A Moment for Mission
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” —Acts 1:8, CEB
Peace with Justice grants awarded in 2023 are supporting programs and projects that witness to God’s demands for a faithful, just, disarmed and secure world including:
- “planting” an Intergenerational Peace and Justice Storytelling Path on the church grounds of Our Lord’s UMC in Wisconsin;
- supporting reconciliation training and peacebuilding dialogue amid the heavy fighting in the capital of Ethiopia’s Gambella region, where heavy fighting and attacks on the capitol have left people of all ages internally displaced;
- addressing ongoing human rights violations in the Philippines by supporting the creation of a rapid response team, comprising church people trained as human rights defenders, to respond to the immediate needs of victims of violence and human rights violations; and
- focusing efforts in the West Ohio Annual Conference on creating more restorative policies, practices and reentry pathways at the state and local level for men and women coming home following an incarceration experience.
The Peace with Justice offering is administered by the General Board of Church and Society and benefits peace with justice ministries in the annual conferences and around the world. Half of our gifts stay with local ministries in this conference and half support the work of Church and Society globally.
Peace with Justice grants support programs and projects that witness to God’s demands for a faithful, just, disarmed and secure world.
Children’s Message
Jesus wants us to be special messengers, spreading love, peace and justice everywhere we go—
in our neighborhoods, our city and even to the ends of the earth!
When he was leaving the earth, he promised the disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8, CEB).
As United Methodists, we believe that everyone deserves to be treated with love and respect, no matter who they are or where they come from. On Peace with Justice Sunday, we remember to pray for peace in our world and to work together to make it a better place for everyone.
We can trust that we have the power of the Holy Spirit to help us be witnesses of peace and justice and make the world a more peaceful place for everyone.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for giving us the power of the Holy Spirit to be your witnesses of peace and justice. Help us to shine your love wherever we go and to bring peace to our world. Amen.
Offertory Prayer: Discipleship Ministries
Compassionate Creator, in our communal life may our actions, love and giving reflect Christ’s presence within us. Help us live in a way that displays Christ’s life in us, showcasing love, respect and hospitality. As we share and give, may it reflect not only on us but also glorify Jesus. Guide us in honoring one another and celebrating our commitments as part of our faith. In gratitude, abundance and equity, we present these offerings, believing that sharing Christ is the most loving act. In the name of Jesus, our rock and redeemer, we pray. Amen. (John 17:6-19)
Newsletter Nugget
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” —Acts 1:8, CEB
The United Methodist Book of Resolutions, 2016 (“Peace With Justice Sunday and Special Offering,” 663) reminds us that “the peace that is shalom is not negative or one-dimensional. It is much more than the absence of war. Shalom is positive peace: harmony, wholeness, health, and well-being in all human relationships. It is the natural state of humanity as birthed by God. It is harmony between humanity and all of God’s good creation. All of creation is interrelated. Every creature, every element, every force of nature participates in the whole of creation. If any person is denied shalom, all are thereby diminished.”
One of the denomination’s six Special Sundays with Offering, Peace with Justice Sunday is a faithful expression of shalom in the Bible. The offering benefits peace with justice ministries in the annual conferences and around the world. Thank you for being part of Peace with Justice Sunday as a faithful expression of shalom.