The United Methodist Church is a connectional church. Each congregation is connected with all other congregations throughout the worldwide United Methodist Church. And that connection with congregations is strengthened and enabled by districts, annual conferences, jurisdictional conferences, and the General Conference.
Sharing God’s life and mission involves us in an endless journey and continuous growth in understanding. Since God is more than can be totally described in creeds or comprehended by human minds, relationship with God and participating in God’s mission require continuing exploration and persistent openness to new insights and revelations. God’s reconciled and redeemed creation is only partially realized in human history. Therefore, participating in the divine mission requires an unending effort to discern God’s vision and willingness to follow Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit into new arenas of service. Every age presents the people of God with new challenges and frontiers of mission. Apostolic faith and mission must be interpreted and applied anew in every generation and each new context.
Kenneth L. Carder, “The United Methodist Way: Living Our Beliefs”
Prayer for this week:
That you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints of light.
Colossians 1:10-12
Weekly Reading Assignment: Read chapters 2-5 of Bishop Carder’s Living Our Beliefs.
Additional Resources: