After tragedies like the recent shootings in Las Vegas, a story Jesus tells about serving others is a useful guide for United Methodists to reach out in love.
In the midst of tragedy like the mass shooting in Las Vegas, United Methodists long to participate in God’s work in the world. We pray, worship, and offer well wishes. We also serve, lend a hand, and meet a need.
Through our service, we often find healing for ourselves as the Holy Spirit moves in and through us.
A great guide for finding ways to minister to our neighbors is Jesus’s story of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus tells the helpers that they served him by serving those in the greatest need.
I was hungry
“I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat,” Jesus tells us.
Provide a meal. Many churches have ministries that provide meals for those who are recovering from surgery, mourning the loss of a loved one, or otherwise in need of a hot meal. You can also do something similar on your own. Take a meal to one who is hurting. Provide food to those living on the street. Buy the meal for the person behind you in the drive-thru line.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) coordinates ways to give food, water, and other supplies to those in need. File photo by Bridget Sloane, United Methodist Communications.Give to the local foodbank. Hungry people are everywhere, even in places you might least suspect. Foodbanks do wonderful work providing meals for men, women, and children who cannot afford to feed themselves. Donate food. Volunteer. Support Heifer International or another organization that helps feed people around the world. Help feed those who are hungry.
I was thirsty
“I was thirsty,” Jesus tells the servants, “and you gave me a drink.”
Donate water. Water is a critical supply in times of disaster. We need clean, safe water to survive. Natural disasters like floods and mudslides often contaminate aquafers, limiting people’s supply of water. Donations of water to a local disaster relief center, to first responders, or to your church mission team heading off to do cleanup, are important.
Give to well ministries. Tragedy reminds us that some live without clean, safe water every day. Donate to ministries that help provide wells like the UMCOR WASH program.
Conserve. The water you save helps someone else have enough. Learn more here.
I was a stranger
Jesus continues, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
Embrace love. In our daily living, we can see others as a bother. The difficult people at work. The teacher that doesn’t understand. The other drivers clogging the roads on the way to work. We can make a huge difference in the lives of many, and ourselves, by deciding to lead with love.
Spend time with kids and youth. Volunteer to read at a nursery school. Get involved in the tutoring program at an elementary school. Intentionally listen to your children and their friends. Play with your grandchildren and their friends. Go to the high school football or basketball game in town. Support the young people in your community.
Care for the elderly. Find out how you can help at a nursing home. Ask your pastor about becoming a visitor to those in your church who no longer get out very often. Drive a neighbor to a doctor’s appointment or help them grocery shop.
Do no harm on social media. One of John Wesley’s General Rules for the Methodist societies was to do no harm. Today, we need to take care that our social media posts are loving, do not spread rumors, and do nothing to hurt others.
I was naked
“I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear,” Jesus praises.
Give money during tragedy. One of the tricky things during a tragedy is that the agencies don’t have the resources to sort through clothing donations. They much prefer monetary donations that help them buy the needed clothing. Support UMCOR and other agencies that meet these needs with cash donations.
Donate clothing to proper agencies. There are those who are always in need of clothes. Give to your local coat drive, shoe drive, clothing drive. The agencies asking for those donations are prepared to process them and use them to clothe those with nothing to wear.
Join a building project. To protect them from the elements, people need clothes and shelter. Join a local Habitat for Humanity build, a mission team, or another organization providing housing to the many who live out in the elements. Make a trip with United Methodist Volunteers in Mission to use your skills to help someone in need.
I was sick
“I was sick,” Jesus tells the surprised servants, “and you took care of me.”
United Methodist are always ready to use their talents and resources to help those in need. File photo by Mike DuBose, United Methodist Communications.Give blood. The American Red Cross is always in need of blood donations to care for the sick and wounded. Make a donation. (Las Vegas is reporting no blood is needed right now due to overwhelming response.)
Appreciate first responders. Show your love and appreciation for those who run into harm’s way to care for another. A visit, a meal, baked goods, cards, letters, and donations are welcome support.
Share your thoughts. Not only can your thoughts, fears, doubts, and insights be a value to you, they can help others as you work through a tragedy together.
Care for your neighbors. There are many kinds of illness, and as many ways to care for those who are suffering. It starts by knowing the people around you. Share your life with your neighbors. Get to know their joy and sorrow. Find out ways you can pray for and serve them.
I was in prison
Finally Jesus says, “I was in prison and you visited me.”
Learn about prison ministry. Most communities have a prison ministry. Learn more about yours and find ways that you can support those in prison, and those recently re-entering society.
Support addiction and abuse ministries. Alcoholism, drug addiction, and domestic violence imprison many in our communities. Support recovery ministries. If you are a recovering addict or survivor, your struggle can be an encouragement to others.
Work for justice. Learn what you can do about gun violence.
*Joe Iovino works for UMC.org at United Methodist Communications. Contact him by email or at 615-312-3733.
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Photo by Ben White, courtesy ChristianPics.co
A United Methodist pastor shares how learning to listen for specific elements of a sermon helps us hear and remember what God is speaking to us.
