United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, SEJ is the short-term mission sending agency of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church. UMVIM exists to promote, encourage and enable Christians to exemplify “Christian Love in Action” through short-term mission service at home and abroad.
UMVIM provides opportunities for service by developing and nurturing relationships with domestic and international leaders. We continually nurture our contacts with these leaders to respond to the needs of local communities and provide comprehensive training resources for team leaders to help them prepare their teams for the mission field.
If you would like to lead an UMVIM, SEJ team but don't know where to start, we have broken down exactly what you need to do! Below are the 6 steps that will take you through every step of the process, from planning your trip to your return. Navigate to the Send A Team tab at the top of this website and click on either "USA" or "International" to learn more about the specifics for each step. You can also find out more under our Travel section, where we have compiled valuable resources and information, such as packing lists, travel agencies, State Department information, and more.
At any point in the process, please do not hesitate to contact our office. We are here to help you!
1. We encourage all teams to have a Trained Team Leader. For a list of upcoming trainings, click here.
2. Each team will need to comply with their conference's Safe Sanctuary Policy. If your conference does not have one, we have a created one that your team can use, which you will find under All Downloadable Files.
3. If you have not done so, select a project.
4. Register your team and/or apply for insurance. Before beginning the process, each Team Leader will need your departure and return dates, all team members' full names, dates of birth and email addresses. If you are not sure how this process works, we have created a video tutorial which covers everything. If you have questions, please call the office (205-453-9480) while you are in the process before you click "Submit."
5. If you decide to use our insurance, pay for it online using the online portal or by mailing a check to our office.
6. Read "Preparing for the Journey" and share with your team members.
7. For additional travel resources, click here.
All openings for teams are posted on our website under the News & Events tab under Team Openings, and are included in The UMVIM Weekly Update emails which are sent on Mondays. To receive these emails, sign up on our homepage or email us at sejinfo@umvim.org.
If you are a team leader and would like to advertise an opening on your team, please click here.
A camp experience with hands-on mission opportunities led by youth and young adult leaders at Lake Junaluska.
A 9-week program for a college student who is hoping to experience various aspects of mission and ministry and to discern his or her calling into mission.
A Team Leader Training immersion experience for youth, young adults, and adults who work with young people.
A list of projects which we know will be excellent destinations for a youth or young adult mission experience. Also listed is our partnership with RevGo! through the General Board of Discipleship.