World Communion Sunday began at Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1933. The Rev. Hugh Thompson Kerr and his congregation sought to demonstrate the interconnectedness of Christian churches, regardless of denomination. The practice of designating the first Sunday of October as World Wide Communion Sunday was adopted by the Federal Council of Churches in the United States in 1940. This was a predecessor organization to the National Council of Churches. Following World War II this practice took on a global nature as a way to heal the brokenness of a broken and war torn world.
Luke 18: 1-8 In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is advocating for the work of the kingdom of God. In addition, he is addressing systemic racism and injustice of the Israelite people at the hands of their colonial oppressor – Rome. The context is a teaching on prayer, but more is going on. The parable of the persistent woman confronting a corrupt and unjust Judge is a not so veiled metaphor on two fronts. One, of course, is the obvious to the 21st century readers regarding the treatment of the Jews by Rome. Even the casual reader of the Gospel picks this up from commentary throughout all four Gospels about armies, taxation, emperors, governors and the like, meeting out oppression through unjust systems and methods. But there is more, much more.
The other is what really riles the first century Jew which is the collaboration of the Temple authorities and the educated clergy, who operate in close proximity, kissing the ring of Caesar and his authority through the system known as “The Peace of Rome” or Pax Romana. While the Pax Romana seems benign, it was the height of Roman Imperialism and Colonialism. Nearly 70 million people from those of central Europe all the way South to the Northern coast of the continent of Africa, and East through the Middle East.
Prayer is one of the 5 components of membership in the United Methodist Church. Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service and Witness are major components in the Wesley way created by our founders John and Charles Wesley. As we begin our new series, prayer is deeply connected with the Celebration of World Wide Communion Sunday.
The call to persistence in prayer is one of the spiritual disciplines taught by Jesus not as a way to stay in touch with God, but to give hope and a forward focus in difficult days.
For our celebration this year at Hyde Park Community UMC, we are offering bread that comes from the four mission partnership nations that we participate with – Russia, Romania, Haiti and Mexico. In the Welcome Center between services you will be able to sample bread baked by our members from these four nations.
Pastor Todd