Activate Love. Transform Lives. Change the World. #Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1
On Dec. 1, United Methodists will once again come together to support the work of Advance projects and missionaries on UMC #GivingTuesday. And, once again, every gift made online through The Advance at www.umcmission.org/give on Dec. 1, 2015 will be matched up to $1 million.* The Dakotas Conference has three Conference Advance projects: Solar Oven Partners, Out in Faith—Bakken Oil Rush Ministry and Tree of Life Ministry.
Momentum has been building for several years as more people are aware of the day and what it means. Through UMC #GivingTuesday, churches and individuals combine Advent and Christmas seasonal giving with global mission and outreach opportunities.
What is UMC #GivingTuesday?
UMC #GivingTuesday is part of an international movement to extend the spirit of giving thanks into the Advent season. As a response to the hyper consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, people around the world celebrate UMC #GivingTuesday by supporting organizations that are transforming the world. It offers an opportunity to start off the holiday season by giving instead of getting.
UMC #GivingTuesday offers United Methodists a way to participate by supporting projects through The Advance.
What is The Advance?
The Advance is the accountable, designated giving arm of The United Methodist Church that ensures 100 percent of each gift is used for its intended mission or ministry.
Through The Advance, United Methodists can give to more than 800 United Methodist-related projects worldwide. Donors can also provide support for more than 300 missionaries. Together, the projects meet a range of needs, from helping survivors cope with natural or civil disasters to helping communities build churches, feed and educate children, and equip hospitals and clinics.
The Advance works with church leaders around the world to ensure that approved projects: are aligned with the goals of The United Methodist Church in the local area, help develop partnerships that are mutually advantageous, tell the story of projects and missionaries, and report how giving is making an impact.
Since its founding in 1948, The Advance has helped channel more than 3 million gifts totaling more than $1 billion to thousands of projects and ministries.
What is the impact of giving on one day?
While people can and do give through The Advance all year, concentrating efforts on one day raises awareness not only about the denomination’s many ministries throughout the world, but also about the extravagant generosity of United Methodists. UMC #GivingTuesday has an added benefit of reinforcing a spirit of cheerful Christian giving.
Because of the success of UMC #GivingTuesday, The United Methodist Church has become a model for other organizations wanting to participate in the larger #GivingTuesday campaign. Global Ministries was among the partners invited to the White House by the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Partnership last year. And an article in USA Today highlighted The United Methodist Church among the significant participants, reporting, “Big names — Microsoft to United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries and PayPal — got involved this year with promises to match donations.”
In 2014, more than $2.5 million was donated to mission and ministries through The Advance on UMC #GivingTuesday. More than 770 projects and missionaries received more than 8,700 gifts from donors in more than 25 countries.
Specific Advance projects of the Dakotas Conference that can be impacted through giving on UMC #GivingTuesday:
Out in Faith-Bakken Oil Rush Ministry, Katie Peterson Deaconess
Will gifts made on UMC #GivingTuesday be matched?
Every gift made online through The Advance at www.umcmission.org/give on Dec. 1, 2015 will be matched up to $1 million.*
* Global Ministries will allocate the matching funds dollar for dollar up to the first $1 million in gifts to Advance projects received online on Dec. 1, 2015 between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. CT. A maximum of $2,500 per individual gift to a project will be dispersed as matching funds. A project may receive a maximum of $25,000 in matching funds.
- Click here for more details
