God's Mission Our Gifts: Your January Mission and Service Stories and more!

Your January Mission and Service Stories January 5 Reflecting on the Past, Building the Future   [Image credit: Honey Haze Photography] In a time when uncertainty continues to shape our world, acts of kindness and solidarity make all the difference. January 12 Faith in Action: Empowering Global Peace     [Image credit: Project Ploughshares]   Project Ploughshares is a Canadian peace research institute with a focus on disarmament efforts and international security. It is also one of our dedicated Mission and Service partners.      January 19 Empowering Bold Leadership   [Image credit: The United Church of Canada]   In July 2024, eight passionate youth from across Canada gathered in Calgary. Together, they worked to lay the foundation for 100 people under the age of 30 to attend The United Church of Canada's General Council 45 in 2025.   January 26 A Network of Hope     [Image credit: London Community Chaplaincy]   Becoming a parent or guardian is a life-changing, complex experience that doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all answer. The London Community Chaplaincy works with parents and guardians who want to build a network of support, share the parenting journey, and develop new skills as they navigate raising children in a low-income setting. Canada Post Strike Even though the Canada Post strike is over, we’re still here and ready to help! Material to support your Advent and Christmas plans is available on the Mission and Service website at united-church.ca/worship-theme/mission-and-service-worship. Donations can be made at united-church.ca/advent.   If you have questions about Mission and Service or want to make a donation by phone, please give us a call at 1-800-465-3771. Mission and Service Stories – Now in Print! Do you want to get all of your Mission and Service stories in one printout and then choose which one to use? If you have been wanting to do this, we invite you to go to Mission and Service in Worship and look under Related Material. There you will find all of this year’s stories in quarterly formats that you can print off. And as a reminder, we are always looking for new stories, so please contact us at ms@united-church.ca if you have something to share. Mission and Service Volunteers What do you feel called to do? There’s a place for you!   Mission and Service volunteers are people who are ready to spread the word about the great work that’s being done by the United Church of Canada through Mission and Service. They can choose the work they want to do and the amount of time they are able to spend.   It’s easy to take the next step to become a Mission and Service volunteer. Just call us at 1-800-465-3771 or email us at ms@united-church.ca. Congregational Stewardship/Generosity This is your resource to help you grow generous disciples and gather the resources you need to do God’s mission.  Please modify and use these ideas in your context.   New Advent Stewardship Blog!  Our newest Stewardship Blog is posted! How is doing Advent like doing home renovations? Stewardship Seconds (Updated for January- June 2025)  Short, pithy sayings that pack a punch, to help infiltrate stewardship thinking into your community of faith. Add them to newsletters, worship, announcements, webpages, wherever people gather!  Find them on the Stewardship in Worship webpage. Offering Introductions and Dedication Prayers (Updated for January- June 2025)  The offering time in worship is NOT about collecting money! It is about growing generous disciples and stewards. These Offering Introductions, and Dedication Prayers – for each Sunday of the year – will help. Find them at the Stewardship in Worship webpage.  Updated! 2025 Lectionary Starters for Stewardship Worship  Sermon ideas and theme hymns for each of the 5-week Stewardship worship series. Season of Epiphany, Season of Easter, the five weeks leading to Thanksgiving, World-Wide Communion through All Saints – they’re all on the Stewardship in Worship webpage.  Get the Stewardship Support You Need The people and resources to help you succeed are here. Merry Christmas The Community of Faith Stewardship Support Team wishes for you this Christmas season...  Dave and Glenn Ask You! This month, we would like to ask you a few questions. You can help us shape the future of God’s Mission, Our Gifts today. Just take two minutes and fill out our survey! And if you have a question for Glenn and Dave, you can send it to us on our handy form. You’ll get an answer by email or in the next issue of God’s Mission, Our Gifts, or both (your choice). And if your question stumps us, we may even collaborate! 2025 Mission and Service goal-setting form is here! Are you making plans for the Centennial year? We can help. The 2025 goal-setting form is new and improved – and ready to go whenever you are!   Questions? Email Mission and Service or call us at 1-800-465-3771. GOD’S MISSION, OUR GIFTS is your newsletter. We want to provide news and information that you can use in your community of faith, whether you’re a minister, a board member, an administrator, a treasurer, or anyone else who wants to make a difference.   What else would you like to see? What can we do to help your community of faith get where it needs to go? Send us your thoughts! Donate Facebook Twitter Website Email Instagram YouTube LinkedIn   Your generosity enables the United Church to love, serve, and minister in the world. Make an online donation or learn more about your options to support the work of the church.

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