News

Give Gifts of Hope This Christmas

As you are looking for the perfect Christmas presents this year, think about giving gifts that will make a difference and be treasured long after the holiday passes. Choose a project from the Global Ministries gift catalog as an alternative to a traditional gift. Help vulnerable populations and support vital United Methodist mission projects all around the world, while honoring someone special in your life. And remember, with a gift through The Advance, 100% of your donation reaches its...

Michael Christensen Blog: 'God Trusts Us'

Why my church gave away $30,000 on one Sunday The Rev. Michael Christensen, an elder in the California-Nevada Annual Conference, appointed to extension ministry at Drew University, has blogged about what happened on a recent Sunday at LiquidChurch, his "default" church  in Morristown, NJ ("the place I go when I'm not church hopping"). Christensen says Liquid is "very cool, theologically conservative, socially active, media-savvy, [and] culturally relevant to a...

Ken Sloane Becomes GBOD Stewardship Director

By Tom Gillem NASHVILLE, Tenn. (GBOD)—The Rev. Dr. Ken Sloane will begin work Oct. 1 as Director of Stewardship at the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD), where he will help congregations determine effective ways of giving, as well as embracing stewardship of all areas of life within a discipleship system.   He succeeds the Rev. Dr. Betsy Schwarzentraub of the California-Nevada Annual Conference.   "The stewardship position is a very important one, not just for GBOD...

Attend Aug. 27 Extravagant Generosity Workshop in Palo Alto

Sign up your church leadership for a Conference Workshop on Annual Funding and Extravagant Generosity, featuring leaders from the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD), August 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto will host the workshop.   The workshop utilizes a new stewardship program, Extravagant Generosity: The Heart of Giving, by Michael Reeves, Jennifer Tyler, and Bishop Robert Schnase (author of Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations), which is...

New Connectional Giving Resources

Each month, United Methodist Communications intends to provide churches with short, easy-to-use resources to aid them in promoting giving. This month the message is from the Rev. Kent Millard, lead pastor at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, who says:   "I have found it to be true in my life that I can't out-give God. When I give generously to support God's work in the world, I discover that I am always blessed in return."   Give away your life; you'll...

Two Opportunities Remain to Hear Ken Sloane

You have two more opportunities to attend "Together We Can: Celebrating United Methodist Giving," the inspiring presentation by the Rev. Dr. Ken Sloane, Director of Communications Ministry for United Methodist Communications in Nashville. Rev. Sloane will be at San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church in Alamo, California this evening (Thurs. March 10) from 7 to 9, and at Community UMC in Aptos, California tomorrow (Fri. March 11) from 4:30 to 6 p.m.   Afterward he will...

Updated Schedule for March 'Together We Can' Celebrations

"We need to tell our story." That's a cornerstone of what you'll hear from the Rev. Dr. Ken Sloane, when you attend a "Together We Can" workshop – coming in just a few days, to a church near you! Rev. Sloane, Director of Communications Ministry at United Methodist Communications in Nashville, will conduct a series of informative and inspiring workshops throughout the California-Nevada Annual Conference, March 4-11.   As leader of the team that developed both...

Dates, Locations Announced for March 'Together We Can' Celebrations

The preliminary itinerary for the March "Together We Can: Celebrating United Methodist Giving" tour has been announced. Pastors, church treasurers, and members of church finance committees, in particular, are urged to make plans now to attend one of these inspiring and informative workshops. They are open to all. The "Together We Can: Celebrating United Methodist Giving" workshops are being presented by the Rev. Dr. Ken Sloane, Director of Communications Ministry at United...

Celebrating UM Giving: Attend 'Together We Can,' Coming to Cal-Nev in March

"There are things we can do as a connectional church – working together – that no one church could do on its own." – The Rev. Dr. Ken Sloane In early March the California-Nevada Annual Conference will have the honor of hosting the Rev. Dr. Ken Sloane, Director of Communications Ministry at United Methodist Communications in Nashville, at a series of workshops in celebration of United Methodist giving. Rev. Sloane will make a tour of the Conference, giving his...

Remember to Take World AIDS Day Offering on Dec. 5

World AIDS Day is December 1. United Methodist churches are encouraged to celebrate the first Sunday of December (Dec. 5) as AIDS Sunday and take a special offering. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has created a group of resources to help churches observe World AIDS Day at the beginning of next month. Visit UMCOR's World AIDS Day 2010 web page to access church bulletin insert, poster, and other resources.   To support United Methodist AIDS ministries, give on line. Or...

