United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

1
United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY
2
History
United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

• In 1940, the Federal Council of Churches of
  Christ in America established World-Wide
  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
  racial- and ethnic-minority people pursuing
  various avenues of ministry. The 2008 General
  Conference changed the name Crusade Scholars to
  World Communion Scholars.

3
World Communion Sunday goes beyond the sacrament.
United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

• Your offering provides college scholarships for
  racial- and ethnic-minority students in the
  United States and for international students.
• World Communion Sunday calls the church to be
  the catholic (universal) inclusive church.

4
Your gifts are distributed as follows
United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

• Fifty percent of the offering provides
  scholarships for international and U.S. racial-
  and ethnic-minority graduate students (World
  Communion Scholars).
• Thirty-five percent of the receipts support
  ethnic scholarships for undergraduate students.
• Fifteen percent funds the Ethnic In-Service
  Training Program for racial- and ethnic-minority
  people seeking second careers in church-related
  vocations.

5
Your gifts support three vital programs.
United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

• World Communion Scholarship Program This
  program seeks to support international and U.S.
  racial- and ethnic-minority graduate students
  whose study focus will relate directly to mission
  and to the elimination of poverty, expansion of
  global health, leadership development or
  congregational development.
• Ethnic Scholarship Program This program awards
  scholarships for Native American, Asian, African
  American, Hispanic and Pacific Islander
  applicants pursuing their first undergraduate
  degree.
• Ethnic In-Service Training Program Funds for
  this program are designated for the recruitment,
  training and retention of ethnic United
  Methodists in leadership positions at every level
  of the church and its ministry.

6
Meet Ofelia Duldulao
United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

• Ofelia Duldulao is a student at the University of
  the Philippines and a World Communion Sunday
  Scholarship recipient.
• She is preparing for a masters degree in
  environmental education.
• I am not a scholar of just another agency, she
  said. I am a scholar of the church, and I see
  myself working with the church and the community
  as long as I am able.

7
Meet Marcus Simmons
United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

• Marcus Simmons is a doctoral candidate in voice
  performance, pedagogy and literature at Indiana
  University and a World Communion Sunday
  Scholarship recipient.
• He plans to pursue a career as an educator and
  worship leader.
• Without the scholarship or the relationship with
  Global Ministries, he said, he could not complete
  his doctoral studies or be the best steward of
  his gifts.

8
Meet Elsa Noemi Meza
United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

• Elsa Noemi Meza is a seminary student at
  Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and a
  World Communion Sunday Scholarship recipient.
• She says her wish is to create a Chicago-based
  United Methodist Hispanic leadership program that
  welcomes dialogue connections with Hispanic
  Christian women and other faith traditions.

9
How you can help!
United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

• Give online at www.umcgiving.org/give-now.
• Give through your local church. Write a check to
  your local church and identify it as World
  Communion Sunday. Place it in the offering plate
  or give it to your church treasurer.
• Give by mail GCFA, P.O. Box 340029, Nashville,
  TN 37203

10
Learn more!
United Methodist WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

• Visit our website www.umcgiving.org/wcs
• General Board of Higher Education and Ministry,
  www.gbhem.org
• General Board of Global Ministries,
  www.umcmission.org