Miracle Sunday 2026

June 25, 2026 Dear Cal-Pac Community,  At Annual Conference, we announced the Council of Bishops’ 2026 Miracle Sunday initiative: United Methodist leaders are inviting 30,000 congregations and their pastors worldwide into a God-led, Holy Spirit-empowered six-week emphasis, Love Boldly, Serve Joyfully, and Lead Courageously. This emphasis will equip congregations through a worship and small group series to extend the vision of the church and receive a special offering to help support 500 students annually to prepare for pastoral ministry across Africa, Europe, and the Philippines. Friends – you might be like me in that you value being part of our international UMC connection while also knowing relatively little about how pastors are trained and churches nurtured for mission and ministry around the world. The full scholarship I received from the Candler School of Theology was a tremendous gift to me, and of course I wish the same for my colleagues around the world. Right now, 71% of clergy in the U.S. have master’s degrees. Outside the U.S., less than 5% of clergy have master’s degrees. This is a significant disparity.  The Miracle Sunday campaign put together short video testimonies from seminary-trained pastors in Nigeria, Congo, Liberia, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Romania, and Sierra Leone. These will transport you