A Moment for Mission
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” —Romans 8:28, NRSV
In 1 John 3:18, CEB, we read, “Little children, let’s not love with words or speech but with action and truth..”
Through the Children’s Fund for Christian Mission, children witness to God’s love through their actions. By giving to The Advance projects that help people around the world, children learn to care for others, develop good habits of sharing their time and resources, build their knowledge of global cultures and practice being in mission with others.
Here are some possibilities:
- In Africa, Care and Feeding of Street Children (Democratic Republic of Congo) offers shelter for vulnerable girls and boys.
- In Asia, Happy Children’s Home of China supplies housing, food, clothing, education and medical care for more than 20 youngsters.
- In Europe, Hope Center of Latvia gives mothers-to-be a loving home atmosphere where each woman can prepare for the birth of her child.
- In Latin America, Child and Adolescent Education (Argentina) opens doors to learning for children and teens.
- In the Middle East, Leadership Training for Christian Youth in Liberation Theology supports Palestinian Christian young people through trips, Bible study, workshops and volunteering.
- In North America, Heart and Hand House Inc. provides encouragement and assistance to in-crisis, low-income families.
Giving is fun! Through their support of the Children’s Fund for Christian Mission, young United Methodists learn the joy of generous giving and share the love of Jesus Christ with boys and girls in the United States and around the world.
Offertory Prayer
Loving God, you bless us richly. Through our example, help us to teach children the joy of giving, nurturing them toward a lifetime of generosity. In your name, we pray. Amen.
From Discipleship Ministries: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost — God of grace and mercy: we offer our gifts to you this day, knowing that is your love and presence that have sustained us through all our difficult days. We know there have been days when fear and anxiety have gotten the better of us, and we have needed the reminder Paul gave in the Epistle to the Romans, “If God is for us, who is against us?” Help us to live as Christ calls us, to share what we have and show love and compassion, as Christ taught us. We boldly pray, in the name of Jesus our Savior and Redeemer. Amen. (Romans 8:26-39)
Newsletter Nugget
During the COVID-19 pandemic, children found creative ways to help their community: drawing and selling artwork to benefit a food pantry, painting “kindness rocks” to scatter around the neighborhood, recording and sharing messages of hope, writing thank-you notes to first responders and more. They set a great example for the rest of us!
Young United Methodists today have a special opportunity to give through the Children’s Fund for Christian Mission. By supporting ministries that help people around the world, children grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. They learn to care for others, develop good habits of sharing, build their knowledge of global cultures and practice being in mission with others.
Projects are related to the General Board of Global Ministries and the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Discipleship Ministries offers helpful online resources to assist congregations in promoting the fund.
Thanks to the Children’s Fund for Christian Mission, we nurture our youngest members to share their love for God through generous giving.
— Barbara Dunlap-Berg, freelance writer and editor, retired from UMCom
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