Church Establishes General Church Building Fund

The First Presidency has established a General Church Building Fund to which members may contribute for meetinghouse construction worldwide.

The fund gives those in areas with less demand for building construction an opportunity to assist those who live in an area of greater demand. While many stakes have no current building needs, other stakes have pressing needs for meetinghouses.

The need for new buildings has increased dramatically with the growth of the Church throughout the world. As 1979 ended, 750 new buildings or major additions were under construction, a 20 percent increase over a year ago and 30 percent increase over two years ago. In many areas of greatest growth, financial resources are limited.

Donations to the General Church Building Fund will be made through wards and branches, which forward contributions to Church headquarters. Donations also may be made directly to Church headquarters.

Establishment of the general fund will not replace the need for local building funds. And to meet those needs, another change has been made: stake building funds will be established for any construction within a stake. Raising funds for any meetinghouse construction within a stake will now be the responsibility of the entire stake, not just of members who will use the building.