World Communion & Peacemaking Offering— Sunday, October 3

Presbyterians have celebrated World Communion Sunday since the mid-1930’s when a group of Presbyterian ministers met to pray and talk about the church’s role. Rediscovering the unifying power of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, they reaffirmed that in Christ all Christians are one, regardless of nationality, race, or ethnicity. From theirfirst meeting came the first World Communion Sunday in 1936.

This year October 3 is World Communion Sunday, a time we gather with believers from all over the world to break the bread of life and drink from the cup of salvation. This simple meal reminds us that Christ brings us together to make us one family.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) also marks this special day by a call to peacemaking, urging us to be followers of the Prince of Peace. One concrete way that we do this is with the Peacemaking offering. The Peacemaking offering invites each congregation to find ways to promote peace within the congregation and the community.

The theme for the 2010 Peacemaking offering is “Celebrate Christ, Our Peace.” Each congregation will retain twenty-five percent of the offering it receives to use for local ministries of peacemaking within the church and its community. Twenty-five percent is used by presbyteries and synods, and fifty percent is used by the General Assembly ministries through the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

World Communion & Peacemaking Offering— Sunday, October 3