How to hear a sermon Want to make the most of your time in the pew each week? Become a more active listener and you’ll remember the message longer.
Listen up, members: How to hear a sermon for all it’s worth A UMC.org Feature by the Rev. Larry Buxton*
According to a recent Gallup survey, three out of four churchgoers say the sermon is a major factor in why we attend. Yet, we have all experienced moments when the message seems to pass by us. Sometimes we catch our minds wandering during the sermon. Other times we cannot recall the main point of the message on Monday morning. A few tips can enable us to listen more effectively.
There’s a grammar to a good sermon. In his book The Four Pages of the Sermon, author and professor Paul Scott Wilson teaches preachers the “parts of speech” that help bring out the deepest meaning of the message. Listening for them helps us engage the sermon more fully.
Drilling without novocaine
A good sermon needs to confront fearlessly the brokenness in or behind the Bible passage. A friend once described this part of the sermon as “drilling without novocaine.”
1. Trouble in the Text. Listen for the painful problem. Every strong sermon will want us to grasp the brokenness or suffering that’s going on in the Bible passage being preached. A good preacher will explore and make vivid the trouble caused by a dangerous ruler, a devastating famine, an unhealed disease, a selfish neighbor, or an unjust society.
Retired United Methodist pastor the Rev. Larry Buxton shares tips on how to listen to sermons more effectively. Photo courtesy the Rev. Larry Buxton.
I once heard a sermon on Joseph from Matthew 1:18-25, for example, which explained the abuse Joseph faced by choosing to stand by Mary. He not only met ridicule for a pregnant fiancée that he hadn’t touched, he also defied the Scriptural commandment to have Mary stoned. His was a difficult road too. Study plus imagination can help you, the hearer, grasp this.
One of the four major components of a good sermon is this naming the painful underside of the passage. Listen for it.
2. Trouble in Our World. Listen for how the preacher links that ancient problem to today. The sermon isn’t a lecture about 2000 year-old dilemmas and historical crises. It should link the Biblical world with our own, so that we will be confronted with our identical faithlessness, trouble and injustice. The gospel won’t feel like Good News to us if we’re unaware of any bad news among us, or within us.
That Joseph sermon brought Joseph’s dilemma into today. In hearing that sermon I was reminded of the ways I teased long-ago classmates because of their skin condition, speech problems, and reputation. The preacher convicted me that I was complicit in the bad news of human sinfulness. Making that connection is important.
Surprise!
In the rest of the sermon, listen for the reversal of the “bad news.” After announcing the trouble, the pastor will proclaim the unexpected good news of Jesus in the Bible passage and for our world.
3. Good News in the Text. Almost every sermon includes the announcement of God’s power acting in our world. Your preacher should name what God (or Jesus, or the Holy Spirit) actually did: healed, forgave, created, united, strengthened. Listen for the turnaround, the surprising pivot from trouble to grace, in the sermon.
This is obviously the most important section to listen for, the heart of every sermon. Without it, we’re left either with an analysis of society or a pep talk: “Go out there and try harder!” With it, you’re hearing grace-filled God-given news.
I once heard a sermon on Joseph from Matthew 1:18-25, for example, which explained the abuse Joseph faced by choosing to stand by Mary. He not only met ridicule for a pregnant fiancée that he hadn’t touched, he also defied the Scriptural commandment to have Mary stoned. His was a difficult road too. Study plus imagination can help you, the hearer, grasp this.
One of the four major components of a good sermon is this naming the painful underside of the passage. Listen for it.
2. Trouble in Our World. Listen for how the preacher links that ancient problem to today. The sermon isn’t a lecture about 2000 year-old dilemmas and historical crises. It should link the Biblical world with our own, so that we will be confronted with our identical faithlessness, trouble and injustice. The gospel won’t feel like Good News to us if we’re unaware of any bad news among us, or within us.
That Joseph sermon brought Joseph’s dilemma into today. In hearing that sermon I was reminded of the ways I teased long-ago classmates because of their skin condition, speech problems, and reputation. The preacher convicted me that I was complicit in the bad news of human sinfulness. Making that connection is important.
Surprise!
In the rest of the sermon, listen for the reversal of the “bad news.” After announcing the trouble, the pastor will proclaim the unexpected good news of Jesus in the Bible passage and for our world.
3. Good News in the Text. Almost every sermon includes the announcement of God’s power acting in our world. Your preacher should name what God (or Jesus, or the Holy Spirit) actually did: healed, forgave, created, united, strengthened. Listen for the turnaround, the surprising pivot from trouble to grace, in the sermon.
This is obviously the most important section to listen for, the heart of every sermon. Without it, we’re left either with an analysis of society or a pep talk: “Go out there and try harder!” With it, you’re hearing grace-filled God-given news.
When we hear a sermon, we listen for the word of God spoken to us. File photo by Mike DuBose, United Methodist Communications.In a sermon on Joseph, the preacher might say, “But God gave Joseph the courage to endure ridicule,” or “God helped Joseph remain faithful to his call.” This is Good News—that God strengthened his faithful but beleaguered servant to stand for kindness, faithfulness and integrity.
