Dear Church Leader,
If you are planning your United Methodist Student Day celebration on November 26 (or a date that is more convenient for your congregation), now is the time to check in with your worship team to find out how your celebration plans are coming along. If you have not begun working on your plans, it’s not too late because we created resources and ideas that you can use to inspire your congregation to get involved in supporting young and ambitious United Methodist students. Claim the resources below and use them to implement your plans. Our United Methodist students need your congregation’s support.
- Communicate your online giving information to your members or promote umcgiving.org/UMSD for online giving to United Methodist Student Day offering.
- Ensure that the Pew Cards are placed in the pew racks or in high-traffic areas. The cards may also be placed in the church’s visitor or new-member packets.
- Download the Offering Talk and Liturgy and print the Adult Bulletin Insert or Cover to worshipers.
- Help the church grow generous and mission-minded adults by sharing the UMSD Sunday Children’s Message and Bulletin Inserts with your Sunday school students. This is a great way to involve children in the mission of the church early in their lives.
- Play a United Methodist Student Day video from the umcgiving YouTube channel as congregants enter the sanctuary or use the video to introduce the offering.
- Share the Social Media Graphics on your church’s social media platform(s) and encourage church members to share UMSD videos with their family and friends.
- Customize the reminder copy below and use it on your social media platform(s) or share it as an email to remind church members about the November 26 celebration. Church members who are unable to attend the worship service may find the content useful as they participate in your online service (if you stream your worship service).
- Thank your members for their generosity and arrange to send the offering to your annual conference treasurer.
Thank you for leading your congregation to give scholarships to United Methodist students. Supporting United Methodist students helps them realize their dreams while giving them a spiritual boost.
Thank you for your generosity,
THE CONNECTIONAL GIVING TEAM
2023 UMSD #2
ANNOUNCEMENT COPY OR EMAIL
“Email Subject: Prepare to Celebrate United Methodist Student Day on November 26, 2023.
Scripture: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” —1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV
Pretext: United Methodist Student Day is two weeks away—November 26, 2023!
Dear Friends,
United Methodist Student Day is November 26, 2023! It is a great privilege to support the Gift of Hope Scholarship through your gifts to the United Methodist Student Day offering. Your gift is a blessing to every student who receives a scholarship.
Our students are the present and future of The United Methodist Church. When Anna Wilson received a Gift of Hope Scholarship, she said, “This scholarship changed my life. It decreased our family’s financial burden for the cost of college. It showed me that The United Methodist Church cares about my education and that they will support me.” We would like to have many more United Methodists express the same sentiment as Anna.
When you give generously on United Methodist Student Day, you support future missionaries, engineers, teachers, pastors, film producers and so many other careers. The burden of taking on prohibitive amounts of debt can feel overwhelming. It limits bright, qualified students from bringing their full selves into the professions they feel called to.
Our students are depending on your support. Will you help support deserving, young adults to continue their education and their faith journeys?
Thank you for your generosity.
Pastor__________”