A Stewardship
Ministry

Established in 1955, United Methodist Foundation, Inc. is a stewardship ministry of the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church.

UMF was founded with the vision to serve all churches, institutions and agencies in the NC Conference, acting as trustee for a variety of accounts including church building funds, mission endowments, and scholarships.

These accounts begin through the visionary leadership of those who care deeply about leaving a legacy for future generations.

Planned Giving Education

United Methodist Foundation, Inc. offers Endowment Program and Planning Giving consultation services.

The Endowment Program’s stewardship consultations help local churches and Conference institutions establish permanent endowment programs.

UMF consults with individual donors establishing permanent or long-term planned gifts to benefit ministries of the Church. This donor-focused service helps donors create the gift plan most appropriate for their situation. UMF works cooperatively with the donor’s legal, tax and financial advisors.

Socially Responsible Investment Management

The three investment fund options have a carefully diversified investment portfolio of socially responsible investment opportunities. The investment decisions made by UMF’s Board and Investment Managers are based on The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church as encouraged by The Book of Discipline and the Investment Guidelines of The United Methodist Church.

Customized Investment Agreements

Churches, institutions and individuals work directly with our staff develop individualized legal agreements. UMF offers Permanent Endowments and Revocable Investment Agreements to fulfill a variety of stewardship goals. The flexibility in developing these agreements ensures each account serves its intended purpose with regards to long-term growth, protection of principal, frequency of distributions, re-investment of earnings, and guidelines for distributions.

The children of Macedonia UMC recieve the Saints of God Award from UMF at the 2009 Annual Conference.

The children of Macedonia UMC recieve the Saints of God Award from UMF at the 2009 Annual Conference.


Saints of God:
The Children of Macedonia UMC

For the first time ever, a ministry conducted by children received the Saints of God Stewardship Award presented annually by United Methodist Foundation, Inc. The 2009 award, offered to those who exhibit “outstanding Christian stewardship and service within the North Carolina Annual Conference,” was awarded to the children of Macedonia United Methodist Church of the Sanford District for their “Pennies For Pigs” campaign.

In response to photos and videos taken by Rev. Ron Scott during a 2008 mission trip to Rwanda, the children of Macedonia UMC began to collect pennies to assist the orphaned children of Africa through ZOE Ministry’s Giving Hope Empowerment Project. To date, “Pennies For Pigs” has raised over $800 - enough to purchase 28 pigs - and hopes to raise much more. According to Rev. Scott, the children are excited to be able to help children in Africa and to know they are fulfilling the gospel message from Matthew 25:40: “…Truly I tell you, just as you did it to the least who are members of my family, you did for me.” (Matthew 25; 40 NIV) And, when an orphan receives the gift of an animal, they then have an income-generation opportunity through the sale of offspring as well as fertilizer for gardens.

The idea for the fundraiser was born after Macedonia’s pastor, the Rev. Ron Scott, visited Rwanda in September 2008 with ZOE Ministry founder, the Rev. Greg Jenks, a clergy member of the NC Conference and missionary. During the visit, Scott was inspired to see children raising their siblings in abject poverty. Through ZOE Ministry’s Giving Hope project, they are taught life-skills and offered the support needed to overcome their circumstances and provide for their families.

Children in ZOE's Giving Hope project receive small farm animals to raise.

Children in ZOE's Giving Hope project receive small farm animals to raise.

This year’s Saints of God Award will include a monetary gift that will double the funds raised by the children of Macedonia UMC. They hope to use these funds as “seed money” to raise additional funds for the orphaned children of Rwanda. The Saints of God Award was established in 1994 by Raleigh resident Gordon Smith III in memory of his mother, Jean Poe Smith. Each year the award recognizes outstanding Christian stewardship and service at various levels within the North Carolina Annual Conference. The award takes its name from the familiar hymn “I Sing A Song of the Saints of God.”