Summary of the World Mission Fund Grants for Coronavirus assistance 2019-20

The global picture of the pandemic continues to change; and we are seeing a complex picture of waves of COVID-19 around the world, including the UK, as governments and individuals make difficult decisions over public health safety and economic down turns. 

Please continue to pray for individuals, families, churches and nations, for those who are unwell, who have lost loved ones and while lock downs prevent people from earning and being with others.

The Methodist Church in Britain continues to support its partners in this time of global pandemic, in solidarity, prayer and financial support for their work.

This summary of grants does not draw a line under the ongoing work that partners are doing but is to provide account for the general grants made from the World Mission Fund for COVID-19 related work in the year Sept 2019 to August 2020. The first grant was made in February to the China Christian Council to assist in their response and majority of these general grants were released between April and July 2020.

Regionally the breakdown of general grants released to partners:

Africa-----------------------------------£159,469

Asia/Pacific----------------------------£222,591

Europe----------------------------------£ 20,000

Latin American and the Caribbean--£171,719

Total                                                                   £573,779

Read examples of work on how World Mission Fund general grants released for COVID-19 work, have been used in South India,  Ecuador, Malaysia and Bangladesh

The World Mission Fund grants have been made alongside the Coronavirus Emergency joint appeal of All We Can and the Methodist Church in Britain.  You can read more about the appeal and donate here

For details on all the COVID-19 related general grants from the World Mission Fund for 2019-20 please see below:

• First COVID related grant to China Christian Council in February 2020 
• Grants between Feb 8 to April 7, 2020 
• Grants from April 8 to 24, 2020 
• Grants from April 25 to May 19, 2020 
• Grants from May 20 to June 23, 2020 
• Grants from June 24 to July 22, 2020 

From July 23 to August 31, 2020:

Ecumenical Institute for Study and Dialogue (EISD) (£2,500)

A grant to help cover the fixed running costs of the institution while under COVID lockdown and the institution has not been able to hire out its premises for use, which is its main source of income.  The main benefit is to assure the continuation of EISD itself and the valuable dialogue and reconciliation work which it undertakes.

Methodist Church of Upper Myanmar (MCUM) Methodist Theological College Support (£4,200)

To help cover the ongoing costs of 12 staff members. The sudden restrictions have created widespread and real hardship in Myanmar. Normally, one third of the college's budget is covered by students' tuition fees. But in this year the College is still closed due to Covid-19 pandemic. The Theological College is as yet unable to resume its activities and so fee income has been lost. College staff live on the campus but are now not being paid and cannot provide for their families.

To read more and give to the work of the World Mission Fund go here