United Methodist Communications (UMCom) has produced a series of colorful, uplifting  ads to promote the UMC’s global commitment to its mission: “Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World.” The ads are intended to encourage members and remind them of that mission, especially amid divisive disagreement about homosexual persons’ rights to be ordained for ministry and married in the church.

The ads are ready to be used on websites and in social media and print resources. Emblazoned on them are the words “Moved to…” followed (so far) by “Praise” and “Serve,” with other key word selections no doubt in the works. The blurb that follows reads: “Our response to God’s call continues.”

The social media ads read further: “The United Methodist Church has always followed God’s call to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Yesterday. Today. Forever.”

The ads link to a umc.org webpage titled “The Movement Continues,” containing inspirational United Methodist stories of love and faith in action. The page reads:

The foundation of The United Methodist Church has always been to follow God’s call of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We do that in many ways and many places. On this page you will find stories of United Methodists responding to their own calls and more about our Wesleyan heritage as the people of The United Methodist Church.

UMCom has asked Eastern PA and other conferences to begin displaying the ads in our media. One reason we’re glad to do so is that the first story featured on The Movement Continues page is of our own successful Christmas Cards to Inmates project sponsored by our conference’s Prison Ministry & Restorative Justice Team.

The project, now in its fifth year, has collected and delivered to area prisons—and thereby, to grateful inmates—  thousands of Christmas cards prepared and signed by our churches and members. UMCom even visited us and produced a video about the popular prison outreach ministry. We will report the outcomes of the Christmas 2018 project in January.

Eastern PA Conference Communications will feature the ads in our various media outlets: newspaper, website and NEWSpirit newspaper and newsletter (Digest) leading up to and beyond the Special Called General Conference in February. We encourage churches, groups and individuals to download, share and use the ads also.