Moment for Mission
"[God] who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began…" — 2 Timothy 1:9
This first Sunday in October, we join together to celebrate World Communion Sunday. When we partake in the act of communion in The United Methodist Church, we believe "the past, present, and future of the living Christ come together by the power of the Holy Spirit so that we may receive and embody Jesus Christ as God's saving gift for the whole world."
While most congregations celebrate this unifying act of communion together on a regular basis, World Communion Sunday places a special emphasis on the universal nature of the church. World Communion Sunday is observed not only in The United Methodist Church, but also across several denominations, reminding us that Christ's mission includes all who follow him.
On World Communion Sunday, we receive Christ's blood and body as one body. We also celebrate one of our six Special Sundays as we corporately take up a special offering that goes toward World Communion Sunday Scholars, the Ethnic Scholarship Program and Ethnic In-Service Training Program.
The Ethnic In-Service Training Program recruits, prepares, nurtures and educates in order to support lay and clergy Christian leaders for the mission of Christ in the world. With our generous World Communion Sunday giving, we are able to continue the celebration of a unity and inclusiveness that spans across the globe and carries out the work of God among us and beyond us.
Offertory Prayer
God of All, Unite us by the power of your Holy Spirit, remind us that we are called to embody Christ who calls us all together, and inspire us to be your church acting in ministry to all the world. Amen.
From Discipleship Ministries: Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost / in Kingdomtide - Gracious God, we praise you! You have entrusted to us a priceless treasure, the good news of Christ who conquered death. In him, we have the promise of new and everlasting life. Empower us by your Spirit to spend our days working for your purposes. As our church shares the gospel with friends and neighbors, may we all draw closer to you. We dedicate our lives and these offerings in Jesus' name. Amen. (2 Timothy 1:1-14)
Newsletter Nugget
On the first Sunday in October, we join with churches across denominations, across the country and across the globe to observe World Communion Sunday.
World Communion Sunday is a celebration of the gift of Christ's blood and body, as well as a celebration of the body that is the universal church. On World Communion Sunday, we are reminded that the church is made up of all of those who follow Jesus — a church without borders.
The United Methodist Church also celebrates World Communion Sunday by taking up one of the six churchwide Special Sunday offerings. The gifts received on World Communion Sunday carry out the mission of the church by supporting and equipping lay and clergy leaders with training and education through the World Communion Scholars, Ethnic Scholarship Program and Ethnic In-Service Training Program.
As we celebrate World Communion Sunday together, may our prayer truly be that we are made by God's Spirit to be "one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to the world."