2018 World Communion Sunday Dear Friends in Christ, On the first Sunday in October, we will celebrate World Communion Sunday and we invite you to participate in our second mission offering of the year. In this letter I want to provide answers to some important questions about this observance and what it means to us. What is World Communion Sunday? It is a world celebration on the 1st Sunday in October that confirms our common belief in the church as universal and inclusive. Together with brothers and sisters here in Grand Rapids and around the world, we will partake in communion as we experience our connection with Christ spiritually and in community. Merriam Webster defines communion as “an act or instance of sharing” - in our case as Christians we share our commitment to Christ, God, and each other. On October 7th we will
have an opportunity to participate in a mission offering that supports our local and international community to mark this event. What does it mean for First Church? From United Methodist Community House around the corner to our sister church in Herradura, Cuba, First Church is in ministry with members of a diverse and vibrant community. This Sunday lifts up our unity amidst diversity as one body working with our unique gifts to bring unconditional love, care, and grace to the world. In Pastor Joan’s recent sermon, she shared that in many mission experiences we not only receive much more than we give, but that we also recognize our own need. Our need for community, connection, and a deep faith that no matter the circumstances, we are loved and called to live in relationship with others. What does it mean to individual members? Youth in our church who traveled to our sister church in Cuba shared with me that it was one of the most spiritually meaningful experiences of their faith journey. Although they may not speak the same language, being in community allowed these young people to see that faith, joy, and love have no national or cultural boundaries. They returned with a richer sense of faith and much larger vision of community. Talk to any of our members who have traveled to
Nicaragua, Haiti, Cuba, or Puerto Rico and they will confirm the lifechanging power of walking and living side by side with persons whom we strive to serve and yet their hospitality, faith, and care end up changing and challenging us. Working alongside our work program participants and in other ways right here in Grand Rapids can offer similar insights. What will my offering do? The mission offering this World Communion Sunday will support relationships that we have cultivated as First United Methodist Church Grand Rapids. From the Community House, that is providing childcare and preschool as well as a senior center to our neighbors in Grand Rapids, to Herradura, Cuba, where the local church feeds children and provides a spiritual home for many, our support is vital to keep communities strong and connected. See the list below for the full scope of ministries and scholarships supported by your gifts. I encourage you to give generously as we contemplate the ways in which we are a community in Christ, united in our desire for peace and justice for all in our world. In Service, Iain Charnley, Chair First United Methodist Church Missions Commission