Kingdom Growth

Apportionment Ministerial Education Fund

Posted on Jun 10, 2021 in BLOG, General, Kingdom Growth |

The Ministerial Education Fund was established by action of the 1968 General Conference. It is nurtured and funded by United Methodists to provide vitally needed scholarships through annual conferences, essential funds for the support of our 13 United Methodist seminaries in the United States, programs that encourage men and women to respond to the call to ordained ministry, continuing-education opportunities for pastors across the connection and course-of-study education for local pastors. Every clergyperson who has served in The United Methodist Church over the past 50 years has been shaped in part by the ministries and institutions supported by the Ministerial Education Fund.

Did you know United Methodist have raised over $800 million to support clergy ordinations Over 40 years?

The funds collected over the years have provided scholarships through Annual Conferences as well as support the 13 United Methodist seminaries in 11 states.

At least 75% of the receipts goes to the theological schools of The United Methodist Church on a formula established by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. These seminaries depend on this fund to equip leaders with transforming impact. Of the total money raised in each annual conference, the annual conference retains 25% to use in its program of ministerial education as approved by the annual conference and administered through its Board of Ordained Ministry.

Did you know 25% of Ministerial Education Funds stay in local UM Annual Conferences?

These funds are used to assist candidates for ministry, support continuing education for pastors and clergy recruitment and provide financial aid for students in your annual conference.

Your Giving Equips Leaders for Ministry

Your giving makes it possible for leaders who’ve been called and gifted by God to faithfully serve The United Methodist Church. It supports our seminaries, it provides scholarships to students and it meets the needs of people in ministry today.

Rev. DaeHwa Park, serving in the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference, insists, “It was the grace of the Holy Spirit that drove me to the call to ministry.” In fact Park was ten years-old when he heard a message on salvation during a revival service at Wonpo Methodist Church, South Korea. In cooperation with the Spirit, the Ministerial Education Fund has made Park’s response to God’s call possible.

Together We’re Blessing the Church

God continues to call into service people like Reverend Park. And because of the Ministerial Education Fund, those who’ve been gifted to lead the church are able to say yes to that call.

If you feel inspired to contribute to the Doylestown United Methodist Church, click the “Give Now” button below.

Articles provided by United Methodist Communications

Apportionment Interdenominational Cooperation Fund

Posted on Jun 3, 2021 in BLOG, General, Kingdom Growth |

While we’re proud of what makes The United Methodist Church distinct, we’re also committed to recognizing and celebrating the presence and work of Jesus Christ among other Christian fellowships throughout the world.

Ignited by Jesus’ prayer, in John 17:21, that the Church’s unity would reflect Jesus’ own oneness with his Father, we’re fostering approaches to ministry and mission that more fully reflect the oneness of Christ’s church in the world.

Being a global church’s means you have to be concerned about the wellbeing of other Christians around the world. The Interdenominational Cooperation Fund (ICF) enables United Methodists to share a presence and a voice in the activities of several national and worldwide ecumenical organizations. It provides the United Methodist share of the basic budgets of these organizations.

Together we stand as an ecumenical front to globally make a difference. Even though our customs may differ, promoting basic human rights in every corner of the world is the basic mission of the ICF. Giving towards the ICF helps Christians around the world stand together for those who are marginalized and persecuted for speaking about their faith.

In 1952, the General Conference agreed to share in the basic budget with other organizations to help provide for the budget of the National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches.

Did You Know the UMC helps support 5 ecumenical organizations?

We’re partnering with the larger church to share the good news of Christ together and joining our voices with Christians around the world to advocate for peace and justice. The Interdenominational Cooperation Fund supports an array of important ministries operating through various ecumenical bodies such as National Council of Church of Christ in the USA, Pan-Methodist Commission, World Council of Churches, Churches Uniting in Christ and World Methodist Council.

To help in the basic mission for basic human rights, the United Methodist fund joins with other ecumenical organizations to give voice to those who are unable.

The World Methodist Council

The World Methodist Council is a worldwide association of 80 Methodist, Wesleyan and related Uniting and United Churches representing over 40.5 million members. It engages, empowers and serves the member Churches by encouraging Methodist unity in witness, facilitating mission in the world, and fostering ecumenical and inter-religious activities. It promotes obedience to the Great Commandment of Jesus Christ to love God and neighbor and to fulfill the Great Commission to make disciples through vibrant evangelism, a prophetic voice, cooperative programs, faithful worship and mutual learning.

