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Five-Star Church Award 
Five-Star Church Awards: Instructions and Qualifiers
The Five-Star Program provides encouragement and recognition for congregations in Oklahoma which exhibit leadership in the field of Christian mission. We hope we can recognize you for your missional support during 2009.
Five-Star Churches are congregations that meet the following criteria. These criteria have not changed for the past few years. The postmark application deadline is January 31, 2010.
Star 1. Apportionments and One Great Hour of Sharing: Support our denomination’s connectional missional work. To qualify, the church must pay each Apportionment in full and give to UMCOR’s One Great Hour of Sharing (no minimum amount required to qualify). These items cannot be used to meet the criteria for Star 5.
Star 2. Volunteers in Mission: Accept and carry out a "Volunteers in Mission" Project. This can be any project beyond the local church, initiated by the local church or by the Conference VIM office, and involving direct, hands-on activities. To qualify, volunteers must work person-hours equal to one-half of the average worship attendance for the past calendar year as reported in the Conference Journal.
Star 3. Missionary Salary Support: Enter into the Covenant Relationship Program. Covenant to pay part of the salary of a missionary through the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. For information detailing this program go online to http://new.gbgm-umc.org/Advance/missionaries/covenant Also, the Conference Secretary of Global Ministries can recommend missionaries that need support. To qualify, annual support is provided at a minimum of $5 times the number of church members, or $2,500.
Star 4. Advance Special: Give to an Advance Special over and above Conference Apportionments. The Advance Special must be an approved World or National Advance Special or an approved Conference Advance Special. World and National Advance Specials are those listed in the Partnership in Missions catalogue or through subsequent announcements and additions. Approved Oklahoma Conference Advances are found on #460 through 469 on the local church treasurer’s remittance sheet. In 2008 the designated Conference Advances are Congregational Development, Prison Ministry/CJAMM, Urban Ministries, Cookson Hills Center, Neighborhood Service Organization, Hispanic Ministries, Oklahoma Volunteers In Mission, VIM Disaster Response, and, Project Transformation. (NOTE: amounts paid toward any of these as an apportionment cannot also be counted as an Advance Special). To qualify, the local church must give a dollar amount equal to or more than the number of their average worship attendance for the last calendar year as reported in the Conference Journal. Giving to more than one Advance Special may be combined to reach the required level.
Star 5. UMCOR Advance Special: Respond to the emergency needs of persons around the world by giving to one or more UMCOR Advance Specials. To qualify, the church must give a dollar amount equal to or more than the number of their average worship attendance for the last calendar year as reported in the Conference Journal. Giving to more than one UMCOR emergency appeal may be combined to reach the required level. NOTE: The One Great Hour of Sharing offering is not an Advance Special and therefore does not meet this requirement, but would help qualify for Star 1.
All five requirements must be completed within a given calendar year. Churches fulfilling these requirements will be recognized at Annual Conference. Applications must be postmarked by January 31.
To discuss or clarify any of the five "stars" contact Rev. Michael Fletcher-Taylor, Conference Secretary of Global Ministries, St. Matthews UMC, 12424 E 31ST ST, Tulsa, OK 74146-2202, (918) 622-8703, mlft@cox.net, or contact your District Secretary of Missions. |
