Special Sundays are designated Sundays throughout the year that provide opportunities for giving. These special offerings are earmarked and support designated ministries.
On these Sundays, we empower our congregations to give toward causes and organizations that promote sustainable life change.
These offerings help offer refuge in times of disaster, promote peace and justice, provide scholarships, reach out to the community, teach skills to encourage self-sufficiency and share the love of Jesus Christ with God’s people everywhere.
On the following Sundays, we ask that each member of our congregation bring a $1.00 donation for these special, designated ministries:
January 16th, 2022
Human Relations Day
What is Human Relations Day?
Human Relations Day is one of six churchwide Special Sundays with offerings of The United Methodist Church. Human Relations Day calls United Methodists to recognize the right of all God’s children in realizing their potential as human beings in relationship with one another.
This special offering benefits neighborhood ministries through community developers, community advocacy through United Methodist Voluntary Services and works with at-risk teens through the Youth Offender Rehabilitation Program.
March 27th, 2022
UMCOR Sunday
What is UMCOR Sunday?
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to respond with extravagant grace. Through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) we are able to make a difference in the lives of communities and individuals whose lives have been upset by storms, wars, fires, displacement and climate change. This offering understates UMCOR’s “cost of doing business,” allowing UMCOR to keep the promise that 100% of any gift to a specific UMCOR project will go towards that project and not administrative cost.
UMCOR equips local churches, annual conferences and nonprofit organizations to be in mission with their communities and to respond to those left most vulnerable during challenging times. Also, UMCOR doesn’t just respond to the emergency for the short term. Working with local organizations, churches in the community and United Methodist volunteers, UMCOR builds relationships and helps communities rebuild, in the years following a disaster.
UMCOR responds to U.S. and international disasters, addresses diseases and poverty, assists refugees and immigrants, provides clean water and works to reduce hunger. UMCOR would be unable to do this work without your support. From training Conference Disaster Coordinators and Early Response Teams to keeping the office lights on, the UMCOR Sunday special offering equips the organization to respond quickly to disasters.
Your sustaining gifts on UMCOR Sunday lay the foundation for UMCOR to share God’s love with communities everywhere.
May 1st, 2022
Native American Ministries Sunday
What is Native American Ministries Sunday?
In the account of Jesus walking on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), the disciples do not recognize Jesus until they invite him to stay with them and he sits and breaks bread. Similarly, in our churches, it is through sharing with one another that we experience Christ among us. The Covid-19 crisis has an increased impact on those who live paycheck to paycheck and weren’t able to stockpile basic needs. And in places like the Yankton Sioux Tribe on the White Swan Reservation in South Dakota, the nearest substantial grocery stores are 60-90 miles away. The community was still recovering from 2019 flooding when they were further compromised by the pandemic. The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference sent a grant to the tribe to purchase food and supplies and distribute them during the crisis.
Through our giving, we celebrate United Methodist Native American Ministries. As we share in community for this and other denominational giving opportunities, our offerings connect us in ways that recognize Christ among us.
Beyond times of crisis, the special offering supports Native American outreach within annual conferences and across the United States and provides seminary scholarships for Native Americans.
June 12th, 2022
Peace With Justice Sunday
What is Peace With Justice Sunday?
In Arizona border towns, communities facing social challenges are dramatically divided. In Liberian villages, citizens’ human rights are being violated. In local U.S. communities, women and girls are being bought and sold against their will.
Moved by Christ’s love to pursue reconciliation and peace, honoring the dignity of every individual made in God’s image, The United Methodist Church is unwilling to turn a blind eye to injustice.
Although you, and possibly even your congregation, may lack the resources alone to effect change in a broken world, your giving is vital for the UMC to continue its global ministries of reconciliation. Because of the Peace with Justice Sunday offering, the people of The United Methodist Church are able to make a difference together by sowing seeds—and yielding fruit!—of peace.
October 2nd, 2022
World Communion Sunday
What is World Communion Sunday?
On World Communion Sunday your giving helps to provide scholarships for national and international graduate students whom God has gifted to learn and to serve.
Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world...” and because the people of The United Methodist Church believe that all of God’s children have been created and gifted to build the kingdom Jesus ushered in, we’re resourcing them to do just that. Because of your giving on World Communion Sunday, the most powerful tool to change the world is in more hands.
November 27th, 2022
United Methodist Student Sunday
What is United Methodist Student Sunday?
One of the major challenges that students face is the lack of financial support to attain a college education. Worrying about expenses adds to the already existing anxieties youth experience and it may take away from their ability to excel in their studies or activities. But for students attending United Methodist Churches, we extend a hand to help them accomplish their career goals.
For more than 100 years, United Methodists have been supporting their students’ educational needs through a special offering. The funds received from the offering go into the United Methodist Student Loan Fund to underwrite scholarships for United Methodist students. Scholarships are awarded to deserving United Methodist students annually.
Right now, there are United Methodist young people who might not have the resources to attend a school of their choice, or, for some, any school at all. But because of people like you, they will be sent into the world God loves with gifts made through United Methodist Student Day. Your contribution is an acknowledgment that the church has confidence in them and in their abilities. Please help deserving, young adults continue their education and their faith journeys.
Supporting this ministry allows us to invest in future missionaries, engineers, teachers, pastors, film producers and so many other careers. Our students are depending on your support.