United Methodist Special Sundays
“Never before has it been so important to give to the six churchwide Special Sundays with offerings. Giving to Special Sundays prepares students to become leaders for the church and the world; empower the poor and victimized to live fuller lives through self-improvement programs; advocate and challenge injustice and pays administrative cost for disaster relief. You can change the world one life at a time.”
2013 Special Sunday Dates
General Conference created six unique Special Sundays to help congregations work with communities, rebuild shattered lives, strengthen self-sufficiency, encourage partnerships, nurture Native American ministries, model peace and justice, provide scholarships and loans for United Methodist students, and much more.
Learn More At: www.umcgiving.org/specialsundays |
Human Relations Day Sunday - January 20, 2013
The Human Relations Day offering supports neighborhood ministries through Community Developers, community advocacy in the United States and Puerto Rico through United Methodist Voluntary Services and work with at-risk youth through the Youth Offender Rehabilitation Program. One Great Hour of Sharing - March 10, 2013 Gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing lay the foundation of all United Methodist Committee on Relief work by covering the costs of doing business. This means all contributions designated to specific programs can go 100 percent to those programs because UMCOR’s basic expenses are covered. Native American Ministries Sunday - April 14, 2013 The Native American Ministries Sunday offering develops and strenghtens Native American ministries within the annual conferences and educates Native American seminarians. Peace with Justice Sunday - May 26, 2013 Gifts on Peace with Justice Sunday fund programs that advocate for peace and justice in the United States and around the world. These programs empower United Methodists to speak out for removing structures and systems that harm God’s children globally. World Communion Sunday - October 6, 2013 The World Communion Sunday offering funds racial-ethnic World Communion Scholarships, with at least one-half of the annual amount reserved for ministries beyond the United States. Donations also provide for U.S. Ethnic Scholarship and Ethnic In-Service Training programs. United Methodist Student Day Sunday - November 24, 2013 Gifts on United Methodist Student Day support U.M. scholarships and the U.M. Student Loan Fund. Annual conferences participating in the Rebate Program may award one or more merit scholarships to U.M. students who reside in the conference and who attend a U.M.-related college or university. |
History of United Methodist Churchwide Special Sundays with Offerings
Human Relations Day
The 1972 General Conference established Human Relations Day to promote support for Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Services and Police-Community Relations programs. In 1989, the Youth Offender Rehabilitation Program replaced the Police-Community Relations Program. More than 30 church-based Community Developers work in racial- and ethnic-minority communities in the United States and Puerto Rico (57 percent of the offering). A multiracial network of grassroots social-justice organizations related to United Methodist Voluntary Services provides vital outreach (33 percent). Christ-centered Youth Offender Rehabilitation projects give teenagers a chance to succeed (10 percent).
One Great Hour of Sharing
In 1946, One Great Hour of Sharing began as a special effort of the Episcopal Church. In 1949, the observance became ecumenical. Originally, congregations reserved one special worship hour during the year for people of faith to contribute over and above their regular offerings. Today different denominations celebrate One Great Hour of Sharing on various dates, but the cooperative spirit remains.
Native American Ministries Sunday
In a petition to the 1988 General Conference, the Native American International Caucus proposed and delegates approved Native American Awareness Sunday. The 2000 General Conference changed the name of the observance to Native American Ministries Sunday.
Peace with Justice Sunday
The 1980 General Conference created a churchwide Peace with Justice program assigned to the General Board of Church and Society. The 1984 General Conference voted to support the program with an annual Special Sunday offering on World Order Sunday, established more than half a century ago to build recognition and support for the work of the United Nations. While World Order Sunday was set traditionally in October, churches were encouraged to observe it any time during the season of Pentecost. The 1988 General Conference established Peace with Justice Sunday as the first Sunday after Pentecost to give churches a single, more convenient date for the offering and a name that clearly identifies the ministries it supports.
World Communion Sunday
In 1940, the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America established Worldwide Communion Sunday as a global, interdenominational event. Prompted by the impact of World War II, the Methodist Church received an offering on this Sunday for the Fellowship of Suffering and Service. In 1971, The United Methodist Church changed the name of the observance to World Communion Sunday and redistributed the offering to support the Crusade Scholarship Program (begun in 1944), the Ethnic Minority Scholarship Program and the Division of Chaplains and Related Ministries. In 1980, Chaplains and Related Ministries was moved to World Service funding, but the World Communion Sunday offering continued to assist ethnic minority persons pursuing various avenues of ministry. In 2008, “Crusade Scholars” became “World Communion Scholars.”
United Methodist Student Day
In 1866, a special fund was established for the advanced education of Sunday-school children and the educational preparation of persons for the ministry and missionary service. The 1940 General Conference established Methodist Student Day with a churchwide offering. The 1968 Uniting Conference continued this connectional student-aid program to be funded by the United Methodist Student Day offering. Dates for taking the offering have changed through the years.
The 1972 General Conference established Human Relations Day to promote support for Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Services and Police-Community Relations programs. In 1989, the Youth Offender Rehabilitation Program replaced the Police-Community Relations Program. More than 30 church-based Community Developers work in racial- and ethnic-minority communities in the United States and Puerto Rico (57 percent of the offering). A multiracial network of grassroots social-justice organizations related to United Methodist Voluntary Services provides vital outreach (33 percent). Christ-centered Youth Offender Rehabilitation projects give teenagers a chance to succeed (10 percent).
One Great Hour of Sharing
In 1946, One Great Hour of Sharing began as a special effort of the Episcopal Church. In 1949, the observance became ecumenical. Originally, congregations reserved one special worship hour during the year for people of faith to contribute over and above their regular offerings. Today different denominations celebrate One Great Hour of Sharing on various dates, but the cooperative spirit remains.
Native American Ministries Sunday
In a petition to the 1988 General Conference, the Native American International Caucus proposed and delegates approved Native American Awareness Sunday. The 2000 General Conference changed the name of the observance to Native American Ministries Sunday.
Peace with Justice Sunday
The 1980 General Conference created a churchwide Peace with Justice program assigned to the General Board of Church and Society. The 1984 General Conference voted to support the program with an annual Special Sunday offering on World Order Sunday, established more than half a century ago to build recognition and support for the work of the United Nations. While World Order Sunday was set traditionally in October, churches were encouraged to observe it any time during the season of Pentecost. The 1988 General Conference established Peace with Justice Sunday as the first Sunday after Pentecost to give churches a single, more convenient date for the offering and a name that clearly identifies the ministries it supports.
World Communion Sunday
In 1940, the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America established Worldwide Communion Sunday as a global, interdenominational event. Prompted by the impact of World War II, the Methodist Church received an offering on this Sunday for the Fellowship of Suffering and Service. In 1971, The United Methodist Church changed the name of the observance to World Communion Sunday and redistributed the offering to support the Crusade Scholarship Program (begun in 1944), the Ethnic Minority Scholarship Program and the Division of Chaplains and Related Ministries. In 1980, Chaplains and Related Ministries was moved to World Service funding, but the World Communion Sunday offering continued to assist ethnic minority persons pursuing various avenues of ministry. In 2008, “Crusade Scholars” became “World Communion Scholars.”
United Methodist Student Day
In 1866, a special fund was established for the advanced education of Sunday-school children and the educational preparation of persons for the ministry and missionary service. The 1940 General Conference established Methodist Student Day with a churchwide offering. The 1968 Uniting Conference continued this connectional student-aid program to be funded by the United Methodist Student Day offering. Dates for taking the offering have changed through the years.