A Matching Gift of $20,000 is being offered for the Clergy Immigrant Support Fund in honor of Helen Bates Brown

The United Methodist Foundation of New England is excited to announce a matching gift of $20,000 for the Clergy Immigrant Support Fund (Fund) by Sharon and Barbara Sagat-Stover, in celebration of Sharon’s mom, Helen Bates Brown who was a lifelong United Methodist. “Mom loved Jesus and the Methodist Church. She was a Stephen’s Minister and very active in the Walk to Emmaus,” said Sharon, “and because she believed deeply that we should care for our neighbors in need we want to honor her life by offering this matching gift to the Clergy Immigrant Support Fund. She believed we should all work together to accomplish God’s work.”



Inspired by Sharon and Barbara’s generosity, the Foundation’s Board has approved an additional $10,000 in matching funds, creating the potential to raise a total of $60,000 in support of clergy who have come as missionaries to serve with the Church in the United States.

The intent of the Helen Bates Brown gift is to match all donations from individuals and churches to the Fund during the seasons of Advent and Epiphany. Just like the Apostle Paul, the individuals who will benefit from this matching gift have been called by God to travel to a distant land to partner with other disciples to share the love and grace of Christ across New England. The impact of your gift with the Helen Bates Brown gift will impact pastors and be multiplied again and again through the congregations to which they have been called to serve. Many arrived not knowing how, but with the assurance without question, that God would use them to share the Good News.

Whether in celebration of an individual, or to support God’s ministry and mission through these missionaries for Jesus, together we can impact the work of Jesus in this region in powerful and transforming ways. Thank you for your Donation!