Update on Africa University's development and impact for first two months of 2016.

1. sity’s 24-year history, all ten
conferences that comprise the
Northeastern Jurisdiction of the
UMC achieved giving levels of
100 percent or higher for the
AUF.
The Northeastern
Jurisdiction’s strong showing
for the AUF was helped by a
return to the 100 percent giving
level by Eastern Pennsylvania,
which closed a four-year gap
in giving, and Upper New York
where churches increased their
giving to the AUF by 41 per-
cent between 2014 and 2015.
The Pacific Northwest
Conference achieved its first
Issue: 01 Vol: 21 January - February 2016
Please Remember Africa University in Your Will Give Now
Support for the AUF Increased Across All Jurisdictions in 2015
Africa University Development Office | P O Box 340007 | Nashville, TN 37203
Tel. (615) 340-7438 | Fax. (615) 340-7290 | Email: audevoffice@gbhem.org
A record number of annual conferences, 32 in num-
ber, invested100 percent of their asking to the Africa
University Fund (AUF) apportionment.
Choir Visits COR and HPUMC
A 1 3 - m e m b e r
chamber group of
the Africa University
Choir returned to the
U.S. in January for
a visit to two of The
United Methodist
Church’s largest con-
gregations,theUnited
Methodist Church
of the Resurrection
(COR) and Highland
Park United Methodist
Church (HPUMC).
The group, com-
prised of seven females and six males,
featured students from five African coun-
tries.
The choir’s 12-day visit started on
January 28 in Leawood, Kansas, where
thousands turned out to enjoy music from
African praise traditions in five worship
services at COR.
The choir’s first event in Dallas, Texas,
a joint concert with the Children’s Choir
at Christ’s Foundry
UMC, became
a great gather-
ing of friends
and supporters of
the university. It
brought out Africa
University alumni
as well as clergy
and lay leaders
from a number
of North Texas
Conference congre-
gations.
The choir’s
packed schedule at Highland Park UMC
included a Sunday worship service attend-
ed by former U.S. President George W.
Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush.
The choir’s music brought Africa
to the forefront as the Rev. Paul
Rasmussen kicked off a special ser-
mon series, “Beyond 100”, which cel-
ebrates Highland Park UMC’s past
and looks to its future.
Former U.S. President George W. Bush and
Mrs. Laura Bush with the AU Choir at HPUMC.
Former AU Dean in New
Role with GBHEM
The Rev.
Dr. Beauty
Maenzanise has
joined the staff
of the General
Board of Higher
E d u c a t i o n
and Ministry
( G B H E M ) ,
working with
the Clergy
Formation Team
of the Division
of Ordained
Ministry. The
focus of her work will be the sup-
port and development of theo-
logical education in Africa. Dr.
Maenzanise served as dean of
the Faculty of Theology at Africa
University for 10 years. In April
2005, she was one of two females
appointed to deanships for the
first time in the institution’s history.
100 percent investment to the
AUF in 2015, moving the Western
Jurisdiction closer to the goal of 100
percent across the board for the AUF.
Rev. Dr. Beauty
Maenzanise
Local congregations of The United
Methodist Church achieved a num-
ber of firsts in giving to the Africa
University Fund apportionment, (AUF),
in 2015. Investment in the work and
impact of Africa University increased
in all five of the denomination’s juris-
dictions in North America.
A record number of annual con-
ferences, 32 in total, invested 100
percent of their asking to the AUF.
Their generosity resulted in an over-
all investment of 93.65 percent or
$2,185,211.73 for 2015.
Three conferences—Iowa
(116.54%), Eastern Pennsylvania
(110.65%), and South Carolina
(101.41%)—went beyond 100 per-
cent.
“We are indeed grateful to the UMC
for its outstanding support for the
AUF,” said Dr. Munashe Furusa. The
university’s vice chancellor described
the church’s support for the AUF in
2015 as “overwhelming” and a “clear
testimony to the church’s commitment
to transforming AU into a premier uni-
versity.”
For the first time in the univer-

2. Compliments of the New Year! As we
begin 2016 with much hope, great expec-
tations, and excitement, what better time
to review our estate plans to make certain
that our affairs are in order.
This past December, Congress passed
and President Obama signed into law leg-
islation not only extending the Charitable
IRA Rollover (CIRAR) but also making
the CIRAR permanent for future years.
Donors 70½ or older may make a roll-
over gift of up to $100,000 from their
IRA accounts free from Federal income
taxes. CIRAR gifts count toward required
IRA minimum withdrawal amounts for the
A Special Gift Opportunity – Got IRA?
year of the gift.
In many cases,
donors over the age
of 59½ who itemize
charitable deductions
may achieve an out-
come similar to the
CIRAR by withdraw-
ing retirement funds,
giving them to char-
ity, and claiming an
offsetting charitable
deduction. If the tax
deduction fully off-
sets the tax liability, a
GeneralBoardofHigherEducationandMinistry
TheUnitedMethodistChurch
POBox340007
Nashville,Tennessee37203-0007
NonprofitOrg.
U.S.Postage
PAID
Nashville,Tenn.
PermitNo.11
“wash” occurs, resulting in no additional
tax liability.
Got IRA?
For more information on how to take
advantage of this special gift opportunity in
2016 and beyond, visit the planned giving
website at http://www.africau.plannedgiv-
ing.org/.
Or, 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 (email address).Elaine Jenkins, Director
of Planned Giving
South Carolina Group Visits AU Campus
A 39-person group, comprised of clergy
and lay members from the South Carolina
Conference, made a familiarization visit to
the Africa University campus from January
11-21. The group, led by Bishop L. Jonathan
Holston and Mrs. Felecia Holston, par-
ticipated in roundtable discussions with the
Vice Chancellor, Dr. Munashe Furusa, and
his Cabinet. Those discussions focused
on the university’s accomplishments and
impact as well as on its current and future
development needs. Areas with potential
for expanded partnership and collaboration
were discussed. Members of the group
have returned to South Carolina to share
the Africa University story and help the
conference to discern new avenues through
which it can grow its support for the institu-
tion. This is the second South Carolina
group to visit the university in two years.
SixteenBaltimore-WashingtonConferencecon-
gregationshaveagreedtohostspeakersforan
Africa University saturation event. The event
takes place on Sunday, March 13. Members of
the Africa University Advisory Development
Committee, including Dr. Maggie Jackson and
Ms.BrendaChadwick(picturedabovewithcon-
gregants from Blackman UMC in Murfreesboro,
TN), volunteer to preach and lead Sunday
School presentations that share the univer-
sity’s story with local churches. The advisory
committee will meet in Baltimore at the invita-
tionofBishopMarcusMatthews, onMarch 12.
Left: S.C. group with current scholarship beneficiaries. Right: Vice Chancellor, Dr. Munashe Furusa with the
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs-Manicaland, the Honorable Mandi Chimene, and Bishop L. Jonathan
Holston and Mrs. Felecia Holston. Minister Chimene altered her schedule to meet with the group on campus.
ADC Meeting and AU
Saturation in Baltimore