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Resources for Native American Ministries Sunday (May 1, 2022)
April 19, 2022 / By Shannon Hodson / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Native American Ministries Sunday (NAMS) is May 1! NAMS, one of the United Methodist Church’s (UMC) Special Sundays, is a time to recognize the history of Native peoples; marred by colonial violence, land theft, and attempted genocide. This legacy continues to challenge the sovereignty of Native peoples today. Let us all embrace our opportunity and obligation to honor the struggles, perseverance, and achievements of our Native brothers and sisters. May we endeavor to walk together creating a shared and sustainable future for all creation.
Donations on NAMS support vital ministries and churches in the Native American communities and allow The UMC to partner with existing native ministries to develop new programs on behalf of Native Americans. Half of the donations collected remain within the Annual Conference to provide hope to children and youth, hope for a brighter future in impoverished communities, and a voice to those who have felt voiceless for years. This fund is distributed by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
When you give generously on Native American Ministries Sunday, you equip seminary students who honor and celebrate Native American culture in their ministries. You empower congregations to find fresh and culturally appropriate ways to minister to their communities with Christ’s love.
The Upper New York Committee on Native American Ministries (CONAM)) suggest you begin worship with this acknowledgement: "As we gather, we acknowledge we are on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.”
Here are many ways you can share resources related to Native American Sunday:
1.) Click here to obtain a plethora of resources to promote NAMS provided by Discipleship Ministries, including social media graphics, pew cards, email scripts, liturgies, podcasts, bulletin inserts, graphics, children’s sermons and activities, and so much more.
2.) Click here for a helpful Call to Worship and Benediction written by the Rev. Anita Phillips.
3.) Click here for a powerful video with CONAM members on building relationships with Native Americans; the video is 11 minutes and there in an excerpt specifically about NAMS from 4:28 to 5:33.
4.) Click here for hymns for Native American awareness.
5.) Click here for a one-minute video that describes how donations on NAMS support Native American ministries.
Without your generosity, this ministry could not be achieved! You gave $453,155 in 2021 towards ministries funded by the Native American Ministries Special Sunday offering. Because of you, the UMC is able to develop and strengthen Native American ministries in the Conferences, Native American rural, urban, reservation ministries, and communities relating to the General Board of Global Ministries. It also provides scholarships for Native Americans attending United Methodist schools of theology.
Your support helps Native American Ministries right here in UNY too!
A member of Four Corners UMC and active member of CONAM, Marilyn Anderson, said, “On behalf of the Four Corners UMC I want to thank CONAM for their generous donation to our church. COVID kept us from being open for many months, but we still had utility costs in order to keep the church heated, etc. We didn't have any financial support during that time. The NAMS donation has been used to catch up on our utility bills and our doors remain open!”
To support Native American Ministries Sunday this year, simply write “NAMS” on the memo line of the check you put in your church’s donation plate or click here to donate to NAMS online.