United Methodists will come together to support vital ministry projects and missionaries around the world on #GivingTuesday as they generously #GiveUMC. 

Giving through The Advance empowers hundreds of dedicated project leaders and missionaries to share the love of Christ in meaningful, life-saving ways. As always, 100% of all giving will support the designated Advance ministry!

How will you #GiveUMC? Find a project you are passionate about and make a donation! 

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By Jim Patterson and Sam Hodges, UMNS

Members of Paradise United Methodist Church were still unsure about the state of their homes or their church as firefighters continued to battle widespread California wildfires. 

In addition to the fire that devastated Paradise, a wildfire raging near Los Angeles clobbered the congregation of Malibu United Methodist Church, destroying some members’ homes.

The Paradise church building was rumored to have survived, but the pastor of a nearby church in Willows said there was a lot of uncertainty.

“About 80 percent of Paradise is burnt up, and those that survive will be in the middle of a desolate wasteland,” said the Rev. Dave Rieck, pastor of nearby First United Methodist Church of Willows, on Nov. 12.

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Todd Salzwedel’s Journey to Ministry and Participation in the Entrepreneurial Pastors Group (Part 2) from TMF

For leaders like Rev. Todd Salzwedel, Pastor of FUMC Odessa, his experience in TMF’s Entrepreneurial Pastors Group was transformative. “TMF is on the cutting edge of creating incubator groups for leadership development,” Todd noted. “Through this group, I have been given opportunities to be resourced for success and had the chance to network with other leaders who have helped me grow.” 

Over the last couple of years, TMF has invested in leaders like Todd, who can ardently articulate exactly what they have learned from this group and how it has made a difference in their ministries.   

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by Heather Hahn, UMNS

A church leadership body approved a plan to connect the evaluation of United Methodist general agencies with the development of the denomination’s budget.

The United Methodist Church has 10 general agencies that rely at least in part on local church giving to operate. Their duties vary, but all are charged with working with local churches, conferences and each other.

The Connectional Table , which acts as a sort of church council for the denomination, has the responsibility of evaluating the missional effectiveness of these agencies.

It also has the responsibility of working with the General Council on Finance and Administration, the denomination’s finance agency, to draft a four-year budget that  covers not only the 10 church-funded agencies but also other denomination-wide work . General Conference, the denomination’s top lawmaking body that typically meets every four years, has the final say on the denominational budget.

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The season of Advent, which comes comes from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming” or “visit," begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year for Christians. (Liturgical -- from liturgy, which means the forms and functions of public worship.)

During Advent, we prepare for, and anticipate, the coming of Christ. We remember the longing of Jews for a Messiah and our own longing for, and need of, forgiveness, salvation and a new beginning. Even as we look back and celebrate the birth of Jesus in a humble stable in Bethlehem, we also look forward anticipating the second coming of Christ as the fulfillment of all that was promised by his first coming.

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