Celebrating Mission Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I give thanks for our United Methodist connectional system. It is a joy and a privilege to serve the church through the General Board of Global Ministries. Global Ministries is the global mission agency of The United Methodist Church, its annual conferences, missionary conferences, and local congregations. Our purpose is “Connecting the church in mission.” Global Ministries equips and transforms people and places for God’s mission around the world. The four mission goals are: • Make disciples of Jesus Christ; • Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities; • Alleviate human suffering; • Seek justice, freedom, and peace. The work of Global Ministries is the work that you do all around the globe. In the following pages, learn about the work of the Kims, two missionaries who help train local church clergy in Central Asia; new church growth in Vietnam; UMCOR’s disaster-response efforts in Oklahoma; and a reflection on the theology of justice. I ask that you pray for the work, support a missionary, become an In Mission Together partner, volunteer for a mission trip, or find some other way to become involved in mission. May God bless all that you do in God’s mission. In mission and ministry together,
Thomas Kemper
General Secretary General Board of Global Ministries The United Methodist Church
A team from the United States helps the mission initiative in Central Asia. Photo: United Methodist Mission Center, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Second-Generation KoreanAmerican Missionaries Grow God’s Kingdom in Central Asia
I
n the 18 months since E. and P. Kim* were commissioned as Global Ministries missionaries and assigned to serve three years in Central Asia, the couple’s confidence in God’s call has only deepened. “Before we were commissioned, we only had an idea of what the mission field in Central Asia would be like,” said P. Kim. “We had our ideas and plans for Central Asia. Since being commissioned and moving here, we realize more fully that God is the one in control, and that He has His own ideas and plans.” The Kims’ assignment is to help The United Methodist Church in Central Asia grow and stabilize, eventually becoming self-sufficient. “Our greatest challenge is how to build a strong foundation for the local congregation in terms of both spiritual and material growth,” P. Kim said. “Most of the churches serve impoverished communities and are still struggling financially.”
They are making progress. Despite being an underground movement in many areas, United Methodism in Central Asia is growing, creating new worship spaces for new people in new places. As co-directors of the UMC Mission Center of Central Asia in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the Kims provide administrative, programming, and financial support to 12 churches and Bible groups; support United Methodist Women’s and United Methodist Men’s groups; and train Sunday school teachers. A key part of their work is to help identify and train local leaders to strengthen local churches. “Through indigenous local leadership, these churches serve as the main vehicle through which Christ is shared to others,” P. Kim said. “So long as these churches remain vibrant places where the love of Christ can be experienced, they will continue to grow in inviting others into a relationship with Christ.” The church is growing, she said, through the ministry of young adults and youth. An annual evangelistic youth and young adult camp shares Christ with others. More than half of them have never heard the Gospel. At the end of the camp, many people commit themselves to God and to
Celebrating Mission 1
Celebrating Mission becoming members of United Methodist congregations. “One of the remarkable testimonies of this camp is that there are already three individuals who are now in the process of becoming United Methodist pastors,” she said. “We are also encouraged to see new young adults enrolling every semester in our extension seminary of Moscow Theological Seminary.” The Kims are the first second-generation Korean Americans to be commissioned as United Methodist missionaries. Their ties to other Korean United Methodists are strong. “Our community affirmed us and celebrated our commissioning,” P. Kim said. “They also continue to support us through prayer and through The Advance. They have shared that our decision to uproot our family and move to Central Asia was inspiring and also a challenge for them to reconsider the importance of mission work.” The Kims also support the local church’s mission outreach to the community, including monthly medical missions to the people in local villages through the Bishkek UMC Mission Center in Kyrgyzstan. — Sandra Brands *The full names of some missionaries are withheld from publication for safety reasons.
Church Growth: God’s Initiative Thomas Kemper, general secretary for Global Ministries, shares his discussion with missionaries Karen and Ut To, who are currently serving in Vietnam.
