To The People of Sewickley United Methodist Church,
I want to personally thank and congratulate your congregation for demonstrating your faithfulness to our United Methodist connection by paying 100% of your apportionment covenant in 2021. 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 making a difference in people’s lives and demonstrating Jesus’ love locally and around the world.
Your gifts and those of many other faithful congregations support vital ministry and mission. In 2021, as our pastors and church leaders adapted to new ways of connecting with their congregations, your Conference staff and leaders offered support and resources through digital Zoom sessions with both local presenters and outside consultants. Conference staff worked more closely with local churches to equip them for disciple-making using part-time regional coordinators focusing on spiritual formation and community engagement.
As ministry continued, new people connected with our congregations online, hungry people received food, ramps were built, and we were able to continue our support of global ministry and mission through UMCOR. Youth gathered for an adapted version of SPARK and participated in Youth 4 Mission at Jumonville. I enjoyed meeting in person again with Confirmation students from a number of churches during three events this spring.
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 connectional ministries of the church that we all can celebrate. We are truly blessed by our connection.
I praise God for the faithfulness of His people. I thank God for the ministries we’ve supported and the disciples being made because of your faithful giving.
Blessings,
Cynthia Moore-Koikoi
Resident Bishop