For more than 50 years, the people called United Methodist have given more than 3 million Advance gifts totaling nearly $800 million for thousands of ministries in more than 100 countries. Through the Advance, we touch the lives of millions of people around the world!
Today, the Advance is an official, second-mile channel for designated giving in The United Methodist Church. The Advance is called second-mile giving because the first mile, or priority, is for local churches to support their World Service and other apportioned funds and conference benevolences. The Advance is called designated giving because it is a way for individuals, church groups, congregations, districts, and annual conferences to select specific ministries to support voluntarily.
Five Reasons to support the Advance
1. YOU choose what YOU want to support.
Do you believe in reforestation . . .promoting literacy . . . building new churches? Are you interested in Angola . . .Indonesia . . . Mexico . . . Kentucky? Would you like to covenant with a missionary? When you give to an Advance ministry that you select, you express your faith in a personal way.
2. You do it within The United Methodist Church.
All Advance ministries are related to annual conferences, central conferences, partner churches, or interfaith organizations, screened by the General Board of Global Ministries, and authorized by the General Council on Ministries.
3. You can be sure your money will get there.
The General Council on Finance and Administration assures the accounting and transmission of every Advance gift.
4. Your gift makes a difference.
Your gift will print a Bible . . . vaccinate a child . . . buy a bicycle for a pastor . . . dig a well . . . or whatever specific ministry you choose to support. Since 1948, millions of lives have been transformed -- one at a time -- because of an Advance gift from someone like you.
5. 100 percent of your gift goes to the ministry you choose!
Where else can you choose what you want to support -- and know that 100 percent of your gift will go there? This is possible because all administrative and promotional costs of the Advance are covered by other fund sources.
There are over 2000 different Advance projects to chose from. Information on these projects can be found by clicking here.