Happy New Year!
The church, or liturgical, calendar begins this week with Advent. The seasons and their colors are Advent—purple or blue, Christmas—white or gold, Epiphany—white, Lent—purple, Easter—white and gold, Pentecost—red, and Kingdomtide—green. Many denominations recognize these seasons except for Kingdomtide, which is uniquely United Methodist. Happy New Year! Learn more at
centralministries-umc.org.
Give a Dollar: Help a Scholar
The 2007 United Methodist Student Day offering was $602,309—less than 8¢ per member of The United Methodist Church. Imagine the many deserving students, whose education could be furthered if each United Methodist gave even $1. United Methodist Student Day is November 30. Please give generously at
donate.gcfa.org.
United Methodist Student Stories
The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry awards scholarships and loans to students attending United Methodist and other accredited colleges and universities through the United Methodist Student Day offering. This year, United Methodist Student Day is November 30.
Learn more at umcgiving.org.
Strength for Service
The devotional
Strength For Service went out of publication in the 1950s, until Boy Scout Evan Hunsberger made its republication part of his Eagle Scout project fifty years later. Since then, more than 300,000 copies have been distributed to service personnel of many denominations. Available through United Methodist Men, you can get a copy or make a gift of
Strength For Service at
strengthforservice.org.
Where Your Gift Goes
On average, when you give $1 to your local United Methodist Church, more than 84¢ remains in that church, while almost 13¢ goes to annual conferences, areas and jurisdictions. All the boards and agencies of The United Methodist Church share the remaining 2.7¢.
Learn more at umcgiving.org ...
Go the Extra Mile
Support of Global Ministries mission through The Advance is called "2nd Mile Giving." The
Book of Discipline states that gifts to The Advance are voluntary and are not part of a church's apportionments for World Service. Gifts to mission through The Advance are considered an extra effort, or "2nd Mile Giving."
Find a project for 2nd Mile Giving ...
2,000 Ways to Love
More than 2,000 mission projects through The Advance provide the channels of giving for support and relief. Advance projects include missionary support, as well as ministry to the poor, church growth, health, leadership, and more.
Learn more about these Global Ministries mission projects ...
The Advance Turns 60!
The Advance has been celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year. Conceived by Bishop Bromley Oxnam to help with post-World War II recovery efforts and authorized at the 1948 General Conference, The Advance is the channel of giving to mission projects throughout the world.
Learn more at advancinghope.org ...
One Dollar to Help a Scholar
Giving to World Communion Sunday has increased in each of the last three years. While that is positive, the 2007 figure averages to less than 15¢ per member. Imagine the lives that would be forever enriched if each United Methodist gave just $1. World Communion Sunday 2008 is October 5. Please make a difference and give generously!
Learn more ...
A Scholar's Story
As a child, Natalya Shulgina was raised as an atheist in her Russian village home. Visits from missionaries gave Natalya a view of life with Christian love. She was baptized at the second Russian United Methodist Church Student Forum. She later received a scholarship funded from gifts to World Communion Sunday to pursue a seminary education. Natalya earned her degree and answered God's call to ordination.
Learn more ...
