Delegates vote to fund global education, Africa University May 6, 2004 By Melissa Lauber* PITTSBURGH
(UMNS) —The growth of the United Methodist Church, which in 2003 touted
a membership of more than 10 million, can be attributed, in part, to
evangelism efforts in Africa, southeast Asia and Europe. On
May 6, General Conference delegates voted to provide schools in those
regions and around the world with more resources to educate people doing
the work of the church. The
delegates approved a $4 million Global Education Fund to assist the 748
Methodist schools, colleges, universities and seminaries in 69 nations. The
new fund will be part of the United Methodist Board of Higher Education
and Ministry’s technical assistance program, which works to train “a
new generation of clergy and lay leaders who will commit boldly to Jesus
Christ and be characterized by intellectual excellence, moral and
spiritual courage, and holiness of heart and life.” Plans
for the fund are based on the knowledge and experience gained by
denominational leaders from Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Africa
University — a United Methodist-related school that Habitat for
Humanity International founder Milton Fuller called “one of the great
success stories of Christian mission stories in the world today” —
received the funding it requested from the denomination. Delegates
voted to provide Africa University with $10 million in apportioned
funds and an additional $10 million to be raised through World Service
Special Gifts over the next four years. The apportioned figure is the
same as that approved by the 2000 General Conference. The school serves
1,123 students from 22 African nations. *Lauber
is associate editor of the UMConnection, the newspaper of the United
Methodist Church's Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference. News media contact: (412) 325-6080 during General Conference, April 27-May 7.
After May 10: (615) 742-5470.
| 
Korean News
