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United Methodist Student Day Special Sunday is Nov. 30 For many United Methodist students, the continuous increase in tuition and other education costs places an enormous financial burden that many cannot assume. Through the United Methodist Student Day offering, however, we can prepare students to unite faith with knowledge. Each year, the General Board of Higher Education & Ministry awards scholarships and loans through the United Methodist Student Day offering to students attending United Methodist and other accredited colleges and universities. In addition, a portion of the United Methodist Student Day offering is returned to annual conferences for merit scholarship awards to students of their choosing. For many students, this financial assistance is critical to attaining higher education. For many students, this financial assistance is critical to attaining higher education. Each year the number of applicants continues to rise, furthering the need for more financial assistance. Imagine being able to provide assistance for everyone. That is the goal of United Methodist Student Day. One of six Special Sunday observances of the denomination, Student Day is annually the last Sunday in November. This year that’s Nov. 30. The offering can be received at any time of the year, though. In 1866 a special fund was established for the advanced education of Sunday-school children and the educational preparation of persons for the ministry and missionary service. The 1940 General Conference established Methodist Student Day with a churchwide offering. The 1968 Uniting Conference continued this connectional student-aid program to be funded by the United Methodist Student Day offering. Dates for taking the offering have changed through the years. In 2007, the United Methodist Student Day offering totaled $602,309. Thanks to the United Methodist connectional system and the people called United Methodists, more than 3,000 students received a scholarship or loan to attend undergraduate or graduate school during the 2006-07 academic year. Approximately 400 are seminarians responding to their call to ministry and enrolled in seminaries and theological schools across the United States. For more information about the program and to apply for a scholarship or loan, please visit http://www.gbhem.org . United Methodist Student Day - Support Materials are available to help educate your congregation. Resources are available online as well as a link to an online store where you can order additional free printed resources. If you would rather call and order resources, call toll free (888) 346-3862. The resources will help you talk to your congregation about this United Methodist Student Day and about Special Sundays in general. For example, a Children's Sermon for United Methodist Student Day, November 30, 2008 is specially designed for children. There are also Facts and Worship Resources (PDF) available, including sermon suggestions and worship services, including appropriate hymns. You can invest in the future of our church through the United Methodist Student Day offering. You can help students unite faith with knowledge. About Special Sundays Six times throughout the year, United Methodist congregations celebrate churchwide Special Sundays with offerings. Your support is critical to the survival of these important ministries and for sharing God's gifts around the world. Churchwide Special Sundays with offerings enable United Methodists like you to offer refuge in times of disaster, promote peace and justice, provide scholarships and student loans, reach out to the community, teach skills to encourage self-sufficiency and share the love of Jesus Christ with God's people everywhere. Your support is critical to the survival of these important ministries and for sharing God's gifts around the world. Human Relations Day: Jan. 18, 2009 Jan.17, 2010 Jan. 16, 2011 Jan. 15, 2012 One Great Hour of Sharing: March 22, 2009 (Easter April 12) March 14, 2010 (Easter April 4) April 3, 2011 (Easter April 24) March 18, 2012 (Easter April 8) Native American Ministries Sunday: April 26, 2009 (Easter April 12) April 18, 2010 (Easter April 4) May 8, 2011 (Easter April 24) April 22, 2012 (Easter April 8) Peace with Justice Sunday: June 7, 2009 (Pentecost May 31) May 30, 2010 (Pentecost May 23) June 19, 2011 (Pentecost June 12) June 3, 2012 (Pentecost May 27) World Communion Sunday: Oct. 4, 2009 Oct. 3, 2010 Oct. 2, 2011 Oct. 7, 2012 United Methodist Student Day: Nov. 30, 2008 Nov. 29, 2009 Nov. 28, 2010 Nov. 27, 2011 Nov. 25, 2012 Online giving is available: Contribute. Date: 10/6/2008 ©2005-2008

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