Worship Preview 10.5.25. Sojourners: World Communion Sunday

Worship This Sunday: 10:30am –  World Communion Sunday: Zechariah 7:1-14 and Philippians 3:1-21. Rev. Christopher Eshelman preaching.

The past several weeks we have talked about God offering us his first and his best. This week, we celebrate World Communion Sunday. A day in which Christians around the world, from many places, many denominations, speaking many languages,  gather and connect around Christ’s table. We remember. We anticipate. We participate.

We have also begun considering the Golden Rule found in Matthew 7:12 – “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – and an extension / reframing of that that takes us deeper – the Platinum Rule– treating others as they would like to be treated.  Christ lives this out. Christ offers us himself – and calls us – all of us – to this table. Because the God of the living, of light and life is beyond time and yet present with us, we gather with those who have gone before us on the journey of faith… and we gather with those who will come after us.

Each year, on the first Sunday in October, United Methodist congregations join many Christian churches across the globe in celebrating World Communion Sunday. This special observance began as World-Wide Communion Sunday at Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in 1933. The Rev. Hugh Thompson Kerr and his congregation sought to demonstrate the interconnectedness of Christian churches, regardless of denomination. Rev. Kerr appropriately chose the sacrament of Holy Communion to symbolize this unity. But for United Methodists, it’s more than just worship. It’s also a time to support scholarships and leadership training for students from underrepresented communities—helping the Church become more inclusive and better equipped to serve. The Church is strongest when its leadership reflects the people it serves. But many communities—especially those historically underrepresented—face barriers to education and ministry. World Communion Sunday matters because it helps break down those barriers. Our special offering equips students from diverse backgrounds with the resources and training they need to answer God’s call to lead. When we invest in these future leaders, we’re building a more faithful, inclusive Church—one that’s better prepared to share Christ’s love in a changing world. These scholarships and other such efforts directly benefit us here in the Great Plains Conference as we are among the most diverse in the world. 102 of the 560 United Methodist clergy serving in Kansas and Nebraska are here on visas, green cards, as “Dreamers” or have become naturalized citizens. They pastor 153 of our 710 churches and their countries of orgin include: South Korea, the Philippines, Pakistan, India, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Angola, Zambia, Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, El Salvador, Chile, Columbia and several more!

Related to this focus, this year Rev. Christopher Eshelman helped create liturgy for Kansas InterFaith Action’s “Immigration Sabbath.” About 30 faith communities across the state are participating in a shared witness calling for remembrance, compassion, justice, and peace. Here we will share a special “Litany from our Sacred Memory” and “Great Thanksgiving” that Pastor Eshelman curated, drawing from the many, many Scriptural stories of how God’s people moved – from Abram (later Abraham) to Jesus himself, to later disciples like Priscilla, Aquila, and Paul – migration, and caring for the sojourner, has always been a part of the story of faith. Paul will remind us that our own citizenship is in heaven and that we did not earn that, rather, it is a gift of God’s grace. And from the prophet Zechariah, we will hear, again, God’s call to justice. “Thus says the Lord of hosts, render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” This is our call.

As Christians, we proclaim that we are all created in the image of God. It is a broken Christianity that desperately looks for Jesus returning in the clouds but refuses to recognize him in the poor, the sick, the homeless, the immigrant, the bombed, the starving, the marginalized, and the oppressed. As we heard a few weeks ago, in Matthew 25, Jesus reminds us that “whatever you did (or did not do) do for one of the least of these, you did (or did not do) for me." As we consider these words and the news of the day, we will hear deeply from Scripture, be welcomed to the open table of Christ, and briefly consider some of the history of immigration law in this country that brought us the times we live in. As always, we will hear calls to repent, and to rejoice, for God is with us! We invite you to experience the hope and presence of Christ together with us at 10:30am each Sunday. 301 S. National here in Fort Scott. Blessings on your journey! 

Press Release for October 5th, 2025

First United Methodist

Community Office Hours – Monday, October 6th. Pastor Christopher will be hanging out at the Fort Scott Walking Labyrinth at 3^rd and Crawford from 2-4pm. If you’ve seen the pattern of stone there but aren’t sure what it’s about, or even if you’ve already enjoyed walking the path, come by to learn about this place and how you might use the space as a spiritual practice! Or just as a question or share a prayer request and conversation.

Wednesday, October 8th, Feeding Families in His Name: A free, no obligation meal is served “to-go” style from underneath our portico from 5:30-6:30pm each Wednesday, prepared each week by our members as well as several area churches and community groups. If you would like to support this ministry, you can make donations online at: www.firstumcfortscott.org/feedingfamiliesdonation. Thank you.

NEXT Sunday, October 12^th at 3pm – Join us for a Gospel Concert with Second Hand Strings! A freewill donation fundraiser for Feeding Families in His Name. Second Hand Strings is an acoustic group whose members enjoy sharing their love of music. The group of friends began playing together a few years ago to share their fondness of folk and classic country music. They will perform a selection of popular old-time gospel songs, adding their bluegrass touch.