sity’s 24-year history, all ten conferences that comprise the Northeastern Jurisdiction of the UMC achieved giving levels of 100 percent or higher for the AUF.

The Northeastern Jurisdiction’s strong showing for the AUF was helped by a return to the 100 percent giving level by Eastern Pennsylvania, which closed a four-year gap in giving, and Upper New York where churches increased their giving to the AUF by 41 per-cent between 2014 and 2015.

The Pacific Northwest Conference achieved its first

Issue: 01 Vol: 21 January - February 2016

Please Remember Africa University in Your Will Give Now

Support for the AUF Increased Across All Jurisdictions in 2015

Africa University Development Office | P O Box 340007 | Nashville, TN 37203 Tel. (615) 340-7438 | Fax. (615) 340-7290 | Email: audevoffice@gbhem.org

A record number of annual conferences, 32 in num-ber, invested100 percent of their asking to the Africa

University Fund (AUF) apportionment.

Choir Visits COR and HPUMC

A 1 3 - m e m b e r chamber group of the Africa University Choir returned to the U.S. in January for a visit to two of The United Methodist Church’s largest con-gregations, the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection (COR) and Highland Park United Methodist Church (HPUMC).

The group, com-prised of seven females and six males, featured students from five African coun-tries.

The choir’s 12-day visit started on January 28 in Leawood, Kansas, where thousands turned out to enjoy music from African praise traditions in five worship services at COR.

The choir’s first event in Dallas, Texas, a joint concert with the Children’s Choir

at Christ’s Foundry UMC, became a great gather-ing of friends and supporters of the university. It brought out Africa University alumni as well as clergy and lay leaders from a number of North Texas

Conference congre-gations.

The choir’s packed schedule at Highland Park UMC included a Sunday worship service attend-ed by former U.S. President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush.

The choir’s music brought Africa to the forefront as the Rev. Paul Rasmussen kicked off a special ser-mon series, “Beyond 100”, which cel-ebrates Highland Park UMC’s past and looks to its future.

Former U.S. President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush with the AU Choir at HPUMC.

Former AU Dean in New Role with GBHEM

The Rev. Dr. Beauty Maenzanise has joined the staff of the General Board of Higher E d u c a t i o n and Ministry ( G B H E M ) , working with the Clergy Formation Team of the Division of Ordained Ministry. The focus of her work will be the sup-port and development of theo-logical education in Africa. Dr. Maenzanise served as dean of the Faculty of Theology at Africa University for 10 years. In April 2005, she was one of two females appointed to deanships for the first time in the institution’s history.

100 percent investment to the AUF in 2015, moving the Western Jurisdiction closer to the goal of 100 percent across the board for the AUF.

Rev. Dr. Beauty Maenzanise

Local congregations of The United Methodist Church achieved a num-ber of firsts in giving to the Africa University Fund apportionment, (AUF), in 2015. Investment in the work and impact of Africa University increased in all five of the denomination’s juris-dictions in North America.

A record number of annual con-ferences, 32 in total, invested 100 percent of their asking to the AUF. Their generosity resulted in an over-all investment of 93.65 percent or $2,185,211.73 for 2015.

Three conferences—Iowa (116.54%), Eastern Pennsylvania (110.65%), and South Carolina (101.41%)—went beyond 100 per-cent.

“We are indeed grateful to the UMC for its outstanding support for the AUF,” said Dr. Munashe Furusa. The university’s vice chancellor described the church’s support for the AUF in

2015 as “overwhelming” and a “clear testimony to the church’s commitment to transforming AU into a premier uni-versity.”

For the first time in the univer-

Compliments of the New Year! As we begin 2016 with much hope, great expec-tations, and excitement, what better time to review our estate plans to make certain that our affairs are in order.

This past December, Congress passed and President Obama signed into law leg-islation not only extending the Charitable IRA Rollover (CIRAR) but also making the CIRAR permanent for future years. Donors 70½ or older may make a roll-over gift of up to $100,000 from their IRA accounts free from Federal income taxes. CIRAR gifts count toward required IRA minimum withdrawal amounts for the

A Special Gift Opportunity – Got IRA?

year of the gift.In many cases,

donors over the age of 59½ who itemize charitable deductions may achieve an out-come similar to the CIRAR by withdraw-ing retirement funds, giving them to char-ity, and claiming an offsetting charitable deduction. If the tax deduction fully off-sets the tax liability, a

General Board of Higher Education and MinistryThe United Methodist ChurchP O Box 340007Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0007

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage PAIDNashville, Tenn.Permit No. 11

“wash” occurs, resulting in no additional tax liability.

Got IRA?For more information on how to take

advantage of this special gift opportunity in 2016 and beyond, visit the planned giving website at http://www.africau.plannedgiv-ing.org/.

Or, contact our Director of Planned Giving, Elaine Jenkins, Africa University Development Office, P. O. Box 340007, Nashville, TN, 37203-0007, 615/340-7428 (telephone), 615/340-7290 (fax), ejenkins@gbhem.org (email address).Elaine Jenkins, Director

of Planned Giving

South Carolina Group Visits AU Campus

A 39-person group, comprised of clergy and lay members from the South Carolina Conference, made a familiarization visit to the Africa University campus from January 11-21. The group, led by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston and Mrs. Felecia Holston, par-ticipated in roundtable discussions with the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Munashe Furusa, and his Cabinet. Those discussions focused on the university’s accomplishments and

impact as well as on its current and future development needs. Areas with potential for expanded partnership and collaboration were discussed. Members of the group have returned to South Carolina to share the Africa University story and help the conference to discern new avenues through which it can grow its support for the institu-tion. This is the second South Carolina group to visit the university in two years.

Sixteen Baltimore-Washington Conference con-gregations have agreed to host speakers for an Africa University saturation event. The event takes place on Sunday, March 13. Members of the Africa University Advisory Development Committee, including Dr. Maggie Jackson and Ms. Brenda Chadwick (pictured above with con-gregants from Blackman UMC in Murfreesboro, TN), volunteer to preach and lead Sunday School presentations that share the univer-sity’s story with local churches. The advisory committee will meet in Baltimore at the invita-tion of Bishop Marcus Matthews, on March 12.

Left: S.C. group with current scholarship beneficiaries. Right: Vice Chancellor, Dr. Munashe Furusa with the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs-Manicaland, the Honorable Mandi Chimene, and Bishop L. Jonathan Holston and Mrs. Felecia Holston. Minister Chimene altered her schedule to meet with the group on campus.

ADC Meeting and AU Saturation in Baltimore