I
recently met with Karen and Ut To, our missionary leaders in Vietnam. They shared their enthusiasm for mission, their dreams and plans for the growth of the church in Vietnam, and also how we can be a Wesleyan presence there that keeps personal and social holiness together. Karen and Ut hope to start 100 new churches in 2013. It is inspirational and encouraging to meet people like them from around the world, who almost every day tell the story how God’s love has transformed them and is now transforming individuals and communities around them. They are also the people behind the statistics of new United Methodist places of worship that have sprung up over the last four years—3,175 new congregations, cell groups, circuits, and preaching points. Each of these numbers represents a new community of faith that accepts God’s grace and love in Jesus Christ, and points toward
The Rev. Ut To, missionary with Global Ministries assigned to Vietnam, participates in song during a worship service in Vietnam. Photo: Adam Neal
2 Celebrating Mission
The Rev. Karen Vo-To, missionary with Global Ministries assigned to Vietnam, prays for a young participant at a vocational program for the disabled. Photo: Melissa Hinnen
the transformation of the world. Together, they enlarge the company that shares our commitment to life-transforming faith. I read these numbers with praise and humility that is rooted in the awareness that the growth of the church comes not from our human efforts but through God’s initiative through the Holy Spirit. We expect and experience great things in faith as we engage in God’s mission. Of the new churches and cell groups, 574 came through Mission Initiatives primarily in Asia and Eastern Europe, with some in areas of Africa outside of existing annual conferences. Many of these churches are in Southeast Asia, with 192 in Vietnam. Cambodia and Laos are also areas of growth in that region. The mission in Cambodia is a collaborative among five Methodist mission agencies that is moving toward being an autonomous Methodist church under indigenous leadership. Global Ministries has responsibility for the Mission Initiatives. One priority is to train pastors and laity for leadership in these emerging churches. We appreciate the important roles that our seminaries, conferences, and congregations play in assisting with such training and donating to this ministry. A central lesson we can learn from the new report is to focus on bright spots in our church and thereby create the energy to move forward. Refugees and immigrants are often pivotal in the launch of new Mission Initiatives. Several conferences and districts in East and West Africa have been planted by United Methodist immigrants fleeing
from war or famine in their home countries. The remarkable growth of our work in Southeast Asia is the result of migrant involvement in God’s mission. I am very conscious of the value of immigrant missionaries in the spread of Methodism, because it is how our church came to Germany, my homeland, in the 19th century. So I owe a big personal debt to a migrant missionary. Whether in Germany in the 19th century or Vietnam in the late 20th century, mission service that may seem small at the time can change the future of people, families, and communities. —Thomas Kemper
Preparing for Recovery in Oklahoma
Stephanie Birdwell (left) and Shannon Tiger clean up tornado debris at a destroyed home in Moore, Oklahoma. They are part of a volunteer team working out of First United Methodist Church in Moore. Photo: Mike DuBose/UMNS
he United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is digging in its heels and preparing for a recovery effort that could take up to two years to complete in tornado-ravaged communities in and around Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Shortly after the tornadoes left a devastating swath this spring, Greg Forrester, head of UMCOR’s US Disaster Response unit, spent three days touring the towns of El Reno, Moore, Shawnee, Carney, and the tiny community of Fallis (population 27), which had been struck by fierce tornadoes in May, including two Level EF5 storms, the most severe. Forty-four people died in the storms and thousands of homes were damaged or reduced to mere piles of sticks over cement foundations. Every one of Fallis’ few residents was affected by the tornadoes, and several saw their homes utterly destroyed. In El Reno, where a 2.6-mile-wide tornado, the largest ever recorded, struck on May 31, utility lines were left in shambles. “It hit a monster power-line system and left metal poles just folded over and twisted like noodles,” Forrester said. Destruction left by another Level EF5 tornado on May 20, in the town of Moore, was “just devastating,” he reported. “It took out the middle of an entire community, right down to the foundations.” The same town was hit again in the May 31 event in a sector
just north of this damage. While in Oklahoma, Forrester met with United Methodist Bishop Robert E. Hayes, Jr., who presides over the Oklahoma Area, which encompasses both the Oklahoma Annual Conference and the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference (OIMC). The state is home to 39 federally recognized Native-American tribes. Forrester visited impacted communities with Rev. Richard Norman of the Oklahoma Annual Conference and Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters; Rev. Jeremy Bassett, head of the conference’s Missions Office; and Rev. Dr. David Wilson, superintendent of the OIMC. “There’s a large Native-American community living in all of these areas,” Forrester said. “The OIMC has already identified about 60 Native-American families throughout the region that were impacted by these storms.” Forrester and his United Methodist colleagues met with Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) executives to assess needs in the wake of the storms and advance a collaborative response that will help survivors recover over the long term. “We’re looking at probably a two-year response; one year in some of the areas and two years in others,” the UMCOR executive said.
