Devotional 12-7-04

Lectionary Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11

In the lectionary reading, God gives comfort to His people. A portion of this comfort is telling of the coming of Christ.

During the 2004 calendar year, the United Methodist Women has been celebrating 135 years of mission service.

In 1869 an organization named the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church responded to God’s call to provide health care and education for women and girls in India. During the years, the Society and Methodist Church made changes and evolved into different names. The Society is now the United Methodist Women, 1972, of the United Methodist Church.

The wording of the PURPOSE has been expanded over the years, but the meaning has remained:

“The organized unit of United Methodist Women shall be a community of women whose PURPOSE is to know God, and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of church.”
I believe God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to comfort us and to entrust us, as people of Christ, to do the same to others.

Prayer: Ever-living and loving God, we thank You for Your Son, and pray You will strengthen our faith in giving time and talents to minister to the needs of the hurt, the disadvantaged and alienated in Your world. Amen.

‘Information was gathered and used from the 2004 Program Book, for United Methodist Women.’

Kay Lewis