Moment for Mission
Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made good confession in the presence of many witnesses. – 1 Timothy 6:12
If you have taken communion at a United Methodist Church, odds are you have spoken these words, "One with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world."
The act of taking communion is something that carries us beyond ourselves and places us in connection with Christ and with our faith communities. On World Communion Sunday, we are reminded of our identity and mission in Christ and that our unity as followers of Christ reaches across churches, denominations and the world. On the first Sunday in October, we take communion alongside these many faith communities.
World Communion Sunday for The United Methodist Church is also one of the six Special Sundays when we take up a special offering. On World Communion Sunday, our gifts go toward scholarships around the world. One half of our of the giving goes toward funding World Communion Scholars and the other half is given to Ethnic Scholarships and In-Service Training Programs.
These scholarships give students opportunities for an education that may not have been obtainable otherwise. Many of these recipients have gone on to become doctors, teachers, church leaders and ambassadors.
When we give on World Communion Sunday, we give students around the world opportunities to study and then use that knowledge to serve as leaders in their professions and faith communities.
Offertory Prayer
God of Peace, we thank you for the gift of your Son and for the gift and mystery of communion. Give us a generous spirit and a desire to seek peace and pursue it as we give on World Communion Sunday giving opportunities to future leaders from across the globe. Amen.
From Discipleship Ministries: Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost - God, our helper, every good gift comes from your open hand. You sent your Son Jesus to become human, understanding our temptations and weaknesses. In our life of discipleship, help us to stand resolute in our commitment to follow Christ rather than the lures of our culture. Send your spirit to bring peace and contentment to our hearts. Let our congregation become a haven of those rich in good works and eager to share your message of hope. In gratitude, we dedicate our offerings through Christ, our risen Lord. Amen.
(1 Timothy 6:6-19)
Newsletter Nugget
World Communion Sunday is the first Sunday in October. On World Communion Sunday, The United Methodist Church will take communion in unity with churches from many denominations around the world. It is a powerful reminder of our common faith in Christ.
The United Methodist Church has also set aside World Communion Sunday as one of the six Special Sundays. Our special offering goes toward World Communion Scholars and Ethnic Scholarships and In-service Training Programs.
The World Service Scholars program was originally called the Crusaders Scholarship Program. It began after World War II with the hope of educating students from around the world so that they could return to their home countries as leaders in their communities and churches. Many did return as doctors, psychologists, teachers, rural developers and ambassadors.
Through the years, the program has been able to support more than 4,000 students from all over the world. Our gifts on World Communion Sunday will help continue to promote the peace and unity of Christ.