Following a call to give more to the Methodist Church Fund for World Mission at the 2005 Methodist Conference, funds grew by nearly £700,000 since the last Methodist Connexional Year, reaching £5.7 million.

Revd Stephen Poxon, Secretary of the Methodist Missionary Society, said: "In 2005 I asked for a big increase, and that is clearly what we got. This money will go to a wide variety of programmes around the world, aiding people in need and allowing us to support our partner churches in their work."

Methodists were challenged at the 2005 Conference to increase their giving to the Fund by £1 million. For the year to August 31, the Fund had total income of £5.7 million, up from £5.1 million the year before.

Michael King, World Church Team Leader, thanked the many different groups who contribute to the Fund. "All parts of the Church," he says, "including JMA and Women's Network, have worked hard to achieve this wonderful result. The increase in giving demonstrates the confidence of Methodist church members in Britain and Ireland in the mission programmes jointly agreed with partner churches."

Methodist Church Fund for Home Mission fell in the same period, mainly due to a decrease in legacy bequests. Its total income for the year was £863,000.

The Revd Ken Howcroft, Co-ordinating Secretary for Conference and Communication, said: "the wonderful response to Stephen's call in 2005 shows how gladly Methodists respond to a challenge. We are keen to develop our advocacy of all our work and of all our funds, both restricted and general. We firmly believe in the importance of all the Methodist funds and the work they support within the Connexion, across Britain and around the world."