Churches Uniting in Christ

After forty years of study and prayer through the Consultation on Church Union (COCU), the member churches agreed to stop “consulting” and start living their unity in Christ more fully. These churches inaugurated a new relationship to be known as Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC). Each communion retains its own identity and decision-making structures, but they also have pledged before God to draw closer in sacred.

National Council of Churches

Since 1950, the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) has served as a leading voice of witness to the living Christ. NCC unifies a diverse covenant community of 38 member communions and over 40 million individuals –100,000 congregations from Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African-American, and Living Peace traditions – in a common commitment to advocate and represent God’s love and promise of unity in our public square. NCC partners with secular and interfaith partners to advance a shared agenda of peace, progress, and positive change.

Your giving to the Doylestown United Methodist Church makes shared ministry through Christ’s body possible today. Because of it, The United Methodist Church is able to partner with other Christians to witness together to the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ prayer to his Father, at the end of his earthly ministry, was that his church would be one:

“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23, NRSV)

So that the world may know!

If you feel inspired to help us spread His word throughout the world, please consider contributing.

Articles provided by United Methodist Communications

Apportionment General Administration Fund

Posted on May 27, 2021 in BLOG, General, Kingdom Growth |

The General Administration Fund is one of seven apportioned funds of The United Methodist Church. The main way we support the ministries of the church is through our apportioned funds, a method of giving that proportionally allocates the churchwide budget to conferences and local churches.

The General Administration fund finances the administrative function of the denomination’s general activities and is what enables The United Methodist Church to function most effectively. It provides for the expenses of the sessions of the General Conference, the Judicial Council, covers the administrative functions of the General Council on Finance and Administration, the operating costs for the General Commission on Archives and History and maintenance of historic shrines, landmarks and sites. It funds the safeguarding of our denomination’s legal interests and rights and the managing of The United Methodist Foundation. The General Administration Fund was established as part of the original financial plan of the Methodist Church at its unification in 1939.

Did You Know The General Administration Fund supports the legal and constitution work of the United Methodist Church?

One of the reasons the General Administration Fund is so important is because of The United Methodist Church’s unflagging commitment to integrity. Polity of the UMC is established to be constitutional, Episcopal and connectional. Our church’s highest court, the nine-member Judicial Council, executes its directive to uphold church law. This council determines the legality and/or constitutionality of actions by agencies, boards, conferences, and officials of the Church. United Methodist Churches around the globe.

Did you know the General Administration Fund sustains the legislative work of General Conference?

The General Administration Fund underwrites and finances general church activities that are administrative in nature, rather than program-related—like General Conference, the legislative branch of the church. Every four years delegates from around the globe, selected by their peers, meet to discern the church’s future at General Conference. General Administration Fund supports the General Conference expenses, including delegate expenses, meeting operation costs expenses, language services, expenses of the offices of the secretary, business manager, and treasurer of the General Conference, and expenses of the several commissions and committees in support of the event.

Did you know the General Administration Fund helps preserve our historical United Methodist identity?

The General Administration Fund ensures that we, as a whole church, are rooted in our history, are held accountable fiscally and are maintaining our historical United Methodist identity even as we seek our way forward as The United Methodist Church. This fund helps support the agency General Commission on Archives and History (GCAH) which preserve the historical interests of The United Methodist Church and its antecedents. GCAH accomplishes this uniquely administrative and programmatic mission by gathering, preserving, holding title to, and disseminating materials representing the ethos of the denomination.

Did you know the General Administration Fund supports the critical administrative work of the UMC?

Through the General Administration Fund, United Methodists implement a trustworthy system of administrative oversight and fiscal accountability; underwrite the legislative work of General Conference; fund the work of the Judicial Council to adjudicate questions of Church law; maintain United Methodism’s official documents and historical artifacts; and designate historical shrines, landmarks and sites. It also funds the work of General Council on Finance and Administration that coordinates and administers the finances of the church, receives, disburses and accounts for the church’s general funds, safeguards the denomination’s legal interests and rights, compiles and publishes denominational statistics and maintains the church’s records.

Did you know the General Administration Fund supports unforeseen or emergency situations of the Church?

Sometimes you just have to plan for what you can’t imagine. The General Administration Fund allocation provides funding for unforeseen or emergency situations that fall within the scope of general administration called the contingency reserve. The concept of reserves is at least as old as Genesis when Joseph advised Pharaoh to set aside produce from seven good years to feed people during seven bad years, he initiated what we call today a contingency reserve. Having reserves is necessary for us to be able to carry out the ministry in really unsettled and uncertain times and be faithful to what the Church ask us to do. Because of the General Administration Fund, United Methodists are able to implement a trustworthy system of administrative oversight and fiscal accountability which helps us ensure these emergency funds are available.

