By Rev. Dr. Judy Chung, Reserve Clergy Delegate and Executive Director of Missionary Service at Global Ministries

This morning at General Conference, 16 missionaries are being commissioned as the Missionaries of the United Methodist Church to take the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ into all the world for the transformation of the world.

These individuals are from 13 different countries going to serve in 14 countries around the world as professors, educators, community developers, advocates, leadership developers, and pastors to connect the church in mission so that we, as United Methodists, are fulfilling the Great Commission to go and meet people where they are to share our experiences of God’s grace so that they may also experience the abundant love of God that crosses all boundaries to embrace all persons.

I am thankful that as we near the end of this historical General Conference, we are concluding with this commissioning service reminding all of us that we, too, are called to be God’s co-workers to go forth into the world praying together these words from the Wesley’s Covenant Prayer:

I am no longer my own, but yours.
And now, O wonderful and holy God,
Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, 
you are mine, and I am yours.
So be it. Amen.

Let us remember that we are all God’s and that God will sustain us for all that is to come.