Why I Believe in Love1

  Why I Believe in Love¹

    Professor Richard Beck² posited that justification (what sets us right with God)  is past oriented, what Christ has done, and judgement is future.   Intrigued by the distinction, I wondered if Beck’s use of justification was similar or addressing the same territory as John Wesley did with Prevenient Grace, God’s help before we even know need or ask for help.  Beck further speaks to judgement as a responsibility and accountability to live out love given that justified, God has given us a fresh start with Christ, and help in the Holy Spirit, allowing us the choice to live with love or not. (And ultimately be accountable for our how we do or don’t love.)

      Then, unrelated I was reading Michael Williams, Spoken Into Being³ and he suggests that God-truth (my term, not his) is bigger than any one story.  Williams sees the possibility that juxtaposed stories, even when appearing conflictual, can provide a fuller perspective on that God-truth.

      Now enter an unfolding conversation with a retired pastoral colleague at Cornwall Manor about the justice of Jesus' message as both important and perhaps more important than love alone thoughts are swirling in my head.  Fear not, I like to think out-loud.  I value honest, respectful conversation, even when its an opposing point of view, indeed, iron sharpens iron.⁴

      I wonder how God-truth is best expressed in varying contexts and circumstances with integrity.  Unsurprisingly, followers of Jesus, even preachers, speak only a fragment of the Good News when there is a pressing need, curiosity, transgression, or circumstance.  We intuitively know that waxing theological about salvation (soteriology) with someone freshly facing deep grief is not only inappropriate, but unfruitful, perhaps even damaging.  So, how do we faithfully make those distinctions?

     What if justice, love, judgment, justification, love, and more are all in the mix?  What if they are, as much, our momentary point of view as they are definitive theological concepts?  I know that my theology professors probably just cringed, shaking their heads about how they failed me as their student, but stick with me a moment...  philosophical level theological (all head with little heart) endeavors generally feel disconnected from experience for many of us.  Further, historical records tell a story of Christendom making theological sub-point litmus tests that later are understood as off the mark.  Even further, it is often the theologian with the effective life-connecting-story-line that gains the broadest hearing.  Maybe rightly so, because theology seeks to understand experience, and in that understanding consequently shape it.  Theology, our beliefs, don’t often come out of nothing, but rather experience reflected upon. 

      That all comes home for me, that when I focus on love then other things happen too.  Focused on love I am discontent to stay inactive and silent about injustice.  Focused on love I'm hungry to learn the nuances of theology, history, philosophy, sociology... you get the point.  Focused on love I'm passionate about communities of audacious love and thriving life--aka the Church (or at least the Church playing a central part). Focused on love the stack of theological points in my head and belief statements in my head take on hands and feet in very practical, God-truth ways.

      I remain open to learning, curiosity and all the places it may lead.  My own thinking about God  

has been and continues to develop, blossom, adapt, and grow as God works and as I get out of the way.   I confess I've become, in this season, a bit more focused on a loving orthopraxy (right and good practice) in contrast to an orthodoxy (right and good belief).  In short, whatever eternity looks like, I'd rather stand before the Creator of All having erred on the side of grace and love, than judgement, and rigidity.  How about you?  Let's keep learning together.

^1-OK, caught!  I can’t tell you everything about “Why I Believe In Love” in this short article, but I’ve taken a run at a brief intro to that task.

^2-https://richardbeck.substack.com/p/justification-and-judgment-day?utm_source=%2Fprofile%2F5800915-richard-beck&utm_medium=reader2&s=r

^3-Spoken Into Being: Divine Encounters Through Story, Michael E. Williams, 2017 Upper Room Books

^4-Proverbs 27:17

UMC Updates 10/14/2022

 UMC Updates    10/14/2022   first published in October PS. Update

If you are United Methodist, you may be aware that a conservative break-away group formed, the Global Methodist Church, in May 2022.   This, along with some inaccurate information in circulation, has prompted many questions, such as:

Q—“Do all UMC’s need to vote?”

A—No.  Right now there is no need to vote, unless a congregation is entertaining immediate disaffiliation(leave & either be independent or aligned with another denomination) from the UMC.

Q—Will the beliefs of the UMC change? (i.e. those in the historic creeds, such as, resurrection, or virgin birth.)

A—No. The only anticipated change is that the language about homosexuality, it will likely be adapted/removed/edited so that congregations & pastors will be able to follow conscience on this matter. (Historically true to the UMC pattern on issues with big disagreement.)

Q—What questions do you have?  

A—Ask and I'll see what I can find.   You may find more in the links below.