Your Giving Secures a Hopeful Future

Your giving is what ensures that the faithful ministry we’re doing today, in the name of Jesus Christ, will continue far into the future. Thanks to your generosity, the vital work of The United Methodist Church will continue to transform individuals and communities.

One of the reasons the General Administration Fund is so important is because of The United Methodist Church’s unflagging commitment to integrity.

We echo Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of the Apostle Paul’s message to the church in Corinth, “[We don’t want anyone suspecting us of taking one penny of this money for ourselves.] We’re being as careful in our reputation with the public as in our reputation with God.” (2 Corinthians 8:20-21, The Message)

Your Giving Matters

Churches around the globe, through people like you, are ensuring the integrity and long-term effectiveness of the ministry of The United Methodist Church. Thank you for your part in this important work.

If you feel inspired to give to the Doylestown United Methodist Church, 2% of your contribution will go towards apportionment funds like the General Administration Fund.

Articles provided by United Methodist Communications

Apportionment Black College Fund

Posted on May 20, 2021 in BLOG, General, Kingdom Growth |

Following the Civil War, the former Methodist Episcopal Church organized the Freedmen’s Aid Society to help educate African Americans who could not read or write. In 1972, The United Methodist Church established the Black College Fund to provide reliable support for UM related historically Black colleges and offer a chance to everyone with a dream and a commitment to excel – regardless of race, class, gender, or ethnic heritage. Many of these students, often the first in their family to go to college, would fall through the cracks and never earn a college degree though they have the intellectual capacity to do so.. The United Methodist Church supports the largest number of fully accredited historically Black colleges and universities in the United States.

Did You Know the UMC supports the largest number of black colleges …

Through United Methodist Church giving, we support 11 Black colleges and universities in the U.S. that are committed to academic excellence based on the Christian perspective of community service and social responsibility. The United Methodist Church supports the largest number of fully accredited historically Black colleges and universities in the United States. The Black College Fund distributes 95% of all funds received equally to these 11 institutions. Those with the highest enrollments receive a slightly higher amount.

Did you know colleges supported by the Black College Fund are able to keep lower tuition rates?

The colleges supported by the Black College Fund keep tuition relatively low so students with modest incomes may attend. The fund gives the participating colleges and universities the finances they need to support college staff and faculty who can serve as strong intellectual, cultural and spiritual mentors. The faculty and staff of Black colleges are committed to helping everyone with a dream excel regardless of race, class, gender, or ethnic heritage.

Did you know The Black College Fund has intern programs teaching communication skills?

The Black College Fund Lina H. McCord Summer Intern Program follows a model of communication and itineration (moving from place to place) prominent in the Methodist tradition. Itineration enables students to cross jurisdictions at least once while completing short-term and regular assignments. This provides understanding between and among different groups throughout the church.

Did you know The Black College Fund distributes 95% of all funds received equally to 11 Black colleges?

The Black College Fund distributes 95% of all funds received equally to the 11 institutions supported by this fund. The 11 Black colleges are located in the Southeastern and South Central Jurisdictions. Those with the highest enrollments receive a slightly higher amount. Five percent of the funds are awarded for special projects or activities. Administrative costs for the Fund are less than 5%. This is not a scholarship fund; the money goes directly to the institutions.

Did you know the UMC gave $9.6 million to 11 Black colleges in 2018 through the Black College Fund?

The United Methodist Church has been supporting the Black College Fund at about 90 to 92% the past two years through apportionment funding. In 2018, United Methodists gave $9.6 million which was 90.2% of the apportionment. The colleges supported by the Black College Fund keep tuition relatively low so students with modest incomes may attend. And, these colleges are and always have been open to all.

Your giving to the Doylestown United Methodist Church supports the Black College Fund which enables schools like Rust College, in Holly Springs, Mississippi, and Clark Atlanta University to continue to develop students who will impact the world God loves.

“HBCUs continue to play an important part of educating our nation’s youth and producing future doctors, lawyers, business executives, scientists and philanthropists.” –Tom Joyner

Through the Black College Fund, we’re working together to ensure that the institutions that have equipped our nation’s finest leaders continue for years to come.

If you feel inspired to give to Doylestown United Methodist Church, 2% of your contribution goes to The United Methodist Church apportionment funds, like the Black College Fund.