Moment for Mission
I praise because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.
— Psalm 139:14
While we are celebrating the Hispanic Heritage Month in mid-September, several Latin American nations, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile, are celebrating their independence days.
In The United Methodist Church, we celebrate the many ways that we are greatly enriched by their presence among us at a time when they are remembering an anniversary that meant dignity, freedom, and equality. As we recognize what they bring to our nation, The United Methodist Church recognizes that they are fearfully and wonderfully made, made to live in the freedom for which God created them.
The United Methodist Church is a much more vibrant reflection of our Creator because of the participation and contribution of our Hispanic members. Their voices are reflected in our hymnals and heard in the dialogue of loving our neighbors. During Hispanic Heritage Month we have an opportunity to learn and have cultural experiences that allow us to foster a deeper connection with one another within the body of Christ.
During Hispanic Heritage month, we celebrate past contributions and future leadership in the areas of social holiness and transformational justice. As members of the fastest-growing population in the United States, their presence among us is vital as we seek to engage the changing culture around us.
Offertory Prayer
Creator, we thank you for the gift of our Hispanic and Latino brothers and sisters. Grant that we continue to be a place with open doors, open hearts, making room for all. Give us generous hearts that we may continue to use our gifts to support one another. Amen.
From Discipleship Ministries: Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost - God, our Creator, you are the potter who shaped and formed each of us. Through your word and spirit, you continue to mold us over the course of our lives. Help us to listen to your voice so that our actions, in work and in leisure, will be pleasing to you. We present our tithes and offerings from the fruit of our labors. May our gifts support the ministries of this church, bringing renewal to people made in your image. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. (Jeremiah 18:1-11)
Newsletter Nugget
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in mid-September, we celebrate those among us whose heritage ties them to Spain, Spanish speaking Central American nations, South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. These people from many nations and traditions bring a wide range of rich cultural experiences into our churches.
The Hispanic and Latino people have been present in our nation and in our church for generations and their numbers continue to grow. Already the fastest-growing population in the United States, their numbers are projected to double in the next 10 years.
In The United Methodist Church, we celebrate the presence of Hispanic and Latino members among us along with the gifts, service, and witness they bring to our communities of faith. Sometimes we do this by making opportunities for cultural experiences, moments of prayer, or singing together. We celebrate contributions and bridges built while singing the songs we were all created to sing, each voice blending into beautiful harmony reflecting the image of our Creator.