Statistical Reporting for 2022 is DUE FEB. 15!

By: Rev. Dr. R. Mark King, Conference Treasurer

Statistical Reporting for 2022 is READY and AVAILABLE!
To Our Local Church Pastors, Treasurers, and Membership Secretaries:
 
The Western North Carolina Conference statistical system (NEW: ACStats) will open on January 3, 2022, and thus, be available for input of 2022 information.  All statistical information must be entered and complete by Wednesday, February 15, 2023.  In order to access the system, you can do so in the following manner:

• Watch this video for training on the new system: https://www.wnccumc.org/acstatsvideo.
• Log in to your Church Dashboard and click the “GCFA AC Stats auto-login” link.
• If your name is not listed, select “I’m not Listed” and create an account. If your name is listed, select it, and use the username/password you set when creating your account. 

Once you have accessed the system, you can find instructions by clicking the “Instructions” button or by clicking on the link on each individual question. Tables are now listed on a single page, instead of multiple pages like in the previous system. Your previous answers can be found in the 2021 column. Let me share a few things that may pre-empt some questions.

• We have returned to the format, from 2021 in 2022 information, to asking all questions required per the Book of Discipline.
• We asked that all information be collected for all church types – Chartered, Mission, New Church Starts (Unchartered) or Satellites.  Radio buttons are included on the Church Info page to indicate your status if other than Chartered.  Satellites or campuses of existing chartered churches which do not have their own GCFA number – whether designated as new starts or not – should be included in the reporting of the lead or main church.
• All information reported should reconcile to information held by the church – whether membership, attendance, or financial records.  If computerized membership records are maintained, the information provided should reconcile to that listing.  Financial records should be able to be reconciled to those year-end financial statements completed and audited at the local church. 
• Certain items such as pension and health benefit payments, conference and district apportionments, Special Sunday offerings, and General and Conference Advance specials will be prepopulated from our Conference reports based on your remittances over the course of the year 2022.  These questions may appear before we enter them but should be “read only”. Please note that any answers you give that have the “Conf” tag will be overwritten by the upload.  This upload is expected to take place by January 15, 2023.   Please don’t submit prior to this upload being accomplished.  Make no changes to these amounts.
• Notice Table I, lines 2a and 2b- Professions of Faith are segmented between “Through Confirmation” and “Other than Through Confirmation.”
• Line 7a has been added for “On-Line Worship Attendance.”  Please do not include any on-line attendance on line 7.  Line 7 should only include in person attendance for 2022, only for those weeks of actual in person services.  See additional instructions for live streaming / online counting in WNCC Online Counting Instructions.
• Line 7b is a new line introduced in 2021 and will continue for 2022.  This question offers an opportunity to report other online and digital formatted events.  This is a total participation number, not an averaging.  And it may include same individuals who participated multiple times. 
• It is important that all church tangible property (land, buildings, and equipment) be included in Table II, question 24, including parsonages and cemeteries.
• Payroll Protection Program loans of the 2020 CARES Act and subsequent Acts should be reported on line 27 IF NOT FORGIVEN (regardless of if forgiveness application has been submitted).  If forgiven, no need to list for 2022.
• The system is designed to review for certain variances and validations once the “Save” button has been pushed.  Should any variances or validations be noted in read, it is critical to include comments regarding the propriety of the variance or review the information for its accuracy to clear the variance or validation error.  Submissions will not be considered complete unless these variances or validations are cleared or contained comments/explanations.
• Please take extra care for the accuracy of the information provided.  This information will be utilized to calculate and apportion the conference and district budgets for 2024.  If changes are noted following submission, please make your district and conference office aware of the changes. 
• Once completed, you must return to your church’s dashboard at wnccumc.org, click “Submittable Forms” and then select “Year End Signature Page.”  We must have the Pastor in charge, Lay Leader, and church treasurer sign off indicating they have reviewed the entire ACStats submission.

If you have any questions regarding the system and its input, please do not hesitate to contact your District Administrator (the treasure trove of information) or myself at the Conference Treasury Services office.
 
R. Mark King
Conference Statistician