GUIDELINES FOR JMA SECRETARIES AND THOSE NEW TO JMA
The following guidelines and information are to help you to make the task of
supporting the work of JMA rewarding and successful.
So what is JMA all about?
Don’t assume that everyone knows the answer to this question. Make a point of
telling new children and families about JMA. Invite people to join. JMA was created
so that children would not be excluded from supporting and learning about the
mission of the Church. It is also about sharing the insights of God’s people all over
the world with children in our churches. JMA is a network of and for children, but it
depends on the help of adults to make it work. If you are one of those highly valued
adults, a JMA Secretary or supporter of JMA activities, please accept our thanks
The JMA promise is to ‘Learn, pray and serve with the world-wide Church of
Jesus Christ’. It is important that all three actions are always taking place and that
we know we are doing them with the whole Church. JMA has its part to play in all the
Church’s activities where children are, or could be, present.
Learn...
The ‘learning’ aspect of JMA usually happens by using Rainbow, the ‘Challenge
Chart’ and World Church resources.
Rainbow Magazine appears three times a year (Winter Term, Spring Term and
Summer Term).
The aims of the magazine are:
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For children to learn about projects and World Church Partnerships and a
little insight into the countries featured.
To be used as a resource and learning tool for leaders of Junior Church,
uniformed and other mid-week groups.
That children will have a Rainbow ‘exploring time’ as part of their regular
sessions.
That people and stories from Rainbow will be referred to in worship.
That JMA Collectors will share stories and send photos, reports, pictures, for
inclusion in Rainbow.
Further resources are available:
Mission Matters Magazine
World Church
World Aims
Methodist Relief Development Fund
Pray...
Encourage the children’s groups and those leading all age worship to pray about the
Church in many parts of the world and to use prayers and songs from all round the
globe. Where possible and appropriate, ask for a short slot in Sunday worship once
or twice a month and share some news gleaned from Rainbow, Mission Matters and
World Church resources and letters.
Encourage the children to write prayers for use in their groups and in all age worship.
Arrange an annual service during the autumn to appreciate the work of JMA
members. Use the JMA Dedication Service liturgy, present the badges and
certificates to celebrate the mission of the Church.
Use the Prayer Handbook, which is available each September. It will help you pray
day by day, district by district and country by country.
Serve...
JMA moneyboxes and books:
While JMA has its most important focus on education, part of our responsibility is to
share resources. These resources include time, people and money. To enable this to
happen, for many years children have collected money through JMA .Each church
will have its own way of promoting this aspect of sharing in the work of the World
Church. Collecting books and boxes are provided for children to use and there is a
Secretary’s account book to help keep the records straight. As a JMA Secretary you
will need to be available on a regular basis to collect and record the money received.
Collectors:
JMA works on the principle of children and adults working together for the
advancement of the World Church. In this way sharing of resources becomes a
united action. For JMA to be successful each member needs to have several adults
as supporters. These are sometimes known as subscribers. It is helpful if you have
the names of a few people who would be willing to be approached by any new JMA
members.
Encourage children to give some of their own pocket money as well as collecting
from adults. It is important that children DO NOT collect door to door as this is illegal.
Once a year, perhaps around the time of the JMA service, send subscribers a thank
you card or put a notice in your church newsletter thanking subscribers and inviting
others to contribute. Do not assume that every member of your congregation already
knows about JMA. People come and go and many have never heard of it!
Certificates and Badges are presented to collectors once a year between September
and December and the collectors and Secretary are dedicated in the service.
JMA boxes:
Some members, especially the younger ones, prefer to have a JMA collecting box
and invite friends and family to contribute in this less organised way. In some
churches members bring their boxes to morning worship on a rota basis and invite
contributions. If the JMA Secretary empties the boxes on a regular basis, this
prevents them being lost or forgotten about.
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Fundraising events:
There may be times when it is a good idea to fundraise by organising an event. It
could be that a family event with a World Church focus would be one way of raising
funds but it is more likely that special activities like a cake sale, bring and buy, coffee
morning or jumble sale will be the most appropriate.
JMA Challenge Chart:
The Challenge Chart, badges and certificates are updated each year and are
available from July for the following Connexional year (September –July). It is helpful
to have a financial target for the year, but you could also have a recruiting new
members target too. Use the total amount from the previous year to set a figure to
aim for. Divide this by twelve to give a monthly figure and fill this in on the Chart. At
the end of each month, record the amount collected so far. Display the Challenge
Chart in a prominent place so that all can see it. You could place the total in your
church newsletter each quarter as a gentle reminder to encourage church members,
along with some information from Rainbow or the Challenge Chart.
Paying money in:
Keep accounts in your Secretary’s account book and pass the money to the Circuit
World Mission Treasurer at the times requested by him/her. Ideally, this should be
monthly. At the end of the financial year (31st August) add up the year’s total for each
child and overall figure. When you receive the certificates, fill in either the amount
each child has raised or the total amount raised by JMA members in your church.
Donations to JMA can be included by your Church Treasurer when reclaiming tax
from the Inland Revenue. Discuss with him/her how you will manage this.
Regular mailing:
Every church’s JMA Secretary receives Rainbow in the Winter, Spring and Summer
terms. Changes of name, address or the number of copies required should be
emailed to childrenandyouth@methodistchurch.org.uk. You should also make sure
that the details recorded on the Church Profile each autumn are correct. You are
encouraged to order extra magazines for use in Junior Church or on other
occasions.
Ordering resources:
The order form and some of the resources are downloadable from World Church
resources.
To order certificates, badges, Target Chart, Prayer Cards, JMA Service contact
Methodist Publishing:
Norwich Books and Music
13a Hellesdon Park Road
Norwich
Norfolk NR6 5DR
Telephone: 0845 017 8220
orders@norwichbooksandmusic.co.uk
Order an annual badge and a certificate for each JMA member. New members will
also need a membership badge (the one with the ribbon).This is a good time to stock
up your small supply of record books and boxes for your use throughout the year
when new members join.
Look for opportunities to hear the voice of children and to ensure that they are active
participants in JMA. It is important that you are not working on your own, but are
supported by your church and that all those who are involved in delivering children’s
ministry are a part of this.
Assistant JMA Secretaries:
Enjoy being a JMA secretary. Why not have an assistant and mentor a child or
young person? You can then enable her/him gradually to take more responsibility
and possibly eventually take over the job and begin again with another assistant.
The role of the Circuit JMA Secretary:
Your circuit may not have someone in this role, so you may want to suggest to them
that they advertise this volunteer position. JMA Secretaries can easily feel lonely.
Everyone needs their confidence boosting now and again. If possible, meet together
to plan special circuit children’s events and services. Attend and give a report at
Circuit Meeting and also the mission meetings. Any expenses that you incur in
postage or phone calls should be drawn from the Circuit Fund for World Mission.
You are not expected to fund the running costs out of your own pocket. Contact your
Circuit Office and find out who is responsible for World Mission in your circuit.
The JMA Promise
I promise to learn, pray and serve with the world-wide church of Jesus Christ.