The United Methodist Church’s Global Ministries agency reports that EPAUMC churches and individuals donated over $384,000 in 2021 to aid global and national missions through The Advance for Christ and His Church, the UMC’s longtime primary giving channel to support missions.
Deaconess Barbara Drake (left), our EPA Conference Secretary of Global Ministries, shared the good news of our generous giving with cabinet members recently. She computed the $384,050.51 total, including gifts from at least 120 churches, from a report that would exceed 100 pages if printed.
One hundred percent of gifts through The Advance go to support the intended project or missionary, while administrative costs are covered by our World Service apportioned giving and by the UMCOR Sunday churchwide special offering. (The 2022 official date for celebrating UMCOR Sunday and its special offering is March 27; but it may be celebrated at any time.)
A large majority of the gifts went to UMCOR (the UM Committee on Relief), either to aid international or national disaster relief efforts or to go “wherever needed.”
And 10 missionaries received donations, led by Dr. Mark Zimmerman, who received nearly $25,000 for his work in Nepal. Others receiving support were:
- Deirdre Zimmerman, serving with her husband Mark in Kathmandu, Nepal. (right)
- Mutwale Mushidi and Kabaka Alphonsine, a married couple from the Dem. Republic of Congo, serving in Tanzania
- Becky Parsons, serving as Global Ministries Mission Advocate for the Northeastern Jurisdiction
- Jane Kies, of South Africa, serving at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe
- Ngoy Kalangwa, from the Dem. Republic of Congo, serving in Tanzania
- David McCormick, serving as Global Ministries Mission Advocate for the South Central Jurisdiction
- William Lovelace, serving as a Ministry to Migrants Consultant in Norway
- Luky Cotto, who served Casa del Pueblo, at Lehman Memorial UMC, but is now retired.