission and ministry of The United Methodist Church.

GCFA is comprised of 11 departments including Episcopal Services, Legal Services, Records and Statistics, Analysis and Research, and Administrative Services. GCFA has two subsidiaries, the United Methodist Church Foundation (UMCF) and United Methodist Insurance Company (UMI). UMI provides comprehensive property and casualty insurance coverage to United Methodist local churches, annual conferences, and general agencies at competitive rates.

Among the various non-financial functions of GCFA is the collection of local church statistics and subsequent analysis, support of active and retired bishops, meeting planning services for various agencies of the United Methodist connection, Legal Services including property issues, certification programs for the United Methodist Association of Church Business Administrators (UMACBA) and the Professional Association of United Methodist Church Secretaries (PAUMCS) and the planning, preparation and execution of General Conference.

Believing in an expectation of excellence and fruitfulness, the staff and members of GCFA look forward to working with you in whatever capacity necessary to build a stronger, connected and welcoming Church, and serve God through serving the Church in this ministry of administration.

The GCFA Vision Statement:

The General Council on Finance and Administration will be a leading, trusted administrative resource for The United Methodist Church. We will facilitate Christian mission and ministry through courageous leadership that results in transformational change throughout the world.

The GCFA Mission Statement:

The General Council on Finance and Administration serves through financial and administrative ministries that enable the fulfillment of the mission of The United Methodist Church.

The areas of ministry are:
Administrative Services, Analysis and Research, Episcopal Services, Financial Services, Information Technology, Investment Guidelines, Legal Services, Records and Statistics, Support Services, The United Methodist Church Foundation, and UMI.

In addition, The United Methodist Association of Church Business Administrators (UMACBA) www.umacba.org, and the Professional Association of United Methodist Church Secretaries (PAUMCS) www.paumcs.org, offer certification programs for church leaders in the local church and annual conferences. Persons completing the requirements of the programs are certified as church business administrators or church secretaries by GCFA.

Who We Are

For we are God's servants working together
1 Corinthians 3:9a
NRSV

The General Council on Finance and Administration coordinates and administers the finances, property, and statistical resources of The United Methodist Church, and safeguards the Church's legal interests and rights.

The members and staff of GCFA are guided by a strategic vision of Servant Ministry.

Our Purpose
The purpose of the General Council on Finance and Administration is to be accountable for the financial plan of the Church, through a servant ministry promoting fiscal integrity, strategic alliance building, and steadfastness to historic United Methodist traditions and disciplines, thus, enabling the fulfillment of the mission and ministry of The United Methodist Church.

• Good Sense in carrying out the mandates of the Book of Discipline
• Insight in leading the financial future of the Church
• Faithfulness to the Wesleyan traditions of stewardship and justice
• Teamwork within the connectional system

Officers and Key Staff

• Bishop G. Lindsey Davis, President
• Don Brown, Vice-President
• Mary White, Recording Secretary
• A. Moses Rathan Kumar, General Secretary
• John T. Goolsbey, Deputy General Secretary/Administration
• Rev. Pat Youngquist, Deputy General Secretary/Operations