In 2014, the Council of Bishops established an endowment fund to generate sustainable, long-term support for central conference theological education — similar to what the Central Conference Pension Initiative has done for clergy retirement benefits.
United Methodists the world over will soon have a chance to help clergy cultivate their minds to answer foolishness whenever needed.
At an online meeting in September the board of the General Council on Finance and Administration gave the green light for a one-time worldwide offering for the Endowment Fund for Theological Education in the Central Conferences.
Offering Will Help Prepare Educated Leaders in UMC
The endowment supports clergy education in the denomination’s eight regions in Africa, Europe and the Philippines.
With the board’s approval, the funding appeal has cleared the final hurdle to take place next year.
Retired Bishop Patrick Streiff, the endowment fund’s board chair, told the GCFA board that the bishops expect to schedule the churchwide offering on a Sunday during next year’s Easter season sometime between April 5 and May 24. That way, the bishops can avoid conflicting with any of the Special Sunday offerings designated by the denomination’s General Conference.
“We need really well-educated clergy so that we can have an impact long term in the society,” Streiff said. “And you need, among these educated clergy, those who have a good understanding of our Wesleyan way of being church.”
The endowment fund board also plans to have a website to promote the funding campaign by January.
In the meantime, learn more about the endowment at its website.
The education fund mainly relies on money from apportionments — shares of church giving. However, those apportionment payments vary depending on the denominational budget that General Conference approves.
The fund’s grants support scholarships and resource material, online theological education and professors in Methodism.
Endowment Will Impact Central Conference Clergy
United Methodist leaders agree that the need is urgent in the central conferences, where in many cases, church growth has long outstripped the availability of seminary-educated clergy. According to materials the endowment fund board shared with GCFA, 71% of United Methodist clergy in the U.S. have a master’s degree or higher in theology while less than 5% of clergy in the central conferences can say the same.
Endowment fund leaders are hoping the coming appeal will help close the gap, so that at least 50% of central conference clergy have the equivalent of master’s degrees or higher.
When endowment fund leaders first approached the finance agency’s board in May with a request for a churchwide appeal, the financial leaders agreed that the need was urgent. However, they asked the endowment fund to work more closely with the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, which administers the theological education fund and is subject to annual audits.
With the endowment fund now entering into a cooperative agreement with the higher education agency, the GCFA board at its Sept. 12 meeting quickly approved the request for the special appeal with no debate.
Endowment fund leaders stress that they hope all feel welcome to contribute no matter the amount they can give.
Your Generosity Helps Bishops Provide Mentorship and Leadership
When you support the Episcopal Fund apportionment you help pay the salaries and expenses for United Methodist Bishops and allows them to travel across their episcopal areas providing mentorship and leadership. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the Episcopal Fund apportionment at 100 percent.
excerpt from a story by Heather Hahn, assistant news editor for UM News.
This story shows the impact of the Episcopal Fund—one of seven apportionment funds of The United Methodist Church—to sustain the leadership and oversight of bishops who guide our shared mission. Through this fund, the Church provides fair compensation, support, and accountability for episcopal leadership across the connection. Together, we ensure that every conference has the guidance needed to carry out ministry effectively and faithfully.
When your church supports the Episcopal Fund, you uphold the shared leadership that unites our Church in mission and ministry.