T
Two-Fold Disaster Response UMCOR will focus its efforts, as always, on the most vulnerable communities affected by the storms—those where residents have little-to-no insurance coverage and few resources to rebuild, Forrester said. “I think the bulk of our work will be in the outlying areas of Shawnee, El Reno, Fallis, and parts of Moore, where families and individuals were already struggling economically,” he said. “For us, the response will be two-fold: we’ll participate in the case management process for the area and in the establishment of two recovery centers—one in Moore and one in Shawnee. Through those centers, we’ll host volunteers to provide rebuilding assistance to families in the area,” he explained. —Linda Unger
At the Heart In mid-May, Beth McRill and Katelyn Davis, mission interns serving Hong Kong, Special Admnistrative Region, Permanent Residents (SAR, P.R.) of China; and Laura Wise, mission intern serving the Philippines, went to The Justice Conference Asia, organized by an evangelical church in Hong Kong. The conference brought together Christian activists,
Celebrating Mission 3
Celebrating Mission
Katelyn Davis (second from left), serving at Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants in Hong Kong, SAR, P.R. of China, and Laura Wise (third from left), a mission intern serving in the Philippines, attend The Justice Conference Asia, organized by one of the evangelical churches in Hong Kong SAR, P.R. of China. Photo: courtesy of Laura Wise
organizations, and individuals to discuss justice and various efforts to fight injustice in Southeast Asia. Davis offered her reflections on one of the conference sessions entitled “theology of justice.”
Theology of Justice Ken Wytsma, founder of the Justice Conference and Kilns College, gave one of the keynote speeches during the morning session. He discussed how justice is a theological necessity because by understanding God’s heart for justice, we develop our own heart for justice, and as a result, we come to know God better. He read Isaiah Chapter 58 and asked us to read it every day for one month. For him, this scripture embodies everything that we need to know about justice and God. The verse that I want to highlight is Isaiah 58:6, which reads, “Is not this the kind of fasting that I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (NIV) Stock #GM540019
4 Celebrating Mission
At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus proclaimed that he was sent to give sight to the blind, set the oppressed free, proclaim release to the captives, and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (epic paraphrase; see Luke 4:18-19). Jesus’ entire purpose revolved around justice work, and it sits at the heart of the Gospel, not simply creating followers of Jesus. Jesus was sent here with this purpose, and as followers of Jesus, we must have the same purpose. So, in today’s society, who are the captives? Who are the blind? Who are the oppressed? This is of course where everything gets sticky, but to me, the oppressed are the urban poor, the rural poor, the homeless, widows, women, and children. The “blind” are all who ignore the oppressed. It’s the bankers, the politicians, the corporations, but it’s also the churches who think that worship without service is enough. Who questions whether this project is “worth it”? Finally, we are all captive to something: greed, materialism, racism, sexism, and every
other “ism” out there. Fighting to change all of this is justice work. Jesus came to set all of us free. We are all called to different aspects of justice work, which changes over various points in our lives. Right now, I’m a missionary fighting injustice in the domestic/migrant worker community in Hong Kong and in destination countries in East Asia. That will change, but the mission really won’t. So, I ask everyone, can we worship God without justice? And, where is God calling you to do justice in your own life? —Katelyn Davis For general information, contact: General Board of Global Ministries The United Methodist Church 475 Riverside Drive, Room 341 New York, New York 10115 1-800-UMC-GBGM or 1-800-862-4246 Email: info@umcmission.org
Independent Auditor’s Report The Board of Directors of the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church The Audit Committee of the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church The Committee on Audit and Review of the General Council on Finance and Administration of The United Methodist Church We have audited the accompanying financial statements of the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church (Parent Only) (a nonprofit organization), which comprise the statements of financial position as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, and the related statements of activities and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes to the financial statements. Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America; this includes the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion. In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of The General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church (Parent Only) as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, and the changes in its net assets and its cash flows for the years then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Nashville, Tennessee May 28, 2013
