ATLANTA – Are you looking for more than your next job? Global Ministries’ Global Mission Fellows (GMF) program offers a chance to connect your faith, skills, and commitment to justice through mission service. Fellows serve alongside partner organizations, churches, community groups, and individuals to address the priorities of people in their community.
Bring what you know, but be ready to learn.
Your education, work experience, and lived experience can help shape your placement. Depending on your skills and the needs of the host community, your role might focus on migration, food sustainability and agriculture, education, health access, children and youth engagement, communications, the arts, or peacemaking. By crossing boundaries, building relationships, and learning across cultures, you will gain a deeper understanding of global issues of injustice and your unique role in creating lasting change.
A community will accompany you on the journey.
The experience begins with training and continues with spiritual and professional development, mentoring from your placement organization, and connection with a cohort of fellows serving in countries around the world. Along the way, you can build practical experience, grow as a leader, and discover new possibilities for your vocation.
Grounded in three values.
The program’s core values are to engage local communities, connect the church in mission, and grow in personal and social holiness. Applicants may come from different denominational backgrounds, but fellows serve as representatives of The United Methodist Church and uphold its social principles.
Is this opportunity for you?
Applicants must be ages 20 to 30, hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience, communicate in conversational English, and hold a valid unexpired passport. Fellows should be ready to live in solidarity with others, address the root causes of injustice, and put their Christian faith into action.
Explore, discern, apply, serve.
Begin by learning about Global Mission Fellows, using the discernment guide, and gathering the materials on the application checklist. Applications for the International Track open on Oct. 1. A relaunch of the US-based program for young adults opens on Oct. 15 with service opportunities in Alaska exclusively. In this focused cohort, US-2s will commit to one year of service with the option to stay for a second year to continue their service alongside Indigenous communities. The final application deadline for the US-2 Track is Jan. 5, 2027 and the International Track is Jan. 13, 2027. Placement matches are made throughout the selection process, so early applications may have the strongest opportunity for a good match. Selected fellows will begin onboarding in March 2027 and start service between July and October 2027.
For more information regarding the program or application process, email missionaryinfo@umcmission.org.
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About the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church
Global Ministries is the worldwide mission and development agency of The United Methodist Church. Founded in 1819, Global Ministries today supports more than 200 missionaries in over 60 countries, including the United States. It has personnel, projects and partners in more than 100 countries.
