The official date set to celebrate Native American Ministries Sunday is May 26, 2024. We encourage churches to celebrate on a date that is most convenient for your congregation. Resources to celebrate and promote this this Special Sunday can be found here.
Official date: May 26, 2024
You can support this Special Sunday by giving online at UMC.org/SSGive,
through your local United Methodist Church or mail a check to:
GCFA. P.O. Box 340029, Nashville, TN 37203
Please include Peace with Justice Sunday in the note section
of your check.
WHAT IS PEACE WITH JUSTICE SUNDAY?
This Special Sunday is a denomination wide celebration intended to raise awareness that even in a world plagued by war and terror, violence and destruction, people of faith have a clear call to build peace with justice. As United Methodists, our yearning for peace must move us to act.
The United Methodist Social Principles call us to love our enemies, seek justice, and serve as reconcilers of conflict. We insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to work together to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them.
The United Methodist Church, with its historic commitment to peace and justice, can and should provide leadership to this social transformation. The General Board of Church and Society Church holds a non-governmental, consultative status with the United Nations. This status allows us to participate in UN meetings, consultations and conferences. We recognize and renew our call for social transformation, for the quest to open the doors of opportunity for all, to distribute resources more equitably, and to provide better care for persons in need. Churches are encouraged to donate through their local churches or give online.
An offering is taken on this Special Sunday to support programs and ministries to educate, equip and mobilize actions in support of identified Economic, Health, and Gender Justice Priorities. Last year, your generosity delivered $144 thousand towards these ministries:
- ▶Fifty percent of the funds collected on Peace with Justice Sunday remain in the Annual Conference to develop and strengthen social justice ministries within the local conference. Our Book of Discipline (paragraph 629) requires each Annual Conference have a conference board of Church and Society (or its equivalent) and a Peace with Justice Coordinator. The conference coordinator works to provide educational resources, building and sustaining relationships, and help mobilize networks to engage in social advocacy and action. Learn more about becoming a Church and Society Chair or Peace with Justice Coordinator by requesting information here.
- ▶Fifty percent of the donations collected fund national and international peacemaking ministries and grants. We achieve peace with justice efforts by working with the World Council of Churches, interfaith and ecumenical bodies, and secular organizations for social-justice policies and programs that seek the wholeness of shalom for all of God’s people. Three different grants are created and made available to United Methodist congregations and organizations that support Ethnic/Minority Local Church ministries, and programs related to the Peace with Justice Sunday. Learn more about the online grant award process here.
One of the wonderful aspects of The United Methodist Church is that we can do so much more together than we ever could do on our own. Your generosity provides funding to strengthen and foster just, equitable and durable solutions to the root causes of conflict.
LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION?
- Read stories about the impact you are making with your gifts
- Use the resources designed specifically to celebrate Peace with Justice Sunday
Explore and share the Did You Know resources to learn more about this Special Sunday
