A Moment for Mission
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” — Romans 8:14 NRSVU
In the United Methodist Church, we hold a deep appreciation for the value of ecumenism—the desire to find common ground and foster unity among different Christian traditions.
As followers of Christ, we are bound together by a common purpose: to love and serve God wholeheartedly. Our faith teaches us that through the Holy Spirit, we become part of God's family, joining the multitude of believers across various churches and denominations.
United Methodists strive to embody this spirit of ecumenism by actively partnering with the larger church to share the good news of Christ together. At a gathering of the World Council of Churches, United Methodist Church Bishop Mary Ann Swenson became the first female bishop to be elected to a top leadership position in the WCC. We’re joining our voices with Christians around the world to advocate for peace and justice. And through the Pan-Methodist Commission we’re pursuing reconciliation with other Methodist bodies to bear witness to the unity of Christ’s church.
The Interdenominational Cooperation Fund allows The United Methodist Church to partner with our Christian family throughout the world to fulfill our shared mission. Through dialogue, cooperation, and shared mission, we strengthen the bonds of unity that connect us as God's children.
Children’s Message
Today’s memory verse comes from a letter Paul wrote to the Romans, chapter 8, verse 14. Can you repeat after me?
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”
This verse reminds us that when we follow God and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, we become part of God's family. And guess what? In God's family, there are many different kinds of people from different churches and denominations.
Imagine that we are all standing on one side of a river, and on the other side, there are children from different churches. Some might be United Methodists like us, and others might be from Baptist, Presbyterian, or Catholic churches. Even though we may have different ways of worshiping and understanding God, the Holy Spirit connects us all as God's children.
We can learn from one another, share our faith experiences, and follow Jesus. Together, we can be a powerful force for good in the world and bring God's love to everyone we meet.
Offertory Prayer
Dear Abba God, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, who unites us as your children. Help us embrace ecumenism in our hearts and in our communities, and seek unity among our family in Christ. Thank you for the ways a portion of this offering will allow United Methodists to share a presence and a voice in through our ecumenical partners. Bless these gifts to bring a spirit of peace and understanding among your children. Amen.
From Discipleship Ministries: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Holy God, we are living in days of division and polarization, and we regretfully confess that your church is not exempt from that statement. Regardless of where we stand, it is far too easy to look at those who see things differently and see them as weeds, stunting the good fruit we could bear. As we bring our offerings to you, the temptation to focus on our own agenda is strong. Help us to give generously without judging. Give us the faith to put them to your use, and humility to know that only you can see clearly what is wheat and what is weed. We pray in the name of Christ who knows all hearts. Amen. (Matt 13:24-30, 36-43)
Newsletter Nugget
Upon invitation from the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) – a member of both the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance – in September, a delegation visited aid centers and places of temporary accommodation for refugees from Ukraine in the Rostov-on-Don and Shakhty dioceses, both of which border the Donbas region of southeast Ukraine.
The World Council of Churches is an ecumenical partner supported by the Interdenominational Cooperation Fund apportionment, which enables United Methodists to share a presence and a voice in the activities of several national and worldwide ecumenical organizations.
For WCC deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri, the visit served as a reminder of the importance of churches engaging in ecumenical diakonia.
“Churches, specialized ministries, ecumenical organizations have shown deeply inspiring work to support those who are fleeing inside and outside Ukraine since the beginning of the war this past February. We see the importance of the role of ecumenical diakonia in the life of the church, and pray that this heartfelt response will continue,” Phiri reflected.
Read more . . . https://www.umc.org/en/content/wcc-act-delegation-visits-russia-icf