The Covenant Relationship Program
The mutual relationship called Covenant calls for the church to participate in the work of a missionary or deaconess through financial and prayer support and for that mission worker to share with the church firsthand experiences in mission. When a covenant is established, missionaries covenant to communicate with supporting congregations by letter at least three times per year about the ongoing ministries, needs, progress, and stories of their places of assignment.
The Covenant Relationship Program is one of three financial support bases for United Methodist mission personnel commissioned by the General Board of Global Ministries. Primary importance is the World Service Fund to which congregations contribute through their apportionments. Second is the undesignated Pledge to Mission of local United Methodist Women’s units. The third base of support is second-mile giving through the Covenant Relationship Program of the Advance for Christ and His Church.
Special projects related to missionaries and their work are supported as an “extra” beyond the Covenant Relationship.
Every church in every place is encouraged to live out the disciple making vision of the South Georgia Conference by faithfully entering into a covenant relationship with a missionary commissioned and sent by The United Methodist Church on our behalf.
How to Enter into A Covenant Relationship
Contact your Conference Secretary of Global Ministries - Rev. Garth Dike-Barton (revgarth0810@gmail.com), the Advance Field Representative in your jurisdiction, or the Covenant Relationship Office at the General Board of Global Ministries (umcmission.org) for an application and suggestions of mission personnel who need financial support.