Dear Church Leader,
Human Relations Day is a denomination-wide Special Sunday dedicated to celebrating and strengthening human connections. This day raises awareness and support for programs that nurture and sustain community organizations, bringing to life Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of “the beloved community.”
A special offering will be received on the Sunday before Dr. King’s birthday, but you are welcome to choose a date that works best for your congregation. These offerings support vital ministries such as Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Services, and Youth Offender Rehabilitation Programs.
Human Relations Day is just five weeks away! Here’s how you can start preparing:
- Download Resources: Access the Human Relations Day pastor and leader kit, which includes social media graphics, videos, offering talks, bulletin inserts, children’s resources, prewritten content and more.
- Plan Ahead: Use the Special Sundays planning calendar to organize your promotion schedule, adjusting it to suit your congregation’s needs.
- Multilingual Support: Core resources like sermon starters, social media graphics, bulletin inserts, covers and call to worship are available in French, Spanish, and Korean.
- Spread the Word: Announce the celebration date you have chosen to your congregation as soon as possible.
- Encourage Generosity: Invite your church to give at donate.gcfa.org/hrd.
- Appoint Leadership: Designate leaders to oversee and promote this special day.
- Share the Message: Customize the announcement copy for your newsletters, emails, social media, or bulletins OR explore the other prewritten content made available.
Thank you for inspiring your congregation to support neighborhood ministries that create real change in vulnerable communities. Together, we can answer the call to serve and empower others.
In Christ,
The Promotion of Giving Team
Below is suggested copy you can edit and use to announce Human Relations Day by email, in your newsletters, for classes or in your bulletin.
Suggested Announcement/Email Copy
Email Title: Building the Beloved Community: Human Relations Day is Coming
Subject Line: Make an Impact This Human Relations Day
Pretext: Join us in celebrating Human Relations Day and supporting programs that transform communities through love and justice.
Dear Friends,
In a few weeks, we’ll come together as a congregation to celebrate Human Relations Day, a Special Sunday focused on empowering community programs and ministries.
On this day, we’ll collect a special offering to support life-changing initiatives such as advocacy, youth organizing, economic development, and more. These programs address local and global needs, nurturing hope and transformation.
Please join us in prayer for the individuals and ministries that will be impacted by our collective generosity. While we may feel our contributions are small on their own, together, as a community of faith, we can accomplish incredible things.
Let us answer God’s call to make a difference. Through your gifts, Human Relations Day helps sustain faith-based volunteer programs, develop community leaders, and support at-risk teens.
Thank you for your faithful generosity.
Yours in Christ,
[Pastor’s Name]