We ARE Connected

There is a longstanding history of connectionalism in the United Methodist Church.  The Discipline states, “Connectionalism in the United Methodist tradition is multi-leveled, global in scope and local in thrust.  Our connectionalism is not merely a linking of one charge conference to another.  It is rather a vital web of interactive relationships.” (Book of Discipline 2016, ¶ 132)

For some it may seem that the United Methodist Church has lost sight of one of its founding principles.

Not for us.  What we do at the Foundation is rooted in connectionalism.  In fact, one of our mottos is “Methodist Helping Methodists.”    Those who first convened nearly fifty years ago to launch the Virginia United Methodist Foundation put the concept into action.

Every day we are reminded of how the investment of a church in one district of the Virginia Conference helps the Foundation provide service to a church in another district. In this way, an affluent congregation helps support the growth of a promising new church in a transitional neighborhood, or a retired pastor feeds a promising, innovative ministry.  We recently received applications for grants we will make in January, and it is because so many of our affiliates entrust the Foundation with their financial assets that we are able to provide resources to many ministries across the conference.  We’ll provide a list of grant recipients in a future newsletter.

We are grateful for this connection, and we look forward to continuing to put it into action in Virginia for years to come.  Thank you all for making it possible!

Author: Bo Bowden