Celebrated on the first Sunday in October, World Communion Sunday is a day United Methodist congregations join many Christian churches across the globe to celebrate our connectedness and unity.

World Communion Sunday began in 1933 at Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Rev. Hugh Thompson Kerr and his congregation sought to demonstrate the interconnectedness of Christian churches, regardless of denomination.

Rev. Kerr appropriately chose the sacrament of Holy Communion to symbolize this unity.    

United Methodists believe in an open table; anyone may receive communion.

In United Methodist Churches around the world, a special offering is collected on World Communion Sunday to fund scholarships for seminarians. One half of the proceeds is for World Communion Sunday Scholars administered by the General Board of Global Ministries. The remaining one half is for the Ethnic Scholarship Program and the Ethnic In-Service Training Program, which are administered by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

Click here for a video on World Communion Sunday.

Click here for worship resources for World Communion Sunday.

Used from ResourceUMC.org