By Marjorie Rayburn, Beacon District Mission Secretary
The rainbow symbolizes the covenant between God and Noah and every living thing on behalf of every future generation – Genesis 9:12 (13-17), CEB.
A Rainbow Covenant Church is a United Methodist Church that supports missions of the North Carolina Conference, first by paying its apportionments in full (first-mile giving). Additionally, the church supports at least one project in each of the following mission categories: persons in mission, NC Conference Advance Specials, national missions, world missions, and UMCOR (second mile). Each category (or lane) of missional support and giving reminds the local United Methodist Church that it has touched persons with the love of God in its own community, conference, nation, and throughout the world.
For 2022, the Beacon District had three churches earn recognition as a Rainbow Covenant Church. Congratulations to Ware’s Chapel, Colington, and Fair Haven United Methodist Churches. These churches were recognized with certificates presented during worship.
Being a Rainbow Covenant Church means that your church has supported missions and missionaries of the North Carolina Conference. Most United Methodist Churches support and are involved in various local missions, including food pantries, soup kitchens, partnerships with local schools, and other worthwhile projects. Rainbow Covenant Churches broaden their mission support to include Conference, national, and world missions as well as individual missionaries and disaster relief through UMCOR.
You can help your church make a commitment to be a Rainbow Covenant Church for 2023. There is still time left. Check out the opportunities available in the Mission & Service Commitments 2023 booklet. If you don’t have a paper copy, it is available online at nccumc.org/media/publications/mission-service/ (choose 2023WebPDF once there). The Mission & Service Commitments for 2024 booklet will be available soon. The 2024 booklet has the deadlines and form on which to report your 2023 Rainbow Covenant Giving. (You can change the date on the reporting form to 2023 if you have an old form.) Contributions should be sent to the NCC Treasurer’s Office by early January. The Giving Report should be sent to the District Mission Secretary (contact information listed on the back of the Giving Report Form) by January 31st. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your District Mission Secretary.
Let’s have many more Rainbow Covenant Churches recognized for their giving and support of missions in 2023!