If you haven’t had a chance to see the Adam Hamilton videos responding to the GMC’s Rob Renfroe, check it out here on #proudtobeUMC.  Here are links to  histories (another here), Q&A’s, & more. Thanks for reading.

Hope in the Noise Oct.14, 2022

Hope in the Noise  Oct.14, 2022   
First published in PS Update 

“Let us consider how to provoke one another to love & good deeds”-Heb.10:24^NRSVUE 

“...what does the Lord require of you but to do justice & to love  kindness & to walk humbly with your God ” -Micah 6:8b^NRSVUE

 

Is it hard for you to hold on to hope in the noise of news, people, events, & politics?   You’re not alone.  Soundbites swirl around us promising certainty in place of honest engagement.  Problematically, certainty that diminishes others is arrogance, not confidence nor truth.   This then oozes into our being, polluting what was once kind talk, formerly open to the possibility of learning from & compromising with one another. Then hope is hidden.

These encounters hold anger, fear, control & sometimes hatred, instead of hope, mutual care, & shared interest in building up one another.  These are not elements of a strong community, faith, individual, or conversation. Yet we feel stuck with the present state of affairs.  Some react with defensive assurance that certainty is our duty.  Most ache as life-giving hope ebbs.  

What shall we do?  Is there hope?

Yes!  My faith teaches me that truth comes with a forbearing, patient love.  Good communication teaches deep listening as a prerequisite to being heard.  Strong business & negotiation skills speak of the sweet spot where we all leave with something of value—no one departs feeling deceived or disadvantaged.  I could go on with education, psychology, research methodology, journalism, health & wellness…. Suffice it to say domination deals death; mutuality nurtures hope.  This truth is multidisciplinary.

There is a better way! 

¨ “I’m going to show you an even better way.”-1Cor. 12:31 (intro to the famous “Love chapter” in the bible, 1 Cor.13)

¨ “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul- & sings the tunes without the words - & never stops at all.” -Emily Dickinson

¨ “Hope is patience with the lamp lit.” -Tertullian (2nd Cent. African Christian author)

Hope’s power comes from a foundation far greater than any one of us.  It’s power embraces a now-into-the-future positive perspective that there is more than what we see in the moment.  Hope is big enough to be framed with faith, wisdom, or spirit, yet is not limited by any one individual or group’s understanding.  Hope is available to all.

There is hope amid the noise of 24/7-confirmation-biased news.  There is hope beyond the deluge of negativity & hostility.  Hope is found in faith, friendship, learning together, honest sharing.   Hope need never fade away when firmly grounded.  There is hope amid the noise.

Allow me to offer two things:  First, my faith links my hope to Jesus Christ. And (this is very important) my understanding of Christian faith offers a broad, inviting, & including possibility;  one that some of the broader Christian family would take issue with.  For me all I’ve written is grounded in that faith & finds expressions in broader places.

Second, just this week I had a discussion worth sharing.   I sat down with a friend who holds a more conservative perspective, than do I, on faith & all that’s going on in the United Methodist Church.  (That is tensions about sexuality, biblical authority, & the nature of our heritage.)  I knew I needed to have the discussion but was a little uneasy at the start. But, we sat down to talk. An hour later, it turns out that we share more in common than we differ.  We both value the authority of scripture, our sacred text.  We both deeply desire to faithfully follow our God & share God’s love.  Where we differ is in details.   What we left sharing was common ground, mutual respect, & practical ideas of how we could support one another.   I left feeling lighter, encouraged, connected...HOPEFUL!

Hope comes in connection, community, honesty, courage… all elements of my world view & faith.  I hope (& pray) that you would have: the courage to connect even when it’s hard; the grace to forgive when the connection isn’t reciprocated; the honest wisdom to know that you are not in charge of the world or of fixing others (I’m not either!); & the gift of a loving community that both heals the wounds of the journey, & celebrates  the hope that is ours.

Go prepare for a conversation with reflection.  Go engage with honesty.   Go listen to others with deep attention & patience.  Go claiming hope. You’re not alone!

 

Prayer-  Hope of the World surround us with a higher purpose that draws together, makes whole, includes, & restores.  Forgive us when we feign so great a confidence that we diminish our neighbor.  Teach us of the ways of love, kindness, learning, & faith that build up Hope in each of us.  Finally, may we rejoice in that possibility as we care for one another, grow stronger together, & seek a deep & lasting peace.  May It Be So.

