“Be There” for UMCOR – One Great Hour of Sharing Falls on March 6

Every year, the United Methodist Church observes the “One Great Hour of Sharing” to collect special offerings for those in need. Organized under the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), the Hour of Sharing is held on the fourth Sunday of Lent. This year, the special offering follows the theme “Be There”, as taken from Psalm 23:4, and falls on March 6, 2005.

"The One Great Hour of Sharing offering on March 6, 2005, is absolutely essential to UMCOR," said the Rev. Paul Dirdak, the agency's chief executive. "UMCOR receives no World Service funds or any other apportionments. United Methodists' gifts to this special offering not only keep UMCOR's lights on and UMCOR's delivery system in place at home and around the world-- they also enable us to respond immediately to disasters."

According to UMCOR, the funds received throughout the year are often designated for specific programs, such as the recent offering option for tsunami-struck regions. Those programs receive 100 percent of gifts, as promised by UMCOR.

One Great Hour of Sharing is one of only a few general donations UMCOR can receive to cover the group’s administrative costs. In addition to covering the “costs of doing business,” One Great Hour offerings provide “Fill-in Funding” for those programs that have not been fully funded through designated gifts. Of the total, general and designated gifts, UMCOR spends 90.7 percent on programs-- a very respectable ratio according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics.
For more information or to “Be There”, visit: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/oghs.stm