A Moment for Mission
" Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” — John 20:21, CEB
Imagine being one of Jesus’ disciples in this moment. You have followed Him, watched His miracles, and believed in His message. But now, He speaks of leaving. Uncertainty fills the air. Where will you go from here? How will you carry on without Him? But then Jesus offers a gift—His peace—not a temporary or shallow peace, but a deep and abiding presence that will stay with them even when He is physically gone. He promises the Holy Spirit, who will guide, teach, and remind them of all He has taught. Even in His absence, Jesus ensures they will never be alone.
This promise was not just for the disciples—it is for us today. As we celebrate Heritage Sunday in the United Methodist Church, we recognize that we, too, are recipients of a faith that has been carried forward through generations. The founders of our faith, from John and Charles Wesley to early Methodist circuit riders and church leaders, lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. They faced struggles, but they held fast to Jesus’ promise of peace and His call to love and obey God. Their faith did not stop with them; they passed it on, shaping the church we now serve.
Heritage is more than history—it is responsibility. We have been entrusted with the gift of faith, just as the disciples were entrusted with Jesus’ message. The question for us today is: How will we carry it forward? Will we, like those before us, listen to the Holy Spirit, obey Christ’s teaching, and work to bring peace and justice to a world in need? The Church is not a monument to the past; it is a living body, moving forward in faith. Jesus’ peace is not meant to make us comfortable but to give us strength to continue His mission.
As we honor those who built the foundation of our faith, let us also take up the work they left for us. We do not walk this path alone—the Holy Spirit walks with us, guiding, teaching, and reminding us of who we are called to be. May we, like the disciples and all those before us, embrace this sacred calling and carry forward the gift we have received.
Children’s Message
Title: Passing It Forward
Materials: A relay baton or a small candle to illustrate passing something from one person to another
Good morning, friends! Have you ever seen a relay race? (Let kids respond.) In a relay race, one runner runs as fast as they can and then passes a baton to the next runner, who keeps going. If they don’t pass the baton, the race can’t continue!
Did you know that faith is kind of like that? A long time ago, Jesus taught His disciples about God’s love. The disciples took what they learned from Jesus and shared it with others, who passed it on to more people, and eventually, it reached us! Today, we are part of this big relay race of faith. People like John Wesley and others who started the Methodist Church made sure to share Jesus’ love, and now we get to do the same!
In today’s Bible story, Jesus told His disciples not to be afraid because He was leaving them with a gift—His peace and the Holy Spirit to guide them. That same gift is with us today! When we share kindness, help others, or pray, we are continuing the race and passing Jesus’ love to the next person.
So, here’s my question: Who can you share Jesus’ love with this week? Maybe a friend, a family member, or someone who needs encouragement? Let’s make sure we don’t keep the gift to ourselves but pass it on!
Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, thank You for the people who taught us about Your love. Help us to share that love with others so that faith can keep growing. Fill us with Your peace and guide us every day. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
Loving and Eternal God,
We give thanks for those who have gone before us, faithfully carrying Your message and shaping the Church we now serve. As we bring our gifts today, we recognize that we, too, are part of this sacred story. May these offerings not only honor our heritage but also empower the future—supporting ministries, shaping disciples, and extending Your love to the world. Bless these gifts and use them for Your glory, that the work of faith may continue for generations to come. In the name of Jesus, who gives us peace and purpose, we pray. Amen.
From Discipleship Ministries:
God of all gifts, of all bounty, of every tree and plant and every fruit and vegetable,
Everything we have comes from you. We give you thanks for this abundance.
We pray that what we give might be used as a balm to heal the nations, to restore your love-grounded peace among all creation. Amen
Newsletter Nugget
On Heritage Sunday, we take time to honor those who have shaped the United Methodist Church and carried the faith forward through generations. From John Wesley’s teachings to the pastors, teachers, and laypeople who built our congregations, we stand on the foundation they laid. But heritage is more than history—it is a responsibility.
In John 14:23-29, Jesus tells His disciples that though He is leaving, He is giving them His peace and the Holy Spirit to guide them. Those early disciples carried Jesus’ message to the world, just as Methodists before us carried the faith forward. Now, it is our turn. We are called to live out our faith in love, service, and obedience to Christ, ensuring that future generations will know His peace and His power.
As we celebrate our church’s heritage, let us also commit to its future. How will you carry the faith forward? Through service, generosity, prayer, or mentoring others, each of us has a role in the story of God’s people. May we honor our past by faithfully stepping into our calling today.
Join us in worship as we celebrate our rich heritage and commit to carrying the faith forward for generations to come!