Journey through Epiphany: Focus on God’s Heart for all People
At New Wineskins, we desire to mobilize and equip Anglicans for global mission. We invite you to join us for this Epiphany season as we rejoice in Jesus and His desire to draw all people to Himself, to be the Savior of the whole world. Epiphany begins on January 6. The season of Epiphany or Epiphanytide runs through Ash Wednesday, March 5, when we enter the season of Lent. Epiphany commemorates the appearance or manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles who are represented by the Magi, the three kings. It is a reminder that Jesus, God made flesh, wasn’t just a savior for Israel, but for the whole world!
The Word of God has a lot to say about this, and we are going to focus on those verses through the season of Epiphany. Each day we will have a Scripture verse that reminds us that God desires all people to come to faith in Him through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible talks about all nations, every tongue, tribe and nation, all families, all the peoples of the earth, etc. There are still more than 3 billion people in the world who have no chance of hearing the name of Jesus. We will be praying through various verses in Scripture for those who do not yet know Jesus and for those who are taking the name of Jesus to the ends of the earth. We all have a role to play in the Great Commission. Not all of us can go to the ends of the earth, but we can all pray.
What a beautiful way for us to prepare to celebrate World Mission Sunday on February 23, 2025, the second to the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday. We hope that by praying through these verses as we journey through the season of Epiphany together, we will be reminded of what it says in Acts 13:47: “For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Scripture verses will be posted on all our social media FB/IG/X and a link is below.
Deacon Shelly Sorem, the Assistant Director for New Wineskins Missionary Network, serves in the Diocese of Western Gulf Coast. She has a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. She serves on the Women’s Leadership Network, which is part of the Next Generation Leadership Initiative, and on her diocesan women’s ministry team, and she is a Global Mission Initiative Advocate in her diocese. She has served on the Provincial Council for the Order of the Daughters of the Holy Cross as president and previously vice president for the past six years. Shelly’s heart is to see the name of Jesus taken to the ends of the earth. She is active in leading women’s conferences and retreats nationally and internationally. She loves to see organizations in the Anglican communion partner with one another to further the kingdom of God. She and Bill have been married for 33 years, have two wonderful daughters, two great sons-in-law and three precious granddaughters.