Lasting Hope Sunday: Ideas for your online church service
We are so thankful for your ongoing partnership with CMS and your link missionaries, as we work together to proclaim the gospel of Jesus!
Running Lasting Hope Sunday is a great way to excite your church about this mission partnership, and to help them see the part they can play in God’s mission through prayer, care and giving.
Below you’ll find some suggestions for running an online service focused on mission and CMS. You can run Lasting Hope Sunday any day that works, but we are suggesting 14 June.
Important note on secure workers: Do not mention the details of your link missionaries through your online church services, especially if you are streaming publicly. Refer to them by the first letter of their first name only, and as CMS workers instead of missionaries.
If you run a service focused on mission and CMS
If you are looking to run a church service focused on world mission and your link missionaries, that’s great! Here is a list of mission-focused elements you can choose to include in your online service.
Sermon
Choose Bible readings and prepare a sermon with a focus on God’s mission to the nations (e.g. Psalm 96, Romans 10, Luke 10).
Prayer
Get in touch with the prayer leader for the week and ask that they focus their prayers in three areas: 1) local mission in your area, 2) your CMS link missionaries and those they are seeking to reach, and 3) global mission generally.
Church news
During announcements, use our presentation slides to highlight the ministry of CMS in raising up workers for God’s global harvest, and share an update from your link missionaries. Please also let your church know about the CMS Lasting Hope Appeal, where they can give financially to support our gospel workers.
Videos
See if your link missionaries (non-secure workers only) could put together a video update to share with your church. Alternatively, you can add the Lasting Hope Appeal video to your service, where CMS missionaries Howard and Michelle Newby share a story of hope in the Philippines.
Songs
Select songs for the week that are focused on God’s mission. Get in touch with the music coordinator at your church and work with them to choose a suitable list of songs from your database.
If you only have a section of your service focused on CMS
If you aren’t planning a church service entirely focused on mission, there are still a number of ways you can highlight and pray for the ministry of your link missionaries during your service.
Choose any of the elements above, such as church news or prayer, and on 16 June focus these on God’s mission and CMS.
Please also highlight the CMS Lasting Hope Appeal, and encourage your church to give financially to support their link missionaries.
Other ways to highlight mission through CMS
Bible study
You may like to put together a mission-focused Bible study based on your Sunday sermon, or download a Bible study from CMS to use. You could also encourage your Bible study groups to take a week to pray specifically for God’s mission and the work of your link missionaries.
Social media
Make a post on social media the week before your church runs Lasting Hope Sunday! Use our social media graphics and take a look at our template for a guide to what you could write in your post.
Response form
Some of your church members may prefer not to give online. Send them our giving and prayer response form as part of your church-wide emails, which they can print and mail directly to CMS.
E-Bulletin graphic
If your church sends out an online service sheet, then we’d love for you to include our e-bulletin graphic, to highlight the CMS Lasting Hope Appeal and encourage your church members to give in support.
Thank you for helping your church partner in God’s mission through Lasting Hope Sunday! Please contact the CMS Partnership Support Team if you have any questions or would like to get in touch.
