New Health and Human Service Sunday Resources Focus on Good News Expressed in the Ordinary

The UCC Council for Health and Human Service Ministries (CHHSM) recently released resources for Health and Human Service Sunday, which takes place Jan. 25, 2026, the Third Sunday after Epiphany. The resources help UCC churches, CHHSM members, and friends bring the message of serving leadership and support for all health and human service workers to their local congregations and worship services.

This year’s resources are based on the day’s scriptures: Isaiah 9:1-14; Psalm 27:1; 1Cor. 1:10-18; and Mt 4:12-23. They include liturgical elements and prayers, as well as an optional meditation in the worship materials. Especially now, it is worth remembering that the word liturgy means “work of the people.” This special Sunday is a way to celebrate the healing work of not only CHHSM member agencies, but all of those on the frontlines of health and human services in our UCC and partner congregations. 

The resources were created by the Rev. Dr. Elyse Berry, CHHSM’s associate for advocacy and leadership development. After finding the lectionary readings for Jan. 25, Berry then employed a spiritual practice called “Ignatian Contemplation” to discern themes and ideas for the resources.

Ignatian Contemplation “is a way of praying with scripture where you place yourself in the passage, invite your five senses into it, see what you notice, hear, smell, see, watch unfold in the scripture story. It’s a time-trusted practice created by St. Ignatius of Loyola back in the 16th century to help ordinary people—not just clergy—to have an encounter with God,” Berry said. 

Berry found this particularly helpful when using the practice on the Matthew passage. “What struck me about this passage, while keeping in mind Health and Human Service Sunday, was how Jesus showed his disciples what the Good News is from the very beginning: ‘curing every disease and every sickness among the people,’” she added. “It was not building up a church, or defending a particular scriptural argument, or giving people a set creed to believe. No, the Good News was expressed in healing, and it was revealed in and through ordinary folk in the midst of their daily lives. It is such a powerful of  how central this call is to being a follower of Christ and to what it means to be Church in the world.”

Between the opening prayer and prayer of confession is the optional meditation, “Ritual to Honor the Collective Call of Healing and Service.” The ritual includes small items that can be distributed prior to worship, and is inspired by the Matthew passage of Jesus calling Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John into discipleship. It includes a moment of reflection where attendees can honor their own calls to service or healing.  The ritual is easily adapted to whatever works best for the community and context of the worship service.

Berry said she composed the meditation to invite everyone to reflect on the Good News being expressed in healing and revealed by folk in their daily lives. “For some, their job and vocation might very well be directly related to health and human services,” she said. “For others, their call to healing might take another shape that might often go unnoticed or underappreciated. This year, my prayer is to uplift all of the ways we are called to be part of the healing work of Christ.”

Included with the materials is the Health and Human Service Sunday logo plus a series of graphics that CHHSM agencies, local churches and organizations can use online and in their print publications and Sunday bulletins.

CHHSM is comprised of some 400 health care centers, hospitals, affordable housing communities, older adult communities, transitional housing agencies, agencies for people with disabilities, and service centers for children, youth, and families across the United States.

“Health and Human Service Sunday is an opportunity for the whole United Church of Christ to bear witness to the UCC’s extravagant welcome through CHHSM’s and the UCC’s health and wellness ministries,” said Jamar Doyle, CHHSM president and CEO. “The many schools, hospitals, and orphanages founded by various UCC predecessors today carry on in new ways, thanks to CHHSM’s member organizations across the country — many on the front lines, struggling to bring God’s message of healing and hope to their communities. We celebrate and thank them all, and pledge our continued support of their ministries.”

Local churches can discover and partner with UCC-related CHHSM agencies near them through CHHSM’s Find a Provider link to discover and partner with UCC-related CHHSM agencies near them.

Learn more and download the CHHSM Health and Human Service Ministry Sunday resources.