Special Sundays - One Great Hour of Sharing - Overview

Bishop Gregory V. Palmer from the Illinois Great Rivers Conference talks about One Great Hour of Sharing. Click here.

And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 (NIV)

For 70 years, the United Methodist Church has responded to the Micah challenge through the United Methodist Committee on Relief. With the recent major earthquakes in Haiti and Chile combined with the losses of Sam Dixon and Clint Rabb, the General Board of Global Ministries, and specifically, UMCOR have weathered quite the storm this year. I am thankful to you for your outpouring of prayers and gifts while encouraging the church to respond in a powerful way to the needs of those most affected throughout the world.

The gifts to UMCOR supporting Haiti relief efforts is expected to be more than $25 million. 100% of the donations made to the UMCOR Haiti Emergency advance will benefit Gods most vulnerable children in Haiti. The same will be true of gifts for the Chile Earthquake response. As you know, UMCOR is able to make this promise because administrative expenses are covered through the One Great Hour of Sharing.

Because UMCOR does not receive World Service funds or any other apportionments, the costs of doing business are underwritten by The One Great Hour of Sharing. I encourage you to please highlight March 14th with your Annual Conference as a day to lay the foundation for UMCOR to seek justice and mercy for suffering people everywhere.

Thanks be to God for the people of the United Methodist Church who continue to answer the call to be the hands, the heart and the hope of the church wherever people are suffering.

Grace and peace,
Bishop Joel N. Martinez
Interim, General Secretary
 

One Great Hour of Sharing - March 14, 2010 (can be celebrated at anytime)

"She's only 26 years old and came to me in tears. In a whisper the girl said to me, 'I'm afraid. I think I have AIDS, but please do not tell my family'"

ACT justly LOVE mercy WALK humbly

Angie Willicore tells this woman’s story to illustrate the terrible stigma of AIDS in Liberia. Angie is a registered nurse for Ganta United Methodist Hospital in Liberia and head of the community-based HIV/AIDS counseling team.

“I want to relax them and get them to talk,” said Angie of her approach for patients such as this young woman. “Talk, talk, talk. Every time, this is how I gain their trust. They then come straight back to me.” With her hand tapping at the door, Angie continues, “See this door? It’s always open, and they know I will talk to them. I’ve even learned how to take blood directly for the HIV test because people don’t want
to leave this room and go to the lab.”

BE THERE AND BE HOPE WITH UMCOR

UMCOR supports Ganta and 16 other United Methodist hospitals in Africa and Asia in their community-based health programs, such as the HIV/AIDS ministry at Ganta Hospital. Committed people like Angie live out God’s command to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly.

Through comprehensive programs like these that help provide healing and hope for some of the world’s most vulnerable people, UMCOR is there on your behalf providing help to people in distress.

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING

Gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing lay the foundation of all of UMCOR’s work by covering the costs of doing business. This means all gifts designated to specific programs can go 100% to those programs because UMCOR’s basic expenses are covered. Please give generously.

To read additional stories on lives changed by your gifts to the One Great Hour of Sharing Sunday click here.

To donate please click on the button above.  

NEW ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING DVD AVAILABLE ONLINE. Click here.