MISSION MOMENT
“The Lord says: Act justly and do what is righteous, because my salvation is coming soon, and my righteousness will be revealed. The immigrants who have joined me, serving me and loving my name] becoming my servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath without making it impure, and those who hold fast to my covenant: I will bring them to my holy mountain, and bring them joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their entirely burned offerings and sacrifices on my altar. My house will be known as a house of prayer for all peoples, say the Lord God, who gathers Israel’s outcasts. I will gather still others to those I have already gathered.”— Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 (CEB)
Isaiah 56:7 says, “My house will be known as a house of prayer for all peoples.” In this passage, God reminds the people that God’s love and welcome are not limited to one group, one place, or one kind of person. God gathers people together and calls them into a shared life of worship, justice, compassion, and hope.
This vision of God’s love reaching beyond every boundary is lived out through the ministry we share through the General Board of Global Ministries in The United Methodist Church. Through missionaries, church partnerships, disaster response, health initiatives, and community ministries, people around the world experience the love of Jesus Christ in real and life-changing ways. Every gift tells a story, and many of those stories begin with faithful people choosing to give together through the church. The love of Christ is extended across communities, cultures, and circumstances because God’s care is meant for all people.
In The United Methodist Church, giving is more than financial support—it is a shared covenant that allows congregations 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 reach people we may never meet, but whom God deeply loves. This collective support strengthens the ministry of the General Board of Global Ministries and helps make compassionate outreach possible in times of crisis. Without that shared support, far fewer people would experience the care, hope, and compassion of Christ when they need it most.
On August 19, World Humanitarian Day reminds us of the importance of caring for neighbors near and far. Long before there was a designated day to recognize humanitarian work, scripture was already calling God’s people to welcome others, seek justice, and extend compassion. Isaiah reminds us that God’s house is meant to be open to all people, and through our shared ministry in The United Methodist Church, that welcome continues today.
Every act of generosity becomes part of a larger story of healing, compassion, and hope. Together, we become witnesses to the love of Christ in places we may never see, among people we may never meet, and in moments when hope is needed most.
Reflection Question:
How might God be calling you to participate in Christ’s work of welcome, compassion, and hope through the shared ministry of The United Methodist Church?
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
Title: Everyone is part of the same family
Materials: One green, red and yellow apple. Also, a knife and tray to cut the apples open (be careful around children with the knife)
Good morning, friends! I’m so glad to see you here! Today I brought something yummy with me. (Hold up the apples.) What are these? (Pause for answers) That’s right — apples!
Do these apples all look exactly the same? (Pause.) No! One is red, one is green, and one is yellow. They all look a little different on the outside.
Sometimes people are like that too. People may look different from one another. We may have different hair, different skin colors, speak different languages, or live in different places. But God loves every single person.
Now let’s look inside the apples. (Cut open the apples and show the inside.) What do you notice? (Pause for answers).
That’s right, they all have the same inside. They may look different on the outside, but inside they are all apples! They all belong to the apple family.
People are like that too. We are all part of God’s family.
Our Bible verse today says, “My house will be known as a house of prayer for all peoples.” That means God’s love is for everyone. This scripture tells us that God wants every person to know they are loved, welcomed, and cared for.
Sometimes people need extra help. Maybe a family loses their home in a storm. Maybe children need food or clean water. Maybe a family needs help from a doctor in a place where there are no hospitals. Maybe someone feels lonely or afraid.
Do you know how we can help them? (Pause for answers).
Yes, first we pray for them. We should pray for all God’s people. We can also work together to help people through our giving. Did you know that the money we place in the offering plate can help people all around the world? It can help send caring people to places where families need food, medicine, shelter, and hope.
In our church, we put all our gifts together — kind of like putting all these apple slices together in one big bowl to share. Our gifts join with gifts from other churches so we can help build homes, provide medicine, teach children and adults, and remind people that they are loved by God.
One church by itself cannot help everyone, but when churches share together, they can help many people. When we work together, we can support ministries like the General Board of Global Ministries, which helps churches care for people by providing food, shelter, medical care, and hope to those in need.
This week, when you feel left out or you see someone else feel left out – remember we are all part of the same family. Just like these apples may look different and even taste different, they are all still apples. And we, too, are all part of God’s family.
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for making each of us special – just like these apples. Thank you for loving people everywhere. Help us welcome others and show kindness to everyone, even if they look different than us. Thank you for churches that work together to help people and share the love of Jesus. We love you, God and we know you love us. Amen.
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Welcoming God, you call your house a place for all people. Receive these gifts as signs of our shared covenant to serve together through The United Methodist Church. Through the ministry of the General Board of Global Ministries, and the support provided through the World Service Fund, lives are touched with compassion, hope, and the love of Christ. Join our gifts with others across the connection so that people facing crisis, hunger, loneliness, and disaster may experience your care. Use us, and these offerings, to extend your welcome to the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
OFFERTORY PRAYER from Discipleship Ministries
Gracious God, you pour your blessing upon your people like dew upon the earth and oil upon the head, flowing beyond all boundaries we would draw. We thank you for the gift of unity—good and pleasant, beautiful and life-giving—meant not only for us, but for the healing of the world. Receive these offerings as signs of our desire to live together in your love, to practice radical welcome, and to share your abundance with all your children. Let what we give today flow outward in compassion and service, that our life together may reflect your kingdom of peace, justice, and joy. Amen.
NEWSLETTER NUGGET
Isaiah 56 reminds us that God’s house is “a house of prayer for all peoples.” Through the ministry of the General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church lives out that calling by supporting missionaries, disaster response, health ministries, and community outreach around the world. Through connectional giving and the World Service Fund, churches work together so that no congregation carries ministry alone. This shared support also allows 100% of gifts to Advance projects to go directly to their intended ministry.
Join us this Sunday for worship as we celebrate how God’s love reaches people everywhere through our shared ministry together.