A Moment for Mission
“The Lord your God will help you succeed in everything you do—in your own fertility, your livestock’s offspring, and your land’s produce—everything will be great! Because the Lord will once again enjoy doing good things for you just as he enjoyed doing them for your ancestors, and because you will be obeying the Lord your God’s voice, keeping his commandments and his regulations that are written in this Instruction scroll, and because you will have returned to the Lord your God with all your heart and all your being.” — Deuteronomy 30:9-10, CEB
When we think about listening to God, we often picture quiet moments—prayer, reflection, or reading Scripture alone. And those moments are important. But in Deuteronomy 30, we’re reminded that listening to God isn’t just something we do on our own—it’s something we’re called to do together, as a community of faith.
This is true for us as individuals, and it’s also true for us as a Church.
Every four years, United Methodists from all over the world come together for something called General Conference. It’s a global gathering where clergy and lay people—regular members of churches just like ours—meet to worship, pray, and make decisions about how we move forward as a denomination.
You don’t have to understand all the committees or processes involved to know that something meaningful happens here. Through deep conversation, sometimes hard conversations, the Church pauses to ask: Where is God leading us now? How can we be faithful in a changing world?
This isn’t just a meeting. It’s a holy moment—where voices from Africa, the Philippines, Europe, the United States, and beyond come together to listen for God’s voice. We may speak different languages and live in different places, but we’re bound together by faith. And in that connection, we remind one another of who we are and what really matters: loving God, loving our neighbors, and living with integrity and grace.
Like the people in Deuteronomy, we don’t always get it right the first time. Sometimes we have to come back—again and again—to God’s way. But God is faithful. And when we return with our whole hearts, when we choose to listen and trust together, Scripture promises that we will flourish—not just individually, but as a community rooted in God’s love.
So whether or not you’ve ever heard of General Conference, know this: it’s one of the ways the Church works to stay centered. It’s a way we choose, together, to return to God and follow where the Spirit leads.
Reflection Question:
Where in your life—or in our shared life as a Church—is God inviting you to listen more closely and follow more faithfully?
Children’s Message
Title: Listening to God Together
Materials: A toy stethoscope
Good morning, friends!
Have you ever played the game “Simon Says”? What do you have to do to play it well? (Let kids respond.)
That’s right—you have to listen very carefully. If you don’t listen, you might miss something important!
In today’s Bible verse, God reminds the people that listening is one of the most important things we can do. God says, “Listen to my voice, follow my ways, and I will bless you.” That means good things happen—not always easy things, but good things—when we listen to what God wants for us.
Now, sometimes we listen to God on our own—when we pray, read the Bible, or sing songs. But sometimes, we also listen together as a church family. We do that when we worship, when we help others, and when we talk about God’s love.
And do you know what? There are grown-ups from all over the world who come together every few years to help the Church listen to God together. It’s called General Conference. They pray, talk, and make decisions to help the whole Church follow Jesus more faithfully.
You don’t have to be at a big meeting to listen to God, though. You can do it right now. Listening to God might look like helping a friend, telling the truth, or saying a kind word. It’s all about choosing love.
So, here’s the good news: God wants us to listen and promises to help us. And when we listen with our whole hearts, God helps us grow into the people we’re meant to be.
What’s one way you can listen to God this week?
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for loving us and speaking to us. Help us to listen with our hearts and follow you in everything we do. Thank you for our church and all the people who help us follow you. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
God of covenant and compassion,
You call us to walk in your ways—not just in words, but in how we live, love, and give.
As we bring our gifts today, we remember your promise: when we follow your voice, you bless the work of our hands and hearts. May these offerings be used to strengthen your Church so that all we do reflects your grace, your justice, and your love.
Let this offering reflect our trust in you, O God, and our shared hope to see your love made known—in every language, every place, and every heart. Use these gifts to carry your Spirit into the world, and send us out with joy to serve.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
From Discipleship Ministries
Gracious and strengthening God, in you, we find the power to endure with patience and the grace to give thanks with joy. As we offer these gifts, may they bear fruit in your kingdom, strengthening the church, uplifting the weary, and sharing the hope we have in Christ. Help us remember that we are not alone but surrounded by the saints of light, past and present. May our generosity reflect your abundant love and our lives proclaim the gospel in word and deed. In Christ’s name, we give and rejoice. Amen.
Newsletter Nugget
"Then the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do... when you return to the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and do all his commandments."— Deuteronomy 30:9–10, CEB
In Deuteronomy 30:9–10, we are reminded that when we listen to God’s voice and stay faithful to God’s commands, blessings follow. For United Methodists, General Conference is one way we do this together. As the Church’s top decision-making body, it helps guide our mission and ministry in a changing world—setting priorities, revising policies, and seeking to follow God’s leading as a global community of faith.
Join us for worship this Sunday as we step into hearing God’s call. Pray this week for wisdom and unity across the Church, and ask: How am I listening for God's voice in how I live, give, and serve?