Global Migration Sunday set for First Sunday in Advent, December 3
Global Migration Sunday has been set for December 3, the first Sunday of Advent. On this date, all United Methodist churches are asked to gather an offering dedicated to responding to human suffering caused by migration. United Methodists will have an opportunity to support millions of displaced people throughout the world, as well as deepen the church’s understanding of the biblical call to welcome and care for the displaced.
Global Migration Sunday is a partnership between four general agencies of The United Methodist Church: General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Communications, General Board of Church and Society and Discipleship Ministries.
According to Thomas Kemper, chief executive, General Board of Global Ministries, “There are more than 65.6 million displaced people in the world today, more than at any time since World War II.”
In addition to the one-time offering to benefit the Advance, churches can engage in Global Migration Sunday through numerous resources, including worship materials, social media images and content, and a webinar to educate leaders about the current plight of migrants and the church’s call to help. The Upper Room has created a bilingual devotional booklet that includes a specially-written Prayer of Illumination, to serve as a teaching tool in the languages of English, Arabic, French and Spanish. The resources, including stories of migrants, arewill be available at umcmigration.org.
Read "Global Migration Sunday shines light on a crisis" from United Methodist News Service