MISSION MOMENT
“So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature. Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each one of you: don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of you. We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith. If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving. If your gift is teaching, devote yourself to teaching. If your gift is encouragement, devote yourself to encouraging. The one giving should do it with no strings attached. The leader should lead with passion. The one showing mercy should be cheerful.”— Romans 12:1–8 (CEB)
In Romans 12, Paul reminds believers that the church is made up of many people with many different gifts. Some are called to teach, some to lead, some to encourage, some to prophesy, some to serve, and some to show compassion. Yet every gift matters because every person matters to God. Together, these gifts help the church reflect the love of Christ in the world.
This understanding of shared ministry is visible through the work of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women in The United Methodist Church. This commission helps the church recognize, support, and encourage the full participation and leadership of women throughout the life of the church. Through education, advocacy, leadership development, and resources, this ministry helps congregations create spaces where the gifts of all people are valued and nurtured.
Many people may not fully understand how The United Methodist Church works. At its heart, connectional giving is a covenant to walk together in ministry. No congregation carries ministry alone. Through apportionments, including the World Service Fund, churches join their gifts with others across the connection to support ministries that strengthen the church and help it live more fully into Christ’s call.
Every gift of generosity creates a story, and many of those stories begin with faithful people choosing to give together through the church. A young woman discerning a call to ministry may find encouragement because leaders invested in training and mentoring. A congregation may learn healthier ways to support women in leadership. A survivor of harassment or discrimination may discover advocacy, care, and hope through the church’s commitment to dignity and justice.
These ministries are possible because churches work together. The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women is supported through the shared giving of United Methodists across the connection. When we give through the World Service Fund, we strengthen ministries that help the church become more faithful, more compassionate, and more reflective of the body of Christ Paul describes in Romans 12.
On August 26, Women’s Equality Day offers an opportunity to remember the importance of recognizing the gifts, voices, and leadership of women in both society and the church. Long before modern observances existed, scripture was already teaching that every member of the body has value and purpose.
Paul reminds us that our gifts are not meant to be hidden or compared, but shared in service to God and neighbor. When we honor the gifts of others and work together in ministry, the church becomes a stronger witness to the love of Christ.
Reflection Question:
How might God be calling you to encourage, support, or recognize the gifts of others within the body of Christ this week?
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
Title: We All Have Different Gifts
Materials: A box of crayons or markers with different colors and a coloring page or blank sheet of paper
Good morning, friends! I’m so glad to see you today! I brought something colorful with me. (Hold up the crayons or markers.) What are these? That’s right — crayons!
Do all the crayons look the same? (Pause.) No! Some are red, some are blue, some are green, and some are yellow. They are all different colors.
What if we only had one color to color a whole picture? Would that be very exciting? (Pause.) Probably not! Different colors help make the picture beautiful. And each color has a different purpose.
For example, school buses are yellow. Do you know why? They are yellow because that color is easy to see — even in rain, fog, or early morning light. When people see a yellow school bus, they know children may be close, so they slow down and pay attention to stay safe.
Can you think of another example? (Pause for answers.) Yes, a red stop sign! We can easily see a red stop sign, and we know what we are supposed to do…STOP.
What about traffic lights? What does green mean? (Pause.) Yes — green means go! And yellow? That’s right — slow down.
People are kind of like these crayons. God made each person special. Some people are good at singing. Some are good at helping. Some are good at teaching. Some are good at listening and caring for others. Each of you has special gifts too!
In our Bible verse today, we learn that we are all part of one body, but we each have different gifts. That means every person matters, and every person has something special to share.
Sometimes people forget that their gifts are important. But God wants all people to know they are loved, they are special, and they each have something wonderful to offer — just like each of these crayons. We need all the colors to make beautiful pictures, and we need people working together to make beautiful things happen in the world.
In our church, we put all our gifts together — kind of like using all these different crayons to make one beautiful picture. Every crayon is important, and every color has a purpose. Our gifts join with gifts from other churches so we can help people, teach others about God’s love, and remind everyone that they are special.
One church cannot do everything by itself, but when churches work together, they can help many people. If we only used the blue crayon, our picture would not be as beautiful, would it?
When we work together, we can support special ministries like the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, which helps remind people that everyone is important to God, important to the church, and has special gifts to share with the world.
Just like every crayon color matters in a picture, every person matters in God’s family.
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for your love. Thank you for making us all special. Help us to use our special gifts to spread beauty everywhere. Help us share that you love everyone, all the time. Amen.
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, you call each of us to serve as part of the body of Christ, using the gifts you have given us with love and humility. Bless these offerings and join them with gifts from churches across the connection through the World Service Fund. Through the ministry of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, help your church encourage leadership, nurture dignity, and recognize the value of every person. May our shared giving strengthen ministries that reflect your justice, compassion, and welcome. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
OFFERTORY PRAYER from Discipleship Ministries
Faithful God, you reveal true power not through fear or force, but through love that gives life and builds community. You call us to know who we are because we know whose we are—your people, shaped by Christ and sent for the sake of the world. Receive these gifts as signs of our trust in your way of life over the ways of death, of courage over control, of welcome over exclusion. Use what we offer to strengthen your church as a living witness to your grace, that through our sharing and our serving, others may discover the identity of Christ and the hope found in him. Amen.
NEWSLETTER NUGGET
Romans 12 reminds us that the church is one body with many gifts. Through the ministry of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, The United Methodist Church encourages the full participation, leadership, and dignity of women throughout the life of the church. Supported through connectional giving and the World Service Fund, this ministry helps congregations nurture leadership, advocate for fairness, and strengthen the church’s witness to Christ’s love. Every gift tells a story, and together our shared giving helps those stories continue.
Join us this Sunday for worship as we celebrate the many gifts God has placed within the body of Christ.