Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New York, and Washington. This story is part 1 of 3.
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In the aftermath of World War II, Methodists were among the people trying to put the world right again. Part of the plan was the creation of a special fund, called the Advance Fund, which would allow for voluntary contributions to specific mission projects. The Advance immediately helped undergird the work of the Methodist Committee on Relief in the Displaced Persons camps in Europe and supported thousands of pastors in a variety of countries. Building projects spanned Asia, Africa and Central and South America, as well as the United States. In 1952, General Conference approved continuation of the Advance for at least another four years.