Section IX. Special Sundays
274. The special Sundays in The United Methodist Church are intended to be illustrative of the nature and calling of the Church and are celebrated annually. The special Sundays are placed on the calendar in the context of the Christian year, which is designed to make clear the calling of the Church as the people of God, and to give persons the opportunity of contributing offerings to special programs.
Six special churchwide Sundays provide for Churchwide offerings to do deeds expressive of our commitment: Human Relations Day, One Great Hour of Sharing, World Communion Sunday, United Methodist Student Day, Peace with Justice Sunday, and Native American Awareness Sunday. Two special Sundays are without offering: Heritage Sunday and Laity Sunday. Three churchwide Sundays, Christian Education, Golden Cross, and Rural Life Sundays, provide opportunities for Annual Conference offerings.
The special Sundays approved by General Conference shall be the only Sundays of churchwide emphasis. The program calendar of the denomination shall include only the special Sundays approved by General Conference, special Sundays approved by ecumenical agencies to which The United Methodist Church is officially related, and the days and seasons of the Christian year.
Because of the diversity of history and heritages experienced by the Central Conferences, they shall not be required to observe all of the special days listed below. The Central Conferences are authorized to observe other special days appropriate to their unique history and heritages.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 274
1996 United Methodist General Conference