This Stories of Hope DVD provides an overview of UMCOR's work in Darfur, Sager Brown, Justice for our Neighbors, and with hurricane recovery.

The World Service Fund is the heart of our denomination-wide presence, underwriting Christian mission and ministry around the World. See programs at home and around the world supported by small donations that add up to big help.

This unique story of United Methodist giving will help you explain the missions of our family of apportioned funds, our six church wide Special Sundays with offerings, and our two designated giving programs - the Advance for Christ and His Church and World Service Special Gifts. It will also help you demonstrate where the local church expense dollar goes during the 2001-2004 quadrennium... and where it stays. The accompanying 28-page leader's guide provides clear instructions on how to personalize the giving story for your church.
This video is the perfect companion for the "Sharing God's Gifts" handbook and "Connectional Giving Digest."
PLEASE NOTE: Following the 10-minute video, there is a pause which then leads into four 3-minute vignettes on connectional ministries - worship and nurture, outreach, education, and administration - suitable for worship or devotional settings.

How do pastors and church leaders encourage their members to increase their Apportionment giving? Introduced by George Gallup, Jr. and featuring ministries supported by the apportioned funds of The United Methodist Church, this program begins with the personal faith statements of United Methodist leaders and relates how these apportioned funds make a difference. It reflects the changes brought about because United Methodists, through the connectional church, share dollars and spiritual gifts. Viewers will see apportionment dollars undergirding healing ministries around the globe. The video is for use by bishops, district superintendents, council directors, and finance personnel to interpret to CLERGY the mission and ministry made possible by the apportioned funds. A similar video, "Call to Respond" is for use by pastors with local congregations.

This video shows the Advance in action. An Applachian woman tells of how the Barwick community - through a self-help gardening program - helps feed the hungry, Johns Island in South Carolina now has a day care and a medical clinic. Snow Church in Michigan tells how they became the church giving the largest amount to the World Hunger Advance Specials.

Advance Toolbox, a collection of resources to interpret and promote the Advance for Christ and His Church, has been made for 4 years. This new edition includes;
-Partnership in Missions: Catalog of General Advance Specials 2001 - Comprehensive book lists more than 2,000 ministries, including outreach in rural areas, clean-water projects, ministries with women, Bible education, church construction and other programs.
-So Great a Cloud of Witnesses Video (VT2565) - In this 20-minute videotape, also available in Korean, Spanish and closed-caption version, several local churches show how and why they are involved in the Advance. Visit the Website at gbgm-umc.org/advance.
-"So Great Cloud of Witnesses" Minutes-For-Mission Card Set -- Fifty cards include prayers, scriptures and stories of the Advance for use in Sunday school, bulletins and newsletters, and during worship.
These resources are designed to introduce the Advance to those who are not aware of this designated-giving opportunity and to remind people who already participate in the Advance to continue to do so.

The video will provide concrete examples of United Methodists in ministry in your backyard as well as halfway around the globe. Guides are included to tell you how to use it effectively. The video reflects the joy brought about because we share our dollars and spiritual gifts through our connectional church.

This video celebrates 50 years of mission and ministry through the Advance by a people called UNITED METHODIST. Since 1948--through voluntary, second-mile giving known as the ADVANCE, the United Methodist's have built churches, healed the sick, rescued refugees, trained leaders in more than 100 countries.

In this 20-minute videotape, also available in Korean, Spanish and closed-caption version, several local churches show how and why they are involved in the Advance. Visit the Website at gbgm-umc.org/advance.
This video is one of the resources included in a New Edition of the Advance Toolbox (KT0002) along with "Partnership in Missions: Catalog of General Advance Specials 2001" and "So Great Cloud of Witnesses" Minutes-For-Mission Card Set."