A Moment for Mission
“I prayed for this boy, and the Lord gave me what I asked from him. So now I give this boy back to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.” — 1 Samuel 1:27-28a, CEB
We’re familiar with the story. A crowd had gathered around Jesus. People began bringing children to Jesus so he would place his hands on them and pray. The disciples weren’t pleased. They tried to shoo the children away. But Jesus said, “Allow the children to come to me. Don’t forbid them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like these children.” Then he blessed the children.
To Jesus, a baby was just as important as a king or a queen. Jesus knew everyone had something to share. Today’s youngest Christ-followers share through the United Methodist Children’s Fund for Christian Mission. It’s an opportunity for children to learn about and contribute to a select group of mission projects chosen for their value in helping children to understand what it means to “be in mission.”
Projects change each year, providing children with a variety of learning experiences and a diverse understanding of children in other states and countries. To qualify, project applicants must describe a need affecting the community, demonstrate a need for financial support and tell how the project will help to address the need.
This is a joint program of the General Board of Discipleship and the General Board of Global Ministries. The Children’s Fund educates children about mission and offers a way for children to give to mission beyond their local church.
Through the Children’s Fund for Christian Mission, children are blessed to be a blessing.
Offertory Prayer
Loving God, like the boy Samuel, we are yours. No matter our age, we can share your love and serve others. Help us to find new ways to honor you. In your name, we pray. Amen.
From Discipleship Ministries: Fifth Sunday after Pentecost — God of boundless generosity, as we offer our gifts and our lives to you, help us to hear and heed your apostle Paul. We long to grow as disciples, so that we grow in generosity. The abundance we’ve been given has a purpose in your plan, that we might know the joy of sharing that abundance with those in need. We long for that vision of your kin-dom, where loving hearts bring a better balance between abundance and need. In the name of Christ, our teacher and redeemer, we pray. Amen. (2 Corinthians 8:7-15)
Newsletter Nugget
Through the Children’s Fund for Christian Mission, children learn about ministries for and with young people around the world, are nurtured in stewardship and mission giving and raise financial support for various projects.
Even with COVID-19 restrictions, children can raise money for the Children’s Fund for Christian Mission. Just publicize on the church website and ask people to contribute online or by check. Here are a few ideas:
- Be creative. Use any medium—crayons, paint or collage—to make pictures to sell.
- Exercise for mission. Invite people to bid a certain amount for every five minutes of Hula-Hooping, rope jumping or running.
- Read! For every book you finish, ask for a donation of a penny per page. For a 200-page book, for example, you earn $2.
- Share your skills. If you are good at a certain subject, offer to tutor a friend online or over the phone and ask them, in return, to contribute a certain amount to your church.
Have fun!
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