Mission Sunday at ESUMC

“In all things, I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”” (Acts 20:35).

Our church has indeed embodied this principle through various initiatives and acts of kindness and service. Over the past year, we have extended our hands and hearts both locally and internationally, demonstrating our commitment to service and community support.

On Mission Sunday 27 April in worship, we were blessed to hear the testimony of our friends Pastor Wilfried and Jean Nausner about their long years of ministry with United Methodist churches in Albania. As we heard so eloquently from the Nausners, our partnership with the UMC congregations in Albania continues to deepen, with pastoral visits as well as financial contributions. We were pleased to announce our annual donation to support their work and their lively and growing congregations to honour that commitment.       

Here in Vienna, our central outreach to the community has been through the weekly Wärmestube, which started in early December and ran through 25 March, each Tuesday from 11:00 to 2:30 pm. This ministry of Christian hospitality spreads the love of God to our many guests. Folks in our congregation made contributions in so many different ways: by regularly volunteering on Tuesdays; collecting and distributing 85 bags of Christmas cookies on 24 December; bringing in pots of soup or other large dishes and desserts; donating clothing, canned goods, and personal care items; and supplementing our congregation’s financial commitment with additional donations. We also thank our youth group for preparing vegetables to be cooked in our weekly soups and hot dishes, and our young adult group for organizing two very successful clothing drives.

On average between 85 and 105 persons visited the Wärmestube every week. Our clients include locals from the Fünfhaus district, Ukrainian refugees and other recent immigrants, and others with limited means who welcome a place to visit with neighbours and our volunteers and eat a warm meal.

The Wärmestube is in good financial health, boosted by donations from local businesses and both congregations. Financial and other donations are always welcome, as are new volunteers; there are so many different ways to serve, and speaking German is not essential, nor is a commitment to come each week.

This spring we have launched a new and innovative pilot project which builds on the community outreach of the Wärmestube. Spearheaded by the German-speaking congregation, the “Begegnungstube” or “UMC Meeting Place” is held on the afternoon of the last Tuesday of every month; the church will open its doors to the community, offering a safe place for rest and fellowship for all ages. Volunteers will offer refreshments and a range of activities, such as games, free Wi-Fi, a chance to visit with neighbours, and the opportunity to learn German in an informal setting. For more information, you can read about it in German and English on the noticeboards during coffee hour. If you would like to get involved, please speak to Pastor John or me.

Farther abroad, in recent years our congregation has made donations in support of the injured and displaced in Gaza, and refugees from the war in Ukraine. Pastor John and I remain open to hearing from church members about possible worthwhile projects we could consider supporting, which align with our church goals.  These might be Vienna-based, or outside Austria. The Church Council has allocated funds which can be used for new initiatives.

Following up on Mission Sunday, you might consider how you or your family personally can strengthen our church’s commitment to our mission here and abroad. Perhaps it is best said in Luke 10:2: “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Let us consider how we as a congregation can best labor in the Lord’s harvest.

Finally, thank you all for your financial and personal support of our church’s mission this past year.  To bring home that message, consider this quote from “Faithful in Christ Jesus: A Mission Reader” by Ralph Winter:

“We must choose this day whether we will hide our eyes from the need and close our ears to the call or whether we will tackle with new decisiveness, mixed with humility and devotion, the unchanging command of a faithful God who is still seeking.”

Barbara Gibson, ESUMC Missions Coordinator