4. Good News in our World. The final listening challenge is to hear how God is still acting in the world today. God (or Jesus or the Spirit) didn’t stop doing this holy work 2000 years ago. The preacher can inspire hope by showing us ways that God is still working in our society today.
This is often best done in stories. In the Joseph sermon I recall, we were told of a man who was being cajoled into being a “team player” and participating in a scheme to bilk his company. The pressure was strong. But he replied, “Guys, I just can’t do that. I’m a Baptist.” That took courage—God-given courage.
Many good sermons omit a component of “sermon grammar” and still convey powerful meaning. But if you listen for how these aspects are (or are not) included in the message, you might hear clearer declarations of the awesome Word of God.
*The Rev. Larry Buxton is a retired elder in the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church, the Faculty Director of the Course of Study at Wesley Theological Seminar, and a clergy coach.
Media Contact: Joe Iovino, United Methodist Communications. Contact him by email or at
615-312-3733.
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Beacon on Capitol Hill
Right next door to the U.S. Supreme Court is the United Methodist Building. Learn more about the history and ongoing witness of the church's unique space in the heart of Washington.
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The United Methodist Building in Washington, D.C. is a Heritage Landmark and the only non-governmental building on Capitol Hill. For almost 100 years, this has been a space for the denomination to advocate for the values of United Methodists. That commitment continues today through the work of the Board of Church and Society.
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SCRIPT: (Washington, DC)
The sign in front of the United Methodist Building in Washington, D.C. bears a strong witness in a prime location, next door to the Supreme Court and steps from the U.S. Capitol. This beacon on the Hill shines a light on the beliefs of a church grounded in peace and justice.
The Rev. William Bobby McClain: “Childcare, poverty, human sexuality. This is not something we just decided on. This is biblical. It’s strongly and staunchly and clearly the biblical teachings of Jesus.”
The Rev. William Bobby McClain is a retired preacher and professor who has seen the church come together here to make a stand on social issues.
The Rev. William Bobby McClain: “During the days of segregation black people and white people could meet together and eat together in a segregated Washington, the only place I know of in Washington that people could sit down at the same table and eat together.”
The Board of Church and Society is the only non-government building on the Hill.
In the 1960’s, civil rights leaders met here just steps away from the March on Washington. The landmark Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was drafted around this conference table. And those protesting wars from Vietnam to Iraq have marched out front.
The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe: “It’s been Church and Society. It’s been the Board of Temperance. It has been the Board of World Peace. So it’s had different names.”
The Reverend Susan Henry-Crowe leads the agency, housed in this Heritage Landmark of The United Methodist Church.
Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe: “This building has been here since 1923. It preceded the Supreme Court.”
The Temperance Movement had gained momentum under the leadership of Methodists like Frances Willard and Clarence True Wilson. The idea was to move Prohibition efforts to the front line in the nation’s capitol. Construction cost 650,000 dollars. Seventy percent of the donations came from women in gifts as small as 15 cents.
The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe: “It was the vision of a lot of women and a lot of people who did not have a lot to contribute, but were so profoundly committed to the work that would be carried on here.”
Current advocacy on behalf of the church focuses on more than 30 social issues including affordable healthcare, immigration, climate change, and gun violence. United Methodists can gather here to participate in educational seminars on topics such as human trafficking and gender-based violence, and to make their voices heard by lawmakers.
The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe: “Many shared commitments about the importance of faith in action come together here in this building.”
The Rev. William Bobby McClain: “Come and see who we are. Come and see what we can do. And come and see what you can do as a Methodist to help transform the world.”
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For more information, contact www.umcjustice.org.
This video was produced by United Methodist Communications in Nashville, TN.
Media contact is Fran Walsh, 615-742-5458.
This video was first posted on August 24, 2017.
For more information, contact www.umcjustice.org.
This video was produced by United Methodist Communications in Nashville, TN.
Media contact is Fran Walsh, 615-742-5458.
This video was first posted on August 24, 2017.
New quiz: How well do you know our bishops? You might know the leader of your local area, but how much do you know about United Methodist bishops in general? We have a few questions to test your knowledge.
Photo by the Rev. Gustavo Vasquez, United Methodist Communications
The Hispanic-Latino bishops of The United Methodist Church celebrated opening worship at the 2016 MARCHA Assembly in San Juan, Puerto Rica. Shown, from left: Bishop Elías Galván, Bishop Minerva Carcaño, Bishop Rafael Moreno Rivas, Bishop Juan Vera Mendez, Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey and Bishop Hector Ortiz.
United Methodist Bishops Quiz
There are 66 active bishops in The United Methodist Church: 46 are in the five jurisdictions of the United States and 20 are in the Central Conference. We invite you to take a short quiz to test your knowledge about some of the notable leaders of the church. Be sure to share the link with friends so you can compare scores later.
Download, print and share this Bishops Quiz with your church, family and friends! And spoiler alert: after you take the quiz, you can see all the answers and learn lots more information on the topic.
Visit this page to try other quizzes.
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The United Methodist Communications
The communications agency for The United Methodist Church
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