Last week, I was blessed to travel to Nashville for the joint board meetings of the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) and the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM). Much of our time was spent orienting the new directors (two-thirds of us are new) to the work of both of these agencies of the United Methodist Church, and our responsibilities as directors. Over the coming quadrennium, it is my intention to write short blurbs periodically to share about the excellent work these two organizations are doing on our behalf throughout the world.
Roland Fernandes has served as the General Secretary for GBGM for a number of years, and this year GBHEM has elected him to serve as their General Secretary as well. This is a first in our denomination, with one person serving as the executive of two different agencies within the church.
With disaffiliations significantly impacting the budgets of all of our General Agencies, GBGM and GBHEM are leading the way in working together, finding efficiencies and alignments that will allow the global work of these agencies to continue well into the future. I am very impressed with the excellent work the staff have accomplished thus far, and excited for what is yet to come.
One funding source for each of these organizations, is through the six special Sunday offerings local churches receive each year: Human Relations Day, UMCOR Sunday, Native American (and Native Alaskan!) Ministries Sunday, Peace with Justice Sunday, World Communion Sunday, and United Methodist Student Sunday (coming up in just a few weeks).
If every United Methodist gave $1US to each of these special offerings ($6 per person annually), over thirty million US dollars would be generated annually for the work of our annual conferences and general agencies. Now I recognize $1US has a very different value in the states than it does in other parts of our connexion around the world, but even if only US members contributed in this manner, we would still exceed thirty million US dollars annually in generated revenue.
As many of our local churches are preparing budgets for 2025, I would encourage you to consider budgeting $1 for every church member in your local church for each of these Sundays. On the Sunday we receive the offering, if less is received, consider making up the difference from your budget. If more is received, send in all the receipts.
For example, if your church has 50 members, consider budgeting $50 for each Special Sunday for a total of $300 annually. If you receive only $45 on a given Sunday in Special Sunday envelopes, consider covering the final $5 from your general budget. If you receive $55, send all of it in, and there will be no impact to your budget. This is one small way for us to prioritize the connexional work of our beloved church.
Even if you choose to not use the above approach, it is my hope that each of our local churches will give their members the opportunity to participate in this second-mile giving through our six Special Sundays. You can read more about each of these Sundays here: https://www.resourceumc.org/en/churchwide/umcgiving/special-sundays.
I invite you to join me, in lifting in prayer all the staff members of GBGM and GBHEM in the coming weeks, asking God’s blessing upon their work and their families, for indeed as Heather McGhee said “We are greater than, and greater for, the sum of us.”
All grace and peace,
The Rev. Andy Bartel
GBGM Director 2024-2028
St. John UMC Anchorage AK, Lead Pastor