Opinion In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of The General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church (Parent Only) as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, and the changes in its net assets and its cash flows for the years then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
GENERAL BOARD OF GLOBAL MINISTRIES OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (Parent Only) Statements of Financial Position December 31, 2012 and 2011
2012
Assets Cash and cash equivalents Cash held in pooled cash management Receivables: Accrued World Service Fund allocation Due from General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) Due from GBGM-related entities Accrued investment income Bequests receivable Mortgage loans to churches and staff, net of allowance Other Prepaid expenses and other assets Investments Buildings and equipment, net Collins Health Plan for Missionaries Beneficial interest in Collins Forests Perpetual trusts held by others, including revolving loan funds Total assets
$
11,781,589 -
2011
$
34,518,039 34,242,741
9,069,363 8,344,268 240,746 1,358,008 818,685 889,193 587,515 681,357 138,667,700 712,350 1,922,379 37,789,000 40,423,437 $ 253,285,590
9,101,613 4,442,499 56,890 162,498 697,182 939,603 1,576,519 781,031 116,566,604 874,692 2,228,795 38,767,000 22,137,934 $ 267,093,640
$
$
Liabilities and Net Assets Liabilities: Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities Grants and projects payable Due to GBGM-related entities Annuities payable Due to Collins Pension Plan Assets held for related entities-pooled investments Assets held for others Total liabilities Net assets: Unrestricted: General operating fund Other undesignated Designated for programs Designated for missionaries retirement including pension & health benefit costs Total unrestricted Temporarily restricted Permanently restricted Total net assets Total liabilities and net assets
16,733,292 4,547,165 258,799 658,581 26,856,934 21,832,642 70,887,413
8,542,426 5,268,565 241,355 708,370 28,874,810 34,242,741 21,773,749 99,652,016
20,404,195 2,667,953 13,476,464
9,941,495 1,996,803 12,214,746
6,831,200 43,379,812 29,722,977 109,295,388 182,398,177
6,214,534 30,367,578 28,304,785 108,769,261 167,441,624
$ 253,285,590
$ 267,093,640
GENERAL BOARD OF GLOBAL MINISTRIES OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (Parent Only) Statement of Activities Year Ended December 31, 2012
Unrestricted Operating revenue: World Service Fund: Allocation National Plan for Hispanic Ministries Substance Abuse and Related Violence Asian American Language Ministry Korean American Task Force Native American Awareness Sunday World Communion Offering Human Relations Day Advance Special Gifts: Support for persons in mission Other United Methodist Women appropriation United Methodist Committee on Relief appropriation United Methodist Development Fund appropriation Benefit Trust distribution Agency Group Insurance fund distribution Bequests Grants and other contributions Interest income on cash equivalents, mortgage loans and perpetual trusts Investment income, net of fees Collins Forests income distribution Service fees Missionary salary reimbursements Other
$
Total Net assets released from restrictions Total operating revenue (loss)
$
25,526,202 -
Temporarily Restricted
$
568,892 631,141 333,398 671,679 92,791 347,665 374,658
924,114 677,772 2,622,543 1,077,743 1,250,199 489,453 696,680 480,052
4,940,137 5,511,872 5,100 574,171 141,768
516,489 1,399,098 3,019,049 348,789 1,510,119 844,724
Permanently Restricted
$
-
Total
$
25,526,202 568,892 631,141 333,398 671,679 92,791 347,665 374,658
-
4,940,137 6,435,986 682,872 2,622,543 1,077,743 1,250,199 489,453 1,270,851 621,820
98,654 660,894 -
7,941 -
623,084 2,059,992 3,019,049 348,789 1,510,119 844,724
41,383,026
14,952,820
7,941
56,343,787
16,623,397
(16,623,397)
-
58,006,423
$
(1,670,577)
$
7,941
$
56,343,787
GENERAL BOARD OF GLOBAL MINISTRIES OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (Parent Only) Statement of Activities Year Ended December 31, 2012
Unrestricted Operating expenses: Program Services: Mission and Evangelism: Mission and evangelism Mission theology and new initiatives Justice and discipleship Mission relationships Missionary services Board-wide mission program expenses Advance special projects Distribution of designated funds Total program services
$
4,287,268 3,238,568 1,634,506 1,839,576 14,420,534 4,619,683 5,683,034 5,425,686 41,148,855
Temporarily Restricted
$
-
Permanently Restricted
$
-
Total
$
-
4,287,268 3,238,568 1,634,506 1,839,576 14,420,534 4,619,683 5,683,034 5,425,686 41,148,855
Supporting services: Management and general Fund-raising Total supporting services
8,033,711 2,637,257 10,670,968
-
-
8,033,711 2,637,257 10,670,968
Total operating expenses
51,819,823
-
-
51,819,823
7,941
4,523,964
9,537,226 1,194,094 (978,000) (688,540) 302,092 1,065,717
Increase (decrease) in net assets from operations
6,186,600
(1,670,577)
6,448,457 (688,540) 1,065,717
3,088,769 -
1,194,094 (978,000) 302,092 -
6,825,634
3,088,769
518,186
10,432,589
Increase in net assets
13,012,234
1,418,192
526,127
14,956,553
Net assets at beginning of year
30,367,578
28,304,785
108,769,261
167,441,624
29,722,977
$ 109,295,388
$ 182,398,177
Nonoperating activities: Net appreciation in fair value of investments Net appreciation in fair value of perpetual trusts Collins Forests Collins Pension and Health Benefits Plan Endowment contributions, including perpetual trusts Other income Total nonoperating activities
Net assets at end of year
$
43,379,812
$