UMC #GivingTuesday 2015 Toolkit for Advance Projects

UMC #GivingTuesday 2015 Toolkit for Advance Projects

Dear Advance Project:

Activate Love.

Transform Lives.

Change the World. 

The UMC #GivingTuesday theme for 2015 is “Activate Love. Transform Lives. Change the World.” As part of The Advance, you are a vital ministry of The United Methodist Church. Every day you are activating love, transforming lives, and changing the world through your faithful work. On Dec. 1, United Methodists will once again come together to support the work of Advance projects and missionaries on UMC #GivingTuesday. And once again, every gift made online through The Advance at www.umcmission.org/give on December 1, 2015 will be matched up to $1 million.* Momentum has been building for several years as more people are aware of the day and what it means. Through UMC #GivingTuesday, churches and conferences combine Advent and Christmas seasonal giving with global mission and outreach opportunities. As a project supported through The Advance, you provide United Methodists and others with a way to build missional relationships through a channel they can trust. We are committed to supporting you through three phases of the UMC #GivingTuesday campaign.

Engage Your Supporters:

Activate Love

Activating love is simply about turning God’s love into action, as one act of love can inspire another. Allow the work you do to inspire others to serve or give in their own, unique way. Use the time from Oct. 15 to Dec. 1 to be intentional in reaching out to individuals, churches, and teams that have a heart for your ministry.

• Encourage supporters to form teams of youth groups, members, friends, family, etc. to raise awareness and build excitement around your ministry and UMC #GivingTuesday.

• Do you have a large donor who supports your program annually? Ask if faithful churches, conferences, or individuals would be willing to leverage their gift by offering to match online gifts made through your Advance project on UMC #GivingTuesday.

• Make a short video to introduce yourself and talk about your work.

• Include the UMC #GivingTuesday banner linked to your website, blog, newsletters, and Facebook page. • Send postcards by mail or electronically with a photo of your mission in action. • Set up an online video chat to make a direct connection with supporters.

• Use social media to post regular reminders that UMC #GivingTuesday is Dec. 1.

For example:

Love Activated.

Lives Transformed.

World Changed.

UMC #GivingTuesday 12/1, umcmission.org/give

Perfect antidote to overspending on #BlackFriday? UMC #GivingTuesday coming on Dec. 1! umcmission.org/give

Think one day of giving thanks isn’t enough? Get ready for UMC #GivingTuesday. Dec. 1, umcmission.org/give * Global Ministries will allocate matching funds dollar for dollar up to the first $1 million in gifts to Advance projects received online on Dec. 1, 2015, between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. CT. A maximum of $2,500 per individual gift to a project will be dispersed as matching funds. A project may receive a maximum of $25,000 in matching funds. Show Your Appreciation: Transform Lives Gifts to mission transform the giver and the recipient. In the weeks following UMC #GivingTuesday, find creative ways to thank your donors.

• Ask someone from your project’s community to write a thank-you message on a Christmas card.

• Regularly post stories/photos/quotes of individuals whose lives have been transformed.

• Share personal reflections about the work that is happening in your mission field.

Share Your Story: Change the World Love in action multiplies.

Please share with us how UMC #GivingTuesday supports your work. We want to use these illustrations of life-transforming, world-changing ministry to encourage others to activate love by engaging in mission. Now is the time to begin connecting with your donors to raise awareness about your ministry. Encourage your supporters to register a team and to highlight your work while committing to raise funds for Dec. 1.

Please let us know how we can support your UMC #GivingTuesday efforts. I look forward to learning about the creative ways that you participate in the campaign this year. We continue to hold you in prayer as you activate love, transform lives, and change the world. Peace, Ellen K. Knudsen Director of Advance Projects Love in action transforms lives! When you donate through The Advance on Dec. 1, UMC #GivingTuesday, your gift could be matched up to $1 million.* * Global Ministries will allocate matching funds dollar for dollar up to the first $1 million in gifts to Advance projects received online on Dec. 1, 2015, between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. CT. A maximum of $2,500 per individual gift to a project will be dispersed as matching funds. A project may receive a maximum of $25,000 in matching funds.

Dear Friends,

Please mark your calendars! UMC #GivingTuesday is Dec. 1. Last year, thanks to the extravagant generosity of our supporters, we raised $__0_____ on UMC #GivingTuesday. These gifts allowed us to [The United Methodist Church Task For for Disability and The Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope to resource local congregations to begin to fully include people who are differently abled in all the congregations activities as laity or clergy]. UMC #GivingTuesday is part of an international movement to extend the spirit of giving thanks into the Advent season. It offers an opportunity to start off the holiday season with giving instead of getting by supporting organizations like [The United Methodist Church Task Force for Disability and The Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministry] that are “activating love, transforming lives, and changing the world.” As you know, 100 percent of all gifts made through The Advance directly support our work. And once again, every gift made online through The Advance at www.umcmission.org/give on Dec. 1, 2015 will be matched up to $1 million.* We hope you will join us in our UMC #GivingTuesday campaign by:

• organizing a team [LINK TO REGISTRATION].

• posting a web banner on your website or facebook page [LINK TO WEB BANNER].

• providing matching funds on Dec. 1 to encourage others to support Advance #_______ [link to your Advance Giving Page].

• taking a selfless selfie holding a sign that says “On UMC #GivingTuesday, love in action transforms lives. Please join me by supporting [The United Methodist Church Task Force on Disability and The Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministry], a Global Ministries Advance project. Dec. 1, umcmission.org/give” (Make sure to tag me in the post so I can share it.).

• Asking that Christmas gifts be made as a donation in your name to support our work with an early gift on Dec. 1. More resources are available at www.umcmission.org/giving-tuesday. Thank you for putting love into action in ways that truly change lives! Blessings,

Gary Lee Parker

Love in action transforms lives! When you give online to [The United Methodist Church Tak Force on Disbility and The Global Methodist-Nazarene Lamb's Hope Ministry] through The Advance on Dec. 1, UMC #GivingTuesday, your gift could be matched up to $1 million.* * Global Ministries will allocate matching funds dollar for dollar up to the first $1 million in gifts to Advance projects received online on Dec. 1, 2015, between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. CT. A maximum of $2,500 per individual gift to a project will be dispersed as matching funds. A project may receive a maximum of $25,000 in matching funds.