A Moment for Mission
“Make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” —Philippians 2:2, NRSVUE
On World Communion Sunday, we partner with other UMC congregations in a special offering to support young adults and make a global impact for Christ. Half of the offering benefits World Communion scholarships for graduate students from the U.S. and other countries. The remainder provides grants to support training for worldwide inclusion, diversity, equity and access. These funds are administered by the General Boards of Global Ministries and Higher Education.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to be part of restoring joy and hope in the world. Through our gifts and support, we are invited to partner with God to infuse Christ’s loving presence with our words and actions and through our support of young faithful leaders around the world.
By investing in the next generation, we can help them build a brighter future for their communities and the world. When you give generously on World Communion Sunday, you partner with talented, qualified students from around the globe to transform the world as witnesses for Christ.
Children’s Message
Materials:
Jenga® or other tower block set
a globe or world map
Communion elements
Stack the blocks as you read each line of the memory verse. The block foundation can be wider and stronger than the tower you would build for the game. Please repeat after me today’s memory verse that Paul wrote to the church in Philippi:
“Make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”
Have you ever built something big and strong and beautiful with blocks? How does it feel? (allow the children to respond)
It brings God joy when we help build the church to be big, strong and beautiful. (add more blocks) The church is more than just this building that was carefully constructed. (add more blocks) Each one of us adds to the strength of the church. (ask each child to add a block)
Today we celebrate World Communion Sunday when we remember that we are connected with Christians from all over the world (hold up map or globe) to make God’s church strong and beautiful everywhere. (add more blocks)
For more than 2,000 years, Holy Communion has united Christians in the love that God through Jesus has for us. When we share Holy Communion, we become a part of something strong and beautiful that spreads God’s love and joy to others.
Stack more blocks as you read each line of the memory verse.
Please repeat after me today’s memory verse that Paul wrote to the church in Philippi:
“Make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”
Amen.
Offertory Prayer
Holy God, you complete our joy when we share your love through our gifts. Bless these offerings and multiply them to become leadership opportunities, educational scholarships, and new ministries that equip and restore your people. Your holy community is experienced as United Methodists join these World Communion offerings together to equip students around the globe to become the world changers you created them to be. Thank you for all you have given to us. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Offertory Prayer (Discipleship Ministries)
Holy God of infinite patience and grace, we bring our offerings today knowing that our actions too often don’t live up to our intentions and aspirations. When calling ourselves Christians, we announce ourselves as followers of Christ, knowing how many times our choices have made us unrecognizable as his disciples. Yet you wait patiently for us to find our way back to the path. May our giving this day and our living reflect our desire to be on the path that would be recognized as faithful to the Savior, in whose blessed name we pray. Amen. (Matthew 21:23-32)
Newsletter Nugget
“Make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” —Philippians 2:2, NRSVUE
Jorge Saiete, who grew up on the United Methodist Cambine Mission Station in the southern part of Mozambique, is working to complete a master of public education degree with the help of a World Communion Scholarship from Global Ministries.
Saiete explains: “I was born in 1980 during the civil war that lasted 16 years. When I was two years old, my father was killed, and the fighting destroyed all my family belongings, including house, cattle and farming areas.”
With hard work and determination and help from his church in Cambine, he made it through primary and secondary school and went on to college.
Saiete said. “By pursuing this degree, I believe that I will acquire useful tools that I can use in promoting good governance, which is critical for peacebuilding in Mozambique.”
Your gifts on World Communion Sunday, benefit World Communion scholarships for graduate students from the U.S. and other countries and provide grants to support training for worldwide inclusion, diversity, equity and access. These funds are administered by the United Methodist General Boards of Global Ministries and Higher Education to equip gifted, qualified students from around the globe to become the world changers God created them to be.
How to give:
Write a check to your local church and write “World Communion Sunday” in the memo line. To give online or set up monthly giving, go to UMC.org/SSGive.