Please Remember Africa University in Your Will Issue:

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Vol:

22

January - February

2018

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

615 340 7438

615 340 7290

Churches’ AUF Investment Reaches New High United Methodist congregations helped Africa University to end its 25th anniversary year with its highest level of support to date. Overall, congregations in the United States invested 96.77 percent of their asking to the Africa University Fund (AUF) apportionment in 2017, resulting in $2,266,498.00 in support. That’s the highest percentage invested to date in one of the seven apportioned funds of The United Methodist Church. “We are overwhelmed at the response of local churches and annual conferences to the call for full funding in celebration of the 25 years of the ministry of Africa University,” said James H. Salley, associate vice chancellor for institutional advancement. Thirty-five of the 56 annual conferences that comprise the five U.S. jurisdictions of The United Methodist Church invested at 100 percent or higher in the AUF in

Lectures Underway

. Two of them, Detroit and Yellowstone, 2017 achieved a 100 percent investment for the first time. Seven annual conferences—East Ohio,

New York, Red Bird Missionary, Tennessee, Upper New York, West Michigan, and Wisconsin—exceeded 100 percent.

“Our thanks and appreciation goes out to the congregations, large and small, to the leaders at all levels of our denomination, and to the Africa University partners, AU Board of Directors, Board and Advisory Development Committees, and AU networkers,” said Salley. “It is a perfect example of how we can do more for the kingdom when we do it together.” Giving increased in all five jurisdictions—with the Western Jurisdiction at percent for the first time and the 100 Northeastern Jurisdiction at 100 percent for the third consecutive year. Two other jurisdictions—North Central and Southeastern —achieved 99.83 percent, and . percent respectively.

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AU Leaders, Advisors Meet in North Charleston Africa University will hold key meetings of its leaders and advisors in North Charleston, SC, from February 22-25, . The meetings and special events 2018 were initially scheduled for September , but were postponed due to travel 2017 and safety concerns related to Hurricane Irma. Bishop L. Jonathan Holston of the Columbia Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church will be the host for events of the Africa University Board and Advisory Development Committees in North Charleston, with support from the Superintendents of the Charleston and Walterboro Districts. The choice of North Charleston for these events cements Africa University’s special relationship with the South Carolina Conference. Bishop Holston and Mrs. Felecia Holston will be recognized with the Drum Award, Africa University’s highest honor for institutional advancement contributions. On February rd, members of the Africa University23Board of Directors,

Give Now

senior executives and longstanding friends and supporters of the university will attend a formal launch event and dinner celebrating the progress of the $ 50 million Campaign for Africa University. They will also gather for the Richard E. Dick Reeves Legacy Society Dinner, at which friends who have made planned gifts or bequests are recognized and inducted, on February th. On February th, 24 seventeen local congregations will25host guest preachers, speakers, and Sunday School presenters for an Africa University Sunday saturation event in the Charleston and Walterboro districts.

Lectures for the second semester of the academic year opened on a high note on January 22nd, following the reapproval of Africa University accreditation by Zimbabwe’s National Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), last November. ZIMCHE extended Africa University’s accreditation to the year 2022. The council also reviewed and approved a slate of new programs, making Africa University the first institution in Zimbabwe accredited to offer online degree programs. The university is continuing to invest in staff capacity and the use of new technology for teaching/learning, innovation, and business incubation. “Africa University has set itself up to be a center of excellence in a number of areas and our efforts in child rights, malaria research, agriculture and intellectual property have set the ball rolling,” says Munashe Furusa, the vice chancellor and chief executive officer. With Zimbabwe’s recent governance transition spurring optimism and a push to revitalize the country, universities are being viewed as key partners. In mid-January, Africa University was one of three Zimbabwe-based higher education institutions to outline its plans for contributing to Africa’s socio-economic transformation to President Emmerson Mgangangwa. Developments include new equipment and partners for the Africa University innovation hub and training options in agricultural engineering and other STEM projects are on the fast track for implementation. The university has intensified its efforts to refurbish existing facilities such as the student dormitories and recreation facilities. Plans for the construction of student union building and an 80-bed dormitory are at an advanced stage, thanks to a gift of $ million from Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, TX.

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The New Tax Reform and Charitable Giving: No, the Sky is not Falling! On December 20, 2017, Congress enacted the most comprehensive tax law changes in more than 30 years. In the months leading up to the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, there was much hand-wringing that the anticipated changes would severely limit the charitable deduction. Such was not the case, however. The charitable deduction was the only widelyused deduction that was not limited under the new tax reform. In fact, the charitable deduction was

enhanced in several important respects: the limit of 50% of adjusted gross income for gifts of cash has been increased to %; the Pease 60 Amendment, which phased out some of the benefits of itemized deductions for those with high incomes, has been repealed; and Jenkins, director the standard deduc- Elaine of planned giving.

AU Choir BHM Visit to South Carolina

SC Campus Visit

of the 25 African countries that are represented in Africa University’s student body—Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. They share a passion for music ministry. The AU Choir’s repertoire is drawn from the African praise and worship tradition and features songs in more than 18 languages. The choir will provide music for the South Carolina United Methodist Men (UMM) spiritual gathering, “Come to the Water” February 16th – 17th, in Myrtle Beach. The choir will participate in Sunday worship at Christ United Methodist Church on February th. 18 South Carolinians will have other opportunities to see the choir in Charleston, Columbia, Little River, Orangeburg, Pawleys Island, and Surfside Beach, between February and February .

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Bishop L. Jonathan Holston and Mrs. Felecia Holston led their third familiarization trip to the Africa University campus in early February. The visits provide an opportunity for visiting groups and the campus community to share their stories, learn from and about each other, and celebrate what it means to be in mission together. The group, comprised of members of the South Carolina Conference and friends of Africa University from Charity Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston, spent ten days in southern Africa. While on campus, the group participated in a public lecture to kick-off of Africa University Black History Month celebration. The lecture, on the topic “The Role of the Black Church and Why It Matters”, featured Bishop Holston and Rev. Nelson Rivers III, the senior pastor of Charity Missionary Baptist Church and vice president, Religious Affairs and External Relations, National Action Network.

General Board of Higher Education and Ministry The United Methodist Church P O Box 340007 Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0007

A touring group comprised of the director and sixteen members of the Africa University Choir is headed to the South Carolina for a 12-day Black History Month visit. The group arrives in South Carolina on February th and will return to Zimbabwe 14 on February 27th. The choir features students from Africa University whose majors range from agriculture to theology. The members of the touring choir come from six

tions for single, married, and head of household taxpayers have doubled. To receive a free brochure showing ways to give more effectively after tax reform, 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 (e-mail address). Visit the planned giving website at http:// www.africau.plannedgiving.org/.

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