To The People of Sewickley United Methodist Church,
I want to congratulate and personally thank your congregation for demonstrating your faithfulness to our United Methodist connection by paying 100% of your apportionment covenant in 2020. Because you fulfilled your commitment, despite the pandemic, the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference was able to adapt and continue our ministry by providing leadership, connection, and resources to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Through sacrifice, and with God’s grace, our annual conference is able to make a difference in people’s lives and demonstrate Jesus’s love locally and around the world.
Your gifts, along with those of many other faithful congregations, support vital ministry and mission. In 2020, as our pastors and church leaders struggled to connect with their congregations, despite restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19, your Conference staff and leaders offered support through weekly webinars and online information on topics ranging from the federal Payroll Protection Program, to Building Community through Social Media and Online Worship, to Navigating Conflict. Digital resources for worship and ideas for reaching those without internet connections were shared. Working with our Abundant Health Team, guidelines were provided to help church leaders make decisions on whether or how to offer in-person worship without endangering even the most vulnerable members of the congregation.
As ministry continued online, in parking lots, and other venues, new people connected with our congregations, hungry people received food, ramps were built, and we were able to continue our support of global ministry and mission through denominational agencies like UMCOR.
Our apportioned giving also provides support and training for those who respond to God’s call upon their lives by serving as lay servant ministers, ordained clergy, local pastors, or missionaries.
What we do together as United Methodists is far more than any one congregation can do by itself. Your commitment through apportioned giving makes you a significant partner in the connection of the church we can all celebrate. We are truly blessed by our connection.
I praise God for the faithfulness of His people. I thank God for the ministries that have been supported and the disciples that will be made because of your faithful giving.
Blessings,
Cynthia Moore-Koikoi
Resident Bishop