Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is January 18-25 with Service January 23

The United Methodist Church celebrates Ecumenical Day during every General Conference. And every year since 1968 the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity has sponsored a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

This year’s Week of Prayer is January 18-25. Laity and clergy of the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church are invited to join our ecumenical partners and Christians everywhere to remember one another in prayer and to strengthen the bonds of love and mutual mission that we share in Jesus Christ.

The Week of Prayer actually lasts eight full days in recognition of the importance of that number in the Christian understanding of salvation history. The resurrection of Jesus on Sunday marks that day as the “eighth day of creation” and the first of the new creation. Many baptismal pools and fonts have eight sides because in baptism we are buried with Christ in his death and raised with him to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). The eight days of prayer reflect our confidence in our Risen Lord to make us one.

This year’s theme, “Do You Believe?” drawn from John 11:26, encourages us to deepen our faith and live-out our shared belief in Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life. In 2025, we also commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which defined the shared foundations of Christian faith.

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, our resident bishop of the Ohio Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church, invites you to join him for prayer and worship at 7:00 p.m. on January 23 at Christ Redeemer Lutheran Church (9201 Brecksville Road) in Brecksville.

View World Council of Churches resources.
View Graymoor Ecumenical resources.

Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation
Episode 50 "Living Our UM Faith Daily"

The Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation podcast shares about ministries across the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church that are transforming lives locally, nationally, and globally.

Produced twice-a-month by EOC Communications, each podcast episode highlights one of the #BeUMC campaign core values that connect the people of The United Methodist Church: Disciple Making; Belonging & Inclusion; Influence, Connection & Impact; and Experience of God through The UMC.

Episode 50 looks back at key moments of our first 49 episodes on which 115 unique guests shared about their ministries and the importance that human interaction plays in transforming lives for Jesus Christ.

“Through all these stories one thing resonates loudly, that relationships are key. Not one of these four pillars can be accomplished in solitude,” said Brett Hetherington, EOC Communications specialist who moderates each Storyboard episode.

“As much as God created us for relationships, He created humans for story, and we live out our lives within His grand story which is what our podcast here is all about: sharing stories about what it means to be United Methodist here in our corner of the world,” he continued.

Listen to previous Storyboard podcast episodes.
View clergy and laity sharing their #BeUMC stories.

Benefit Communities by Supporting the Human Relations Day Offering January 19

Human Relations Day is a denomination-wide Special Sunday in The United Methodist Church that recognizes and celebrates what Jesus taught during his ministry: all of God’s children are important.

Human Relations Day is one of six Sundays in The United Methodist Church on which special offerings are received to benefit ministries of the Church. The special offering taken on this Sunday before the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday is used to help build King’s vision of “the beloved community.”

By supporting Human Relations Day United Methodists are helping to change lives through social justice ministries and outreach through community developers, volunteer service, and youth offender rehabilitation programs.

• 57% of the funds received in the Human Relations Day special offering support community developer programs.
• 33% of the funds received support United Methodist Voluntary Services (UMVS).
• 10% of the funds received support rehabilitation programs.

Learn about and support Human Relations Sunday.

Postponed: MLK Day 2025 Worship Service

Due to expected arctic cold weather forecast to move into Ohio overnight on Saturday, the Sunday, January 19 service celebrating the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been postponed until Sunday, February 23 at 4:00 p.m. at Garfield Memorial UMC.

View this list of MLK Day service and volunteer opportunities in East Ohio.