A Moment for Mission
“Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’ For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you; he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” — Luke 18:1-8, NRSV
Jesus once told a story about a widow who kept asking a judge for help. At first, the judge ignored her, but she didn’t give up. She kept coming, asking, and persisting until finally, the judge gave her justice—not because he cared, but because she refused to stop asking.
Jesus explained this story so his followers would understand the importance of praying without losing heart. If even an unjust judge will eventually respond to persistence, how much more will a loving God listen to the faithful prayers of his people? This parable isn’t just about prayer—it’s about faith that keeps showing up. It’s about trust in God that refuses to quit, even when answers don’t come quickly. Faith is more than words; it is persistence, courage, and a willingness to live out our trust in God through daily action.
That is what Laity Sunday is all about. Many people think the work of the church belongs mainly to pastors or clergy. But in the United Methodist Church, we recognize that the majority of the church’s ministry is lived out through lay people—the everyday disciples who follow Christ in their homes, workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and communities. Laity are teachers, caregivers, volunteers, advocates, business leaders, parents, and friends. They are the ones who persist in living out the Gospel every day, not just on Sundays. Laity Sunday reminds us that the church is built not on one person’s calling, but on the shared faithfulness of many. It’s a day to celebrate, encourage, and support all God’s people who persist in prayer, service, and witness.
Think about the widow again. She didn’t have power, wealth, or status. What she had was persistence. She kept showing up, and that persistence brought justice. The same is true of the church today. The work of God’s kingdom is advanced not only through big, dramatic moments, but through steady acts of love, service, and witness carried out by faithful people day after day.
Your prayers, your service, your generosity, your voice—they all matter. They are part of the persistent witness that makes Christ known in the world. Laity Sunday is our chance to pause and say: thank you to the countless laypeople who persist in faith and who embody Christ’s love in ordinary but powerful ways.
Reflection Question:
Where is God calling me to be persistent in my faith—not giving up, but showing up, so that Christ’s love can be seen through me?
Children’s Message
Title: Keep asking, Keep Loving!
Materials: Running shoes or something that relates to a race
Good morning, friends!
Have you ever had to ask for something more than once? Like maybe you asked your mom or dad for a snack, or you wanted help tying your shoes, and you had to keep asking until they heard you? (Let kids respond.)
In today’s Bible story, Jesus told about a woman who kept asking a judge for help. She didn’t give up! Finally, the judge listened and helped her. Jesus said we should pray like that—keep talking to God and never give up.
We use a word a lot in church called faith. Do you know what it means? (let the children answer)
Faith means trusting God, even when we can’t see Him or when our prayers don’t get answered right away. It’s believing that God loves us, hears us, and is helping us in the best way. For example, when you wake up each morning, you trust the sun will rise—that’s just like trusting God! Faith helps us keep asking, hoping, and loving.
Today is Laity Sunday, a special day when we remember that everyone in the church—not just pastors—helps share God’s love. Grown-ups in our church keep showing God’s love at work, at home, and in our town. And guess what? You can do that too—by being kind, saying prayers, and showing love every day.
So remember: Don’t give up! Keep praying. Keep loving. God always hears you.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for always being here for me. Thank you for Jesus, who shows us the way, and for all the people who help us keep going. Thank you for all the helpers around the world. Help us to give, to love, and to remember—we are never alone. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
Gracious God,
You hear the cries of your people and honor the faith that persists in prayer and service. On this Laity Sunday, we give thanks for the ministry of all your people, who carry your love into homes, workplaces, and communities. Bless these gifts we bring, that through our connection as United Methodists, lay leaders everywhere may be strengthened to serve boldly, love deeply, and witness faithfully to Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
From Discipleship Ministries
Persistent and just God, you do not turn away when your people cry out. Receive these gifts as acts of our faith—faith that keeps moving, faith that keeps hoping, faith that keeps working for justice, even when the world says it’s too late or too little. Make us a people who do not lose heart. Shape our prayers into action and our generosity into grace, until your kin-dom comes—on earth, as it is in heaven. In the name of Christ, who still stands and knocks. Amen.
Newsletter Nugget
“And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you; he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” – Luke 18:7-8
In Luke 18:1–8, Jesus tells the story of a persistent widow who kept seeking justice until she was heard. Her persistence reminds us that faith is lived out through steady, everyday action. On Laity Sunday, we celebrate the ministry of all God’s people—not only pastors, but every church member who prays, serves, leads, and carries Christ’s love into the world. Through faithfulness, United Methodists make sure that lay leaders are equipped to live out their callings in powerful ways.
Join us this Sunday for worship as we celebrate Laity Sunday and give thanks for the everyday faithfulness of God’s people.