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Special Sunday Observances
Approved by the 2000 General Conferences
The 2000 General Conference considered several
petitions dealing with Special Sunday observances.
The General Conference changed the name of Native
American Awareness Sunday to Native American Ministry
Sunday and retained the 6 Special Sundays with
Churchwide offering as listed in the 1996 Book
of Discipline with only the one name change. Organ
and Tissue Donor Sunday was added to the Special
Sundays without Churchwide Offering, to make a
total of three Sundays. The 4 Special Sundays
with Opportunities for Annual Conference Offerings
were also reaffirmed. The following is a list
of approved Special Sundays.
Special Sundays With
Churchwide Offerings
Human Relations Day
Shall be observed with an offering, preferably
on the Sunday before the observance of Martin
Luther King Jr.'s birthday.
Offering receipts will be allocated and administered
as follows:
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57%
for Community Developers Program
(administered by GBG) |
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33%
for United Methodist Voluntary Services Program
(administered by GBCS) |
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10%
for Youth Offender Rehabilitation Program
(administered by GBCS) |
One Great Hour of Sharing
Shall be observed preferably on the Fourth Sunday
in Lent.
Offering receipts are for the United Methodist Committee
on Relief.
Native American Ministry Sunday
Shall be observed preferably on the Third Sunday
of Easter.
Offering receipts:
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50%
retained in the annual conference for developing
and strengthening Native American ministries |
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25%
to provide scholarships for Native Americans
attending United Methodist attending United
Methodist schools of theology and school approved |
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25%
to expand the number of target cities in the
Native American Urban Initiative |
Peace with Justice Sunday
Shall be observed preferably on the Second Sunday
after Pentecost.
Offering receipts:
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50%
retained in the annual conference for Peace
with Justice ministries |
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50%
for Peace with Justice ministries administered
by the General Board of Church and Society |
World Communion Sunday
Shall be observed preferably on the first Sunday
of October.
Offering receipts:
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50%
for Crusade Scholarships (administered by
the General Board of Global Ministries) |
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35%
for Ethnic Scholarship Program (administered
by the General Board of Higher Education and
Ministry) |
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15%
for Ethnic In-Service Training Program (administered
by the General Board of Higher Education and
Ministry) |
United Methodist Student Day
Shall be observed preferably on the last Sunday
in November.
Offering receipts for support of the United Methodist
scholarships and the United Methodist Student Loan
Fund, administered by the General Board of Higher
Education and Ministry.
Special Sundays Without
Churchwide Offerings
Heritage Sunday
Shall be observed on April 23, the day in 1968 when
The United Methodist Church was created by the union
of The Evangelical United Brethren Church and The
Methodist Church, or the Sunday following that date.
Laity Sunday
Shall be observed annually, preferably on the third
Sunday in October. It calls the Church to celebrate
the ministry of all lay Christians, as their lives
are empowered for ministry by the Holiday Spirit.
Organ and Tissue Donor Sunday (New observance)
Shall be observed annually, preferably on the second
Sunday in November. It is viewed as a time to come
together around the issue of life and Thanksgiving.
Special Sundays With Opportunities
for Annual Conference Offerings
Christian Education Sunday
Shall be observed on a date determined by the annual
conference. It calls the Church as the people of
God to be open to growth and learning as disciples
of Jesus Christ. An offering may be received for
the work of Christian education within the annual
conference.
Golden Cross Sunday
Shall be observed annually on a date determined
by the annual conference. An offering may be received
for the work of health and welfare ministries in
the annual conference.
Rural Life Sunday
Shall be observed on a date determined by the annual
conference. It calls the Church to celebrate the
rural heritage of The United Methodist Church, to
recognize the ongoing crisis occurring in rural
areas of the nation and world today, and to affirm
the interdependence of rural and urban communities.
An offering may be received for the purpose of strengthening
the nurture, outreach, and/or witness of congregations
in town and rural areas.
Disability
Awareness Sunday
Shall be observed annually on a date determined
by the annual conference. It calls the Church to
celebrate the gifts and graces of persons with disabilities
and calls for the Church and society to full inclusion
of persons with disabilities in the community. An
offering may be received to promote the work of
creating architectural and attitudinal accessibility
in local churches.
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