Traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday after Epiphany, this year World Mission Sunday is observed on February 14.

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael B. Curry invites the church to observe World Mission Sunday, focus on the global impact of the Baptismal Covenant’s call to “seek and serve Christ in all persons” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 305), and raise awareness of the many ways in which The Episcopal Church participates in God’s mission around the world. Watch his message here.

World Mission Sunday is also the launch of the Global Mission Digital Toolkit. A collaboration between The Episcopal Church Office of Global Partnerships (OGP), the Global Episcopal Mission Network (GEMN), and the Standing Commission on World Mission (SCWM), this toolkit explores The Episcopal Church teaching that the mission of the church is “to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ” (Book of Common Prayer, p 855) in a global context and offers resources to help Episcopalians live into this teaching. The project collaboration is supported by a generous grant from the Constable Fund.

The toolkit is intended for individuals, small groups, congregations, dioceses, and our partners across the Anglican Communion. The lens of the toolkit focuses on The Way of Love, Practices for a Jesus-Centered Life and the Standing Commission’s Guiding Principles for World Mission. These principles have guided the work of the Standing Commission on World Mission in this triennium and will be proposed for adoption at the next General Convention.

The toolkit includes webinars, videos, downloadable PDFs, articles, and other online resources. These resources explore the biblical, theological, historical, ecclesial, and cultural dimensions of God’s call to global mission. The materials also highlight the sacred truth that world mission means being present with others, as Jesus became incarnate and was present with us, and that as companions in mission, we are open to one another, learn from one another, and are transformed as we reach a deeper understanding of what it means to be Christians together, even across boundaries that might otherwise divide.

Additional resources for World Mission Sunday include a sermon from The Rev. Paul Feheley, interim partnership officer for Africa, Global Partnerships.

“We need to be able to experience the wonder and mystery of God to live out our baptismal promises. Over the years many have made the mistake of assuming that ordination was the call to ministry. It is in fact baptism that makes us missionaries,” said Feheley. Read the sermon here.

Check here for more information and updates.

Episcopal Church missionaries have served in many international locales, including Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, England, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel/Palestine, Panama, the Philippines, Qatar, Romania, South Africa, and Tanzania.

Additional Resources

Additional resources on global mission can be found here.

Additional global mission resources from GEMN can be found here.

Current Episcopal Church Young Adult Service Corp members here.

Information about Episcopal Volunteers in Mission here.

For more information, contact Jenny Grant, officer for Global Relations and Networking, 212-716-6269.

For information regarding the toolkit, email globalmissiontoolkit@gmail.com.