A Moment for Mission
“Jesus said to them, ‘All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.’” —Mark 8:34, CEB
UMCOR Sunday is on March 10. On UMCOR Sunday, we partner with other UMC congregations in a special offering to support The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Thanks to UMCOR’s informed and reliable infrastructure, expert leadership and experienced volunteers, every dollar received is leveraged to work as hard as possible.
For example, this past summer, UMCOR’s $2 million Florida grant was buttressed by the sweat equity of 100 volunteer construction teams totaling a crew of about 600 volunteers. The value of their donated labor is approximately $380,000.
Forrest White, director of missions of the First Methodist Church of Lakeland, Florida, is among the volunteers who assisted. “When we show up for people affected by disaster…we are tangible reminders of God’s love and God’s presence,” he says.
From training volunteers to keeping the office lights on, the UMCOR Sunday special offering equips the organization to respond quickly when disaster strikes.
Children’s Message
Mark 8:31-38
Today is the second Sunday of Lent. Lent is a time when we think about how to turn our hearts to be more like Jesus. Today, our Bible story is about Jesus talking to his friends about carrying a cross.
Carrying a cross doesn’t mean just carrying a heavy piece of wood. It means being willing to help others, even when it’s not easy. It's about showing love and care, just like Jesus did.
Our United Methodist family has a special team called UMCOR, which stands for United Methodist Committee on Relief. UMCOR is like a superhero team. UMCOR and its helpers are carrying crosses of love and hope to people who need them.
As we think about how to turn our hearts to be more like Jesus, we can be encouraged by the people who serve with UMCOR. We can think about the crosses we can share with others right here in our own community.
Prayer
Merciful God, thank you for UMCOR who follows you by caring for communities through storms and other disasters. Thank you for the volunteers who share the burden and who offer crosses of hope and love in the face of despair. Bind us together in strength, connecting your church in mission to alleviate suffering. Amen.
Offertory Prayer: Discipleship Ministries
God of all, you love us and have claimed us. As you blessed Sarah and Abraham, you have invited us into the blessing of connection within the family of humanity whom you continue to bless. We give our tithes and offerings in celebration of the depths of our blessing and pray that they will strengthen the church across the world to bless all your children. In the holy name of Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, we pray in gratitude. Amen. (Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16)
Newsletter Nugget
“Jesus said to them, ‘All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.’” —Mark 8:34, CEB
On UMCOR Sunday, March 10, we follow Jesus by partnering with other UMC congregations in a special offering to support The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), an organization that acts on our behalf when there is a crisis.
For example, since Hurricane Ian made landfall in September 2022, a woman and her adult son have been living in a donated RV until their house can be made livable again.
Forrest White, director of missions of the First Methodist Church of Lakeland, Florida, is among the volunteers who assisted them. He helped the woman sort through water-logged keepsakes and listened to her stories. Her son asked Forrest questions about his faith and offered to help UMCOR the next time there is a disaster.
“I believe we left them better than we found them,” says Forrest of his time spent with them. “And, as always, we were better, too, because of them and what they shared with us.”