Apportioned Funds - Ministerial Education Fund - Overview

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Perkins School of Theology announces 2010 Seals Award recipient

Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, Texas, has announced the selection of Donna Dean Hutcherson of Hallsville, Texas, as the 2010 Woodrow B. Seals Laity Award recipient. The award will be presented at a luncheon on March 6, during the three-day Perkins Theological School for the Laity.

The Seals Award is presented annually to a layperson in the United States who embodies the Christian faith and commitment of service to Christ in the church, the community and the world as exemplified by Judge Woodrow B. Seals, a distinguished layperson whose interest and energy were instrumental in establishing the Perkins Theological School for the Laity. Selection for the award is made by a committee of the Perkins Lay Advisory Board.

Perkins School of Theology, founded in 1911, is one of five official University-related schools of theology of The United Methodist Church. Degree programs include the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Church Ministries and Doctor of Ministry, as well as the Ph.D., in cooperation with SMU's Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.

The Ministerial Education Fund:
Preparing Men and Women for Effective Ministry

They come to DISCOVER. They come to be CHALLENGED. They learn to LEAD. They leave to SERVE.

The Ministerial Education Fund Apportionment  

For most United Methodist seminaries, Ministerial Education Fund (MEF) disbursement accounts for 12 to 20 percent of their annual budget.

25% of the receipts assist candidates for ministry, to support continuing education for pastors and clergy recruitment and to provide financial aid for students in your annual conference.

75% is disbursed to the 13 United Methodist seminaries to assist candidates for ordained ministry through scholarships and faculty salaries. It also goes to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry to support the work of the Division of Ordained Ministry.


 

Bruce Wilson

‘God opened a window on my life and invited me to look’

“The youngest of three children,” begins Bruce Wilson Jr., 25, “I find it fascinating that [my siblings and I] share the same DNA and environment; yet end up on such different career paths. My oldest sister is a farmer, the next in line is a draftsperson, and I am a candidate for ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church.”

A third-year student at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (G-ETS), Evanston, Ill., Bruce hails from Lake Charles, La. His home congregation is Moss Bluff United Methodist Church.

“When I was 18,” he recalls, “I came to Chicago for Exploration, an event to help young people decide if ministry is right for them. I fell in love with Chicago. A few years later, I had contact with two G-ETS alums who told me about the exciting opportunities I would find at Garrett-Evangelical. The seminary's strong tradition in social justice and its high academic standards convinced me this seminary was right for me.”

At age 12, Bruce says, he experienced a call to ordained ministry. “It was as if God opened a window on the rest of my life and invited me to look. Following that call has led me to many places in the United States and Russia. Most recently, and perhaps most significantly, it led me to the United Church of Rogers Park. This church has given me the opportunity to answer my call and help as many people as I can. What a blessing!”

Working in the church is nothing new to Bruce. “I have seven years of youth ministry experience and have served on most of the committees at my home church,” he says.

United Methodist support of the Ministerial Education Fund shapes and forms clergy leaders for the present and the future. Thank you for your gifts!

--Adapted from the Web site of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary


Thank you for Supporting the Ministerial Education Fund at 100%!

For more information on Ministerial Education Fund scholarships and loans, please contact the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

 

United Methodist Seminaries:

Boston School of Theology, Boston, MA
Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA
Drew University, The Theological School , Madison, NJ
Duke University, The Divinity School, Durham, NC
Gammon Theological Seminary, Atlanta, GA
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston,
ILIliff School of Theology, Denver, CO
Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Delaware, OH
Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Saint Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, MO
United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH
Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC