Become a Keystone Congregation for AU!

Becoming a Keystone Congregation for Africa University means participating in the evolving reality of The United Methodist Church and resourcing transformative mission and ministry.

Supporting Africa University satisfies a need for purpose and solidifies connection to one of the greatest missions of The United Methodist Church. One way this happens is when a church becomes a Keystone Congregation for AU.

To be recognized as a keystone congregation, a church makes a multi-year commitment to provide annual scholarship support of at least $7,000 to a student at Africa University. The congregation promises to walk alongside that student in their college journey with regular updates, the sharing of stories and mutual prayers of encouragement. Since Africa University is a four-year college, a four-year commitment is ideal. With that commitment, a congregation becomes a permanent part of AU’s strategy for growth and sustainability.

Typically, this level of commitment does not come about overnight. It’s something that congregations grow into, and the journey often starts with members learning more about and appreciating the impact of their witness. A church can choose to do this by hosting a congregation-wide AU Sunday celebration. It’s an exciting, informative event that connects church members with students and staff at Africa University.

AU Sunday events may include guest preachers, speakers and video presentations about Africa University in worship services and Bible classes, African music, stories from AU students,  refreshments, and more. They’re so much fun, congregations make them a fixture on their calendar and look forward to them every year. As interest in AU grows, some congregations move to include a visit to the university to see and experience their impact first-hand.

Charity UMC in Virginia Beach, Va., hosted its first AU Sunday celebration in mid-January. The update on AU and message shared by the guest preacher of the day, Rev. Lloyd Rollins, challenged their mission chairperson and lay leaders to imagine a giving plan that goes beyond the church’s budget.

 Since a $7,000 annual commitment can be daunting to some congregations, Rollins broke it down. Imagine, he said, if 50 members agreed to give $2.70 a week for 52 weeks. That adds up to around $140 per person for the year.

Rev. Jay Cottman, Charity UMC senior pastor said, “Our church has a missional mindset and is examining sacrificial mission and ministry. Giving to AU could allow students to support their families; it could give a student one more gift of God’s tangible grace.”

For AU Sunday at St Paul’s UMC, Orangeburg, S.C., members heard a wealth of information that left them humbled, embarrassed (that they had no idea!) and impressed that by paying apportionments they were bringing Christian education to students on the African continent.

Many United Methodists still have never heard of Africa University. Attorney D’Anne Haydel, a member at St. Paul’s, said, “To me, prior to [AU Sunday], Africa University was just a line item in the apportionments; it had no life to it. I didn’t understand what it was about. It made me realize that I needed to learn more about the groups involved in our apportionments. I didn’t know I was a part of a church that did this!”

If you are ready to help develop a plan for becoming a Keystone Congregation to extend your church’s missional reach, we would love to hear from you. .