Despite leaner budgets and more cuts likely, employees at two key United Methodist agencies need to forge on with hope rather than anxiety, said Roland Fernandes, the leader of both.
During the Oct. 14-17 joint board of directors organizational meeting of Higher Education and Ministry and Global Ministries at the Denman Building, planning for a future of close collaboration moved forward. Although Fernandes was careful to stress that Global Ministries and Higher Education are not merging, they are going to be working more closely with each other, combining resources and consolidating leadership.
The Board of Higher Education and Ministry connects the church and academics and prepares leaders for ministry. Global Ministries connects the church in mission through missionary placements and seeks to alleviate human suffering. Global Ministries includes the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the humanitarian relief and development arm of The United Methodist Church.
Your support of the World Service Fund apportionment supports program-related general agencies, which are especially important to the common vision, mission, and ministry of The United Methodist Church.
Higher Education and Ministry and Global Ministries are working on shared services for information technology and shared platforms for giving, project management and expense-travel, reported the Joint Administrative Matters Committee.
“There are currently 17 shared positions across the two boards,” according to the report. Shared positions include IT, marketing and communications, legal services and fundraising.
Global Ministries has about 130 staffers, and Higher Education and Ministry about 40, Fernandes said.
“The goal of this alignment is to achieve a unified presence and an integrated structure for our two agencies. … But that does not mean it’s the merger of two agencies. … It does, however, mean that the two agencies will function like one to the extent possible,” Fernandes said.
More job losses are possible as the process of consolidation goes forward, Fernandes acknowledged. He pledged “transparency and openness as much as is possible in different contexts,” regarding future plans.
“There are no conspiracies,” he said. “We really prayed first for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in this, because that’s why we’re here first, and not because of any one of our ambitions.”
The Rev. Jenny Phillips, director of environmental sustainability at Global Ministries, said in an interview that possible cuts haven’t affected her attitude toward her work.
“If I were driven by fear, it would be hard to get anything done,” Phillips said. “I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about change in the church, because I just know that somehow I will continue to express this ministry, my calling. … I’m an elder, and so appointments change year to year. I never have an expectation of staying in one place of ministry.
“I’m just here as long as God calls me to be here.”
The Joint Executive Committee said in its report that the Course of Study, the alternative theological educational program for licensed local pastors, needs to be revised “to provide more equitable, flexible, contextual and affordable access to theological education.”
A working group of stakeholders will be formed to investigate options and come up with recommendations for Course of Study requirements, Fernandes said.
The two boards will next meet April 10-12 in Atlanta, Fernandes said. Africa is being considered for the April 2026 meetings.
“The directors last quadrennium found the visits to Cambodia and Africa very, very helpful for their knowledge of the work,” Fernandes said in an interview after the conclusion of the board meetings. “We’ll have to see where we are budget wise.”
excerpt by Jim Patterson, UM News reporter, Nashville, Tennessee
The World Service Fund provides basic financial support to program-related general agencies, which are especially important to the common vision, mission, and ministry of The United Methodist Church. Through World Service funding, agencies support annual conferences and local congregations in living out God’s mission for the worldwide Church. General agencies also provide essential services and ministries beyond the scope of individual local congregations and annual conferences through services and ministries that are highly focused, flexible, and capable of rapid response.