10-Fold: 10 Days, 10 Projects, Beginning on Oct. 10

You don't have to have an advanced math degree to count to 10 – so take up the challenge: Count to 10 and BE COUNTED by taking part in 10-Fold, a 10-day campaign highlighting 10 mission projects supported through The Advance, the designated giving arm of The United Methodist Church, which begins on October 10. 10-Fold is an online event unlike anything you've experienced before: Through live webcasts, streaming video, online chats, and other media at www.10-fold.org, you'll see and...

Katherine Parker Is Featured in 10-fold, Encourages Support for Campaign

General Board of Global Ministries missionary Katherine Parker, a member of the California-Nevada Annual Conference, is featured in the 10-Fold campaign which kicks off on October 10. Saying "this looks to be an amazing mobilization effort to share about work around the world," Parker encourages United Methodists in the Conference to give their support to the campaign. Read more in her October letter – and learn why 10-Fold has special significance for her.   Parker, who...

Clarification Regarding Giving to San Bruno Fire Task Force

We wish to clarify a point offered as an Editor's Note at the end of the September 16, 2010 story, Task Force Organized in Response to San Bruno Fire. The note originally said, "Churches making donations will receive credit on Apportionments." It has been corrected to read:   "Donations from churches will appear on their Apportionments Statement, for information purposes only. Individual contributions will be reflected on a church's Apportionments Statement if...

Discipleship Agency Names Schwarzentraub as Director of Stewardship

The General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) has named the California-Nevada Annual Conference's own the Rev. Dr. Betsy Schwarzentraub as Director of Stewardship. The position becomes effective June 1. Schwarzentraub currently is the owner of Schwarzentraub & Associates, a stewardship consulting firm in Garden Valley, California. She has served as the Director of Stewardship and Director of Development for the California-Nevada Annual Conference, and continues to be a consultant here. She...

Giving Decline Means Disappointed Scholarship Applicants

A 13-percent decline in giving to Student Day, coupled with increases in eligible applicants and reductions in other funds, means several hundred United Methodist scholarship applicants are likely to be disappointed this year unless significant donations are made on line before June. So says Angella Current-Felder, executive director of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry's Office of Loans and Scholarships. Current-Felder says last year, 469 students who were eligible for...

Reaching out to Younger Givers Event Is in June

By Susan Peters Executive Director, CA-NV United Methodist Foundation World War II generation talk about sacrifice just doesn't cut it for teaching and modeling stewardship among most young adults. So how do we communicate and practice extravagant generosity among adults in their 20s and 30s, encouraging fruitful, generous-hearted living? What can we learn from Church of the Resurrection and other ministry models about creating a culture of generosity among young adults?   Come explore...

GBOD Seeks to Fill Stewardship Position

The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church is seeking the right person for a vacancy, Director of Stewardship for the Discipleship Ministries Division. Please share information about this opening with persons you think may be interested in applying for the position.  The deadline for receipt of applications is March 5, 2010.    Applicants should send their resume to recruit@gbod.org . They may call 615.340.7108 or 615.340.7107 for assistance or to...

Churches - Observe Human Relations Day on Jan. 17

United Methodist churches are asked to observe Human Relations Day with a special offering on January 17. This Special Sunday offering strengthens outreach to communities in the United States and Puerto Rico and encourages social justice and work with at-risk youth. It funds community developers, United Methodist voluntary service, and youth offender rehabilitation programs.   A community developer who directs a program funded by this offering says its primary focus is "to help...

New STEWARDSHIP & GENEROSITY Webpage Offers More Resources

A "new and improved" STEWARDSHIP & GENEROSITY webpage is now up on the Conference website, just in time to meet your local church needs! Whether you're in the midst of your annual funding campaign, wanting plans for your 2010 Stewardship Team, or searching for something inspiring to recruit new leadership, there are plenty of resources. You'll find a whole cluster of materials specifically for the Local Church Stewardship and/or Finance Committee. For example, "Elements and...

Special Sundays Fund Important Scholarships

(GBHEM) - The combination of the recession and an online application process dramatically increased the demand for United Methodist loans and scholarships this year - making contributions to the Student Day, World Communion Sunday, and Native American Ministries Sunday offerings even more important. More than 9,000 students applied for United Methodist scholarships this year (although only 2,877 completed all the required recommendations and documentation by the May 15 deadline), according to...