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Nov. 16, 2008
Twenty-seventh Sunday after Pentecost
United Methodist Student Day is Nov. 30
Will your congregation have
the opportunity to invest in the educational future of the young people of
Virginia?
You can help United
Methodist young people who will be attending college by providing
scholarship funds through the United Methodist Student Day Offering, which
will be received on Nov. 30, reports the Rev. Ray Edmonds, the conference
director of Higher Education and Social Concerns.
Ninety percent of the
offering is used by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM)
for scholarships and loans, and 10 percent is rebated to the Virginia
Conference for its Wasena “Buddy” Wright Jr. Merit Scholarships.
“In 2007, the offering
enabled the conference to award only two Merit Scholarships to deserving
young people in our conference,” Edmonds said. “Our rebate was $1,800, which
limits the number of Conference Merit Scholarships to our deserving young
people. In some previous years our offering was $25,000-$30,000, but
it has averaged around $18,000 in recent years. However, if the conference
could collect $40,000, we would receive 20 percent of the offering, thereby
greatly increasing the number of scholarships.”
You can allow your
congregation the opportunity to give by placing a notice in the bulletin
and/or by providing a special envelope or by placing a collection plate near
the exits.
To make the United
Methodist Student Day worship services even more special, you could involve
college students who have benefited from United Methodist loans and
scholarships, or students involved in one of our campus ministries, or those
who attend United Methodist-related colleges.
If you need additional
resources, visit the Web site
www.umcgiving.org/umstudentday.
Our youth and young
adults are our present and future, but you are their hope. For more
information contact Edmonds at 1-800-768-6040, ext. 136, or via e-mail at
RayEdmonds@vaumc.org.
Bishops respond to
‘extraordinary ordination’:
United Methodist bishops
declared the ecumenical ordination of a lesbian and another woman who
champions gay rights, which took place Oct. 19 in Baltimore, “has no effect
within The United Methodist Church ... and therefore has no official status
within our denomination and will not qualify individuals for appointment.”
The ordinations “belong to Church Within A Church,” an organization of
Methodists who describe themselves as “dedicated to being the inclusive
church,” the statement read. “The United Methodist Church is clear that it
does not ordain self-avowed practicing homosexuals” (The
Book of Discipline,
¶304.3).
Pathways seeks your
help:
Pathways, a mission project of the United Methodist Church in Petersburg,
needs help in keeping its doors open that they might be Christ to the least
of those among us. Pathways is experiencing severe economic challenges and
needs to raise $200,000 by the end of the year. Pathways offers income tax
credits and asks supporters to consider “gifting” their family and friends
with a donation during the upcoming season of giving. Contact Pathways at
(804) 862-1104, ext. 312, visit them online at
http://pathways-va.org,
or by e-mail at
info@pathways-va.org.
United Methodist
presidents meet:
President George W. Bush
recently met with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia at the White
House in Washington, D.C. Both heads of state are United Methodist and have
met at least five times over the course of their presidencies. During their
most recent visit, President Bush pledged U.S. support as Liberia addresses
challenges with education, malaria, infrastructure and economic development.
Johnson Sirleaf said such assistance has enabled her country to “turn the
corner” toward becoming an emerging democracy.
Interfaith dialogue continues:
The latest session of the
dialogue between the United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church
examined ways that race and racism have divided their denominations, reports
the Episcopal News Service. The group also worked toward drafting a
theological statement, summarizing areas of convergence between the two
denominations.
Quote of
the Week: “The Congo
is the site of the deadliest war since the Holocaust. It is time for the
world to pay attention.” —
Actor George Clooney,
a specially appointed United Nations Messenger of Peace, urging the nations
of the world to do more to help bring peace to Congo. The crisis in eastern
Congo has exploded since rebel leader Laurent Nkunda launched an offensive.
Retreating Congolese troops sent the population fleeing for their lives, and
a U.N. peacekeeping force did little to prevent the rebels’ advance,
enraging the population.
Published
weekly, the electronic
Sunday
Advocate
summarizes news
events
affecting Virginia United Methodists and serves as a link to the
in-depth reporting of the
Virginia
United Methodist Advocate,
the official newsmagazine of the Virginia Conference of The United
Methodist Church. To subscribe to the award-winning monthly
Virginia
Advocate
newsmagazine, call
(804) 521-1110 or 1-800-768-6040, ext. 110; or e-mail
Advocate@vaumc.org.
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