The Rio Texas Conference Advance

The Advance connects us in mission.  The Advance began in 1948 as an official program of the United Methodist Church, through which voluntary, designated financial support is given by individuals or local churches for approved projects.

The Rio Texas Conference Advance program is modeled on The Advance of the General Board of Global Ministries.  It is an accountable, designated, “second-mile” giving arm of the annual conference and it ensures that 100% of each gift reaches its intended mission or ministry. You, the donor, decide which program or ministry to support through the Rio Texas Advance.  The Conference Treasurer’s Office receives and processes your gift, forwards it to the project, and “credits” your church for the gift. The project receives 100% of every contribution your make through the Rio Texas Advance program.

 Five Star Church

The conference’s Five Star Church Program was developed in 1990 to encourage local churches in the Rio Texas Conference to grow in mission giving and mission outreach every year.   Five Star churches receive an award certificate and special Annual Conference recognition of their giving through the Advance.

“Five Star” is the designation and recognition given to Rio Texas Conference congregations that participate in the Advance program by doing the following things every year: 

-       Paying 100% of their apportionments
-       Contributing toward UMCOR Sunday (formerly called One Great Hour of Sharing)
-       Contributing in each of the following FIVE mission categories

A.   One Rio Texas district or conference Advance project
(online catalog)

B.    One national Advance project outside the bounds of the Rio Texas Conference
(go to https://advance.umcmission.org/ to search online for a national project)

C.    One international Advance project
(go to https://advance.umcmission.org/ to search online for an international project)

D.   One UMCOR project
(see the suggested list below)

E.    Support for a Global Ministries missionary
(go to https://advance.umcmission.org/ and click on “Missionaries”)

 

Suggested UMCOR projects (item D above)

3001    UMCOR – Undesignated
3010    Disaster – USA
3016    International Disaster
3019    Church World Service, CROP Hunger Walk
3031    UMCOR Depot, Sager-Brown
3065   Maua Hospital Maternal and Child Health Program
3124    Heifer International, Living Gifts
3133    Justice for Our Neighbors
3166    Clean Water and Sanitation
3197    Anti-Human Trafficking

Online Rio Texas Advance Project Catalog for 2025-2028 for Rio Texas District and Conference Advance projects. (To be posted in March 2025.)

Click on https://advance.umcmission.org/ to search online for the code numbers for:

(1) a national Advance project outside of the bounds of the Rio Texas Conference
(2) an international Advance project in another country
(3) a United Methodist missionary supported by the General Board of Global Ministries.

Please note:
ALL Advance giving toward Five Star status must be sent through the Conference Treasurer’s office so there will be an automatic Conference record of the church's giving for every project.

If you have any questions regarding becoming a Five Star Church, please direct questions to one of these two individuals:

Diana Woods
RTX Chair TCVT/Advance/5 Star Program/Harvest Sunday Offering Coordinator 
(512) 917-9072
bumccommunitypartner@gmail.com

Ruby Hernandez
Accounts Receivable
Rio Texas Conference
(210) 408-4523
rubyh@riotexas.org

Applying for Listing as an Approved Rio Texas Advance project

The Rio Texas Conference Transforming Communities Vision Team coordinates the Advance program for the Rio Texas Annual Conference.  The Vision Team accepts applications for Advance status from projects operating within the bounds of the Annual Conference and reviews each of them.

 “Advance” listing means that:

  • You are officially authorized to publicize and promote your mission project in local United Methodist churches in the Rio Texas Conference every year, and

  • Local UM churches are eligible to receive giving “credit” for any contributions designated to you.

 Once every four years, projects apply – or re-apply – for Advance status.

Completed, signed application with all attachments are due to the Rio Texas Conference office in San Antonio NO LATER than February 21, 2025. Applications received after February 21st will not be considered until the fall of 2025.

Below you will find the link to view the instructions and complete the application form.

Complete Application Form (Please note, you should be able to save the application as you complete it without creating an account, unless you choose to create and account, and can go back to it. It doesn’t need to be completed in one sitting.)

PDF applications can also be obtained by contacting:

Nicole Alabi, Rio Texas Conference Office
nicolea@riotexas.org; (210) 408-4514

If you have any questions regarding applying/the Advance, please direct questions to one of these two individuals:

Nicole Alabi
Administrative Assistant for Project Development, Implementation, and Support
Rio Texas Conference Office
(210) 408-4514
nicolea@riotexas.org

Diana Woods
RTX Chair TCVT/Advance/5 Star Program/Harvest Sunday Offering Coordinator 
(512) 917-9072
bumccommunitypartner@gmail.com


Revised January 2025