A Moment for Mission
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely." —Hebrews 12:1a, NRSV
When United Methodist congregations pay their World Service Fund apportionment, they support the mission and ministry of the general church agencies that serve on their behalf around the globe.
One recipient is the General Commission on Archives and History, whose role it is to promote and care for the historical interests of the denomination at every level. GCAH gathers, preserves and holds title to library and archival materials and disseminates interpretive materials on the history of The United Methodist Church and its antecedents.
Last year on Father's Day, Rebecca Sherwood Fallon decided to make a personal donation to the commission to honor her father, Lawrence Sherwood Jr.
Fallon knew that her dad believed in the importance of researching and preserving the history of The United Methodist Church. In 2018, Sherwood was awarded a "Ministry of Memory Award" from the United Methodist Historical Society. The United Methodist Church has a special place in the heart of Sherwood, his children and those who have witnessed his love and service to the denomination over the years.
Yes, congregational support of the World Service Fund is vital to the work of the General Commission on Archives and History. Through apportionments and generous gifts like Fallon's, the commission is able to honor our past and prepare for the future.
Every gift—in your church offering plate and through planned giving—makes an impact. Thank you for your support!
Offertory Prayer
Loving God, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. May we run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus every step of the way. In your name, we pray. Amen.
From Discipleship Ministries: Tenth Sunday after Pentecost — Generous and giving God, you have poured your blessings down on us like a summer downpour or a waterfall, sustaining and renewing us. The gifts we dedicate to you are a small token in comparison to your goodness, but we pray that they offer you refreshment, in the knowledge that we long to grow in generosity. May our giving inspire justice and righteousness to grow and swell like a mighty river in our midst. We pray in the name of Christ, the Living Water. Amen. (Isaiah 5:1-7)
Newsletter Nugget
Are you taking any exciting summer trips? How about traveling back in history to visit some of United Methodism's 49 Heritage Landmarks? You'll find them in 23 of the United States, as well as Liberia, the Philippines and Zimbabwe.
Among the Heritage Landmarks are three new ones designated by the 2016 General Conference: Pearl River United Methodist Church, Madison County, Mississippi; Gulfside United Methodist Assembly, Waveland, Mississippi; and the United Methodist Building on Capitol Hill in Washington.
The Book of Discipline defines a Heritage Landmark as "a building, location, or structure specifically related to significant events, developments, or personalities in the overall history of The United Methodist Church or its antecedents." These landmarks remind us of the people and events that have shaped our history. They are tangible reminders of our heritage.
When your congregation pays its World Service Fund apportionment, you support the work of the General Commission on Archives and History. That agency strives daily to keep our denominational history alive. Thank you!
—Adapted from General Commission on Archives and History website and other sources