Hello Grace UMC!

During our S’mores and Games night, I wore a shirt bearing the United Methodist Church’s new Vision statement. In addition to the UMC’s mission, “To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world,” the Council of Bishops introduced a revised vision statement in 2025: “The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.” I recognize that this is a lot of words and can feel very structural, organizational, and dare I say corporate. Yet coming out of our most recent sermon series on James, I’m reminded of the importance of encouragement for the gathered community. If we’re going to live with consistent faith, speech, and action, we must be intentional in our faith, speech, and action, and I believe that’s what this vision statement is speaking to. It invites us to be part of the larger community of United Methodists and to consider: How are we loving boldly when our default tends to be to love only when it’s comfortable? How are we serving joyfully rather than with grumbling in our hearts or resenting it because we feel obligated? How are we leading courageously even when it requires us to stand up and stand out?