Missions
Celebration Weekend
2024 Missions
Meal Packing
If you want to have fun and make a difference, plan on joining us as we pack over 50,000 meals with Rise Against Hunger.
You raised over $20,000 through our 2023 Christmas offering to make this happen. These meals will be shipped to vulnerable people in need around the world. Our goal is to have 200 volunteers for this event.
Saturday, April 27 | 8:30am-10:30am
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Keynote Speaker
Rev. Dr. Samual Dzobo, Pastor at Lennon-Seney UMC
We’re pleased to welcome Rev. Dr. Samuel Dzobo as the Keynote Speaker for our 2024 Missions Celebration Weekend. Samuel is the Associate District Superintendent for TN Valley and Smoky Mountain Districts in the Holston Conference and pastor of Lennon-Seney UMC in East Knoxville. Originally from Zimbabwe, Samuel received his Bachelors degree from Africa University, Masters of Missions and Evangelism at Asbury Theology Seminary and Masters of Theology from Duke.
Samuel's personal testimony of how God called him and has used him in the lives of others is very compelling. Samuel is married to his wife Pauline and has a large extended family. One of his favorite quotes comes from William Tyndale: "The church exists for those outside it.”
MISSION GUEST SPEAKERS
During Sunday School Hour
SESSION 1 10:00-10:20am | SESSION 2 10:25-10:45am
Will Boggs, Raising a Voice & Magnolia Ministries
Raising of Voice works to end human trafficking through gospel centered community transformation and global outreach while Magnolia Ministries advocates for vulnerable and exploited women in East Knoxville who do not have access to basic needs and resources.
Cindy Black, Good Samaritan Center of Loudon County, TN
The Good Samaritan Center of Loudon County is a private, non-profit assistance ministry serving the emergency needs of those in need in Loudon County, Tennessee.
Harry Howe, Projects Crossroads
In the heart of the Appalachians, Project Crossroads works to meet the needs of God’s children through home repair, new home construction, firewood delivery, emergency assistance, medical care and an opportunity for faithful witness of Christ’s presence through love in action.
Royce Fox, Holston Home for Children
Holston Home for Children provides hope and healing for a brighter future by sharing the love of Jesus with children and families struggling with life's challenges.
Laura McClean, New Voices Campaign
The New Voices Campaign‘s goal is to support Holston's Conference Colleges, Wesley Foundations and Camps. Through this campaign, the goals of increasing connection, community and commitment of the young voices will be achieved.
Carmen Hicks // Bessie Madison, Five Loaves Food Pantry - Lennon-Seney UMC
The Five Loaves Food Pantry is a ministry of Lennon-Seney United Methodist Church in Knoxville. Hundreds of bags of groceries are given away every month to people in need in the church and community.
Faith Promise Giving For Missions
At Central UMC, we recognize and accept our role in spreading the gospel and love of Jesus Christ across the street and around the world. Over the last 30 years, many congregations have moved to Faith Promise Giving for Missions. In other words, they have taken their giving for missions out of their operating budgets. Why? Three reasons:
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Often when times were tough financially in the life of the church, often mission line items were reduced.
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Churches wanted their mission efforts to be more relational than simply a line item in the budget.
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Many attendees wanted to give to missions above their current level of giving.
The Faith Promise Missions Budget is funded by money given through the Faith Promise gifts made each year during our annual Missions Celebration. Many congregations have found that more laity have enjoyed increased excitement and involvement in missions through Faith Promise Giving.
What is Faith Promise Giving?
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A Faith Promise is simply a covenant between God and you. “I promise to trust God to give me ‘extra money’ that I can direct to missionary causes.” In a sense, you are simply making yourself a channel through which God can send money to missions. You dare to let God use your faith and your life to bless others on the mission field.
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Faith Promises do not tie to the church budget. This is entirely “extra” giving. “I have made a pledge to our church which I intend to keep, but this is over and above that. I am not taking money away from the church budget to give to missions. I am trusting God for extra money for missions.
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Faith Promise is very personal. It is not a pledge. There will be no names on either sections of the card. You will never be asked for your Faith Promise gift. If you make a gift by check or offering envelope and mark it Faith Promise of course you will see that amount show up on your giving statement as Faith Promise for Missions.
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Faith Promise is a means of growing in faith. When you see how God works in this venture of faith, you learn to trust Him even more in ALL areas of your life.
“...and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth” - Acts 1.8
