The Foundation: Overview
Centered in Christ, committed to excellence, United Methodist Communications informs, inspires and engages the people of the United Methodist Church and the World. The United Methodist Communications goal is to help the United Methodist Church tell its story. The Foundation for United Methodist Communications generates funds to inform, inspire and engage the people of God. Our Work seeks to strengthen The United Methodist Church and its ministries throughout the world, and to communicate the message of Jesus Christ in a spirit of Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors. The United Methodist Church leadership is focusing around four (4) areas of collaboration:
Effective and efficient means of communication and life-long general education are the cornerstones to accomplish theses priorities. United Methodist Communications (UMCom) will serve as the anchor agency of the Global Communications Network providing technical expertise in effective efficient communication. UMCom Central Conference Communications Program equipped and trained staff to establish 14 African communication centers and two communications centers in the Philippines. The African centers are located in East and West Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivorie, Liberia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria. Under partnership agreement, The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) will serve as the education agency and United Methodist Communications (UMCom) as the communication agency, will collaborate to build a model of communications and distance learning that will benefit all of the areas of focus for the denomination. The GBHEM and UMCom both play leadership roles and support roles for each other sharing their respective areas of expertise, knowledge, experiences, and resources. United Methodist Communications has a plan for success. The First Stage of the plan is to conduct on-the-ground community assessment to learn what individual communities and churches need in the way of community radio programs, distance learning education, equipment, and fundraising skills to build sustainability. The assessment has been completed and analyzed, the Second Stage of the plan will involve UMCom building the partnerships with the bishops, annual conferences, for-profit businesses, other nonprofits and NGO organizations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States to ensure stability and sustainability. The Third Stage will be the exciting stage where the physical radio station equipment will be purchased and installed. Hand-cranked radios will be purchased and distributed free of charge to the rural communities. Distant learning center computers and equipment will be purchased and installed. Stage Four of the plan will monitor how well program content and distant learning curricula contributes to community building. The Final Stage and ultimate goal is to develop the radio project to serve as a model to successfully establish Radio Community Network in the United Methodist Church around the globe. |
