Co-Chairs Announced for Miracle Sunday Initiative

PRESS RELEASE | January 28, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bishop Patrick Streiff
Press Release Link: Read more from UM News

The Endowment for Theological Education in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines
Subject: Co‑Chairs Announced for Love Boldly, Serve Joyfully, Lead Courageously – Miracle Sunday Initiative

United Methodist Leaders Launch Global Six‑Week Emphasis to Strengthen Theological Education Worldwide
The Endowment for Theological Education in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines, initiated by the Council of Bishops, is pleased to announce Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa and Barbara Boigegrain as Co‑Chairs for the Love Boldly, Serve Joyfully, Lead Courageously – Miracle Sunday Initiative.

“We are deeply grateful to Bishop Nhiwatiwa and Ms. Boigegrain for their willingness to co-chair such an important mission initiative,” said Bishop Patrick Streiff, the President of The Endowment for Theological Education in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines. Bishop Streiff added, “Bishop Nhiwatiwa of Zimbabwe has provided regional and global leadership for the church, and Ms. Boigegrain, the former General Secretary for Wespath, the United Methodist Board of Pensions, was instrumental in raising more than $20 million for the Central Conference Pension Fund and contributed with her experience to the Endowment Board as a founding member.”

Approved by the Council of Bishops, the Connectional Table, and the General Council on Finance and Administration, this denomination‑wide effort will engage 30,000 United Methodist congregations across the globe in a six‑week season of worship, learning, service, and generosity, culminating in a Miracle Sunday offering on May 17, 2026.

From April 12 to May 17, 2026, congregations will participate in a churchwide emphasis designed to deepen discipleship and strengthen leadership for the future of the denomination. Worship resources, small‑group materials, and mission opportunities will guide United Methodists in exploring what it means to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in communities across the world.

The Miracle Sunday offering will support a bold goal: endowing 500 theological scholarships in perpetuity for emerging clergy leaders in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines. Today, fewer than 5% of pastors outside the United States hold a master’s degree in theology, compared to more than 71% within the U.S. The scholarships supported through this campaign will equip a new generation of women and men for pastoral ministry in some of the most challenging missional contexts.

Message from the Co‑Chairs:

Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa and Barbara Boigegrain, Co‑Chairpersons, offered the following message to United Methodists worldwide:

In December 2024, when three United Methodists were killed in Munga Dosa, Nigeria, Bishop Ande Emmanuel and Rev. Eli Sule Yakku, together with other local leaders, stepped forward to comfort grieving families and steady their community. Their calm, courageous leadership kept the church united in a moment of deep pain.

Both leaders were formed at the United Methodist Banyam Theological Seminary in Bambur, Nigeria, where rigorous theological study is paired with practical leadership training. Their preparation made a profound difference when their community needed them most.

Our Shared Vision
Through this initiative, we have the opportunity to extend the vision of the United Methodist Church: To form disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in the community and the world.

The Opportunity Before Us
From April 12 to May 17, 2026, millions of United Methodists will join in a six‑week journey of prayer, learning, and generosity—inviting our whole connection to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously.

On Miracle Sunday, May 17, 2026, we are honored to serve as co‑chairs of a worldwide offering that will help raise up a new generation of outstanding clergy leaders outside the United States.

The Miracle We Seek
Our goal is bold: to endow 500 scholarships in perpetuity, ensuring that courageous, well‑prepared leaders can serve in some of the most challenging missional communities around the world. Achieving this in a single Sunday will require prayer, faith, and a miracle. Yet we trust the Holy Spirit to multiply our gifts beyond what we can imagine.

A New Generation of Leaders
In Ukraine, United Methodist pastors continue to offer worship, sacraments, and pastoral care amid war. Around the world, our seminaries prepare leaders who stand firm in hardship and hope. This appeal will equip more than 500 such leaders every year, women and men ready to serve where the need is greatest.

Join Us in the Miracle
We invite you and your congregation to join us:

• Pray for God’s miracle to be fulfilled in and through our church.

• Use the Miracle Sunday resources to guide worship, learning, and giving.

Together, God is ready to work a miracle through us.

With you in prayer and service toward the miracle,
Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa and Barbara Boigegrain, Co‑Chairpersons

About the Endowment
The Endowment for Theological Education in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines exists to strengthen the formation of emerging clergy leaders across the global connection. By ensuring long‑term support for theological education, the Endowment empowers pastors to lead communities with wisdom, courage, and faithfulness.