UMC Questions

("UMC Questions" first published 9/16/2022 in "PS Update")

“See I’m making all things new”-Rev.21:5 

“For I the Lord do not change.” -Mal.3:6a

       What’s up with those Methodists?  The answer is that churches & culture have grappled with some questions for decades. These conversations have reached a pivotal moment.

First—God is unchanging; God is love; God renews, & remakes things.  All of that is true for the United Methodist Church (UMC).  UMC core beliefs are not being changed.

I know that here at Cornwall Manor we are from many backgrounds.  I also know that UMC questions around sexuality, & interpreting scripture (the key issues at hand) are raising questions for United Methodists and they also ripple into conversations with neighbors.

Here is a word of information about all this.  The UMC continues to affirm & believe what it has for decades.  A new traditionalist denomination formed, the “Global Methodist Church” (as separate from the UMC), as a different voice in the conversation.  With that genesis comes the tacit query, “With whom do congregations & pastors align?”  In truth, UMC congregations can decide by doing nothing and their familiar church home will not be altered from the core beliefs or general governance.

Wow that’s a lot!  And that’s what’s up with those Methodists.  If you need details ask Chaplain Dave, he’s got histories (another here), Q&A’s, & more. Both of your chaplains are happy to talk further.

What I encourage for ALL engaged in any unsettling or difficult conversations, is to engage the other with the goal to better understand their thoughts & heart, before sharing yours.  When we converse to prove a point, to fix a position that we believe is wrong, or to attack, it helps no one & rarely changes anyone’s mind.  Additionally, it often polarizes further.

One thing I know (among the myriad that I don’t know), is that God’s got this.  I know we’re richer & happier when we learn about one another.   I know that hard topics don’t have to create losses of friends, security, or convictions. We can do this! Let’s talk.  Peace

Prayer-  Loving God, teach us how to love in our differences;  to build one another up in love; to learn from one another through love; & to seek redeeming ways in love. Amen.

 *Added after 1st publication -- Another resources  Proud to Be UMC--6 Adam Hamilton Videos

Let’s Talk

 Let’s Talk  [First published 8/26/2022 in P.S. UPdate]  (UMC & local congregation decisions)

“...let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger .”-James1:19b^NRSVUE 

“If one gives answer before hearing, it is folly and shame. “ -Proverbs18:13^NRSVUE 

We can have better conversations. More life-giving & loving conversations. We know how. It starts with respect, a shape that love takes. It includes patience. Good conversation involves humility, “I may be wrong about some of this.” Better talk means listening first until your partner feels heard.

Webster defines hearing as the “process, function, or power of perceiving sound; specifically: the special sense by which noises and tones are received as stimuli.” Listening, on the other hand, means “to pay attention to sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention; and to give consideration.” A good conversation require listening.

“Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right.” (Jane Goodall)  A conversation is about respect not winning, learning not debate, cooperation, not domination. I invite you to intentional listening. Then, let’s talk.

Prayer- Attentive Creator, teach me to listen deeply & respond only with love. Amen.

Loved & Effective

I want to share a story with you today.  But it's bigger than that.  It's for everyone.  Too often I can be inattentive to the holy in life.  I'm hoping this story is a moment of listening, of breakthrough.  You get to decide.  Here it is:

I was running into the sanctuary to put my microphone back where it belongs, on Monday of this week.  (FYI I'm a pastor and Monday is clean-up-from-Sunday day.) I was literally running, I was in that kind of hurry.

When I got half way across the front of the church, up by the pulpit, I heard words, "sit down on the steps;"    I would call it God speaking, but I can work with me thinking to myself, or maybe you could say "I had a sense of", you pick the language comfortable for you, but I had a clear sense of the direction, "sit down on the steps."

I sometimes have thoughts out of the blue. When that happens I pause, think about them, and my mind spins off in a hundred directions trying to make sense of it all.  I dismiss the chaos. I move on figuring it to be my own thoughts. On Monday my brain just landed on the words, "sit down on the steps." No spinning. No extra stuff.

So there in the sanctuary I sat down on the top cold stone step of an empty church in a dimly-lit, sanctuary. and I said "now what?" (I not sure, but I may have even said it out loud.)

What followed were more words, "tell the people two things:"  (Remember  I'd say it was God speaking, but I understand if you're more comfortable with other language, like me thinking to myself, or maybe saying "I had a sense of", you pick the language comfortable for you.  I hope you're getting the drill by now.)  Those two things were clearly:

         1.  "I love you"   and

     2.  "You can make the difference."  

Sitting still, curious, and bewildered I looked up.  (I don't know why, but my eyes had been on the steps to this point.)  Now, no words came, rather a clear sense of the room feeling full of life and an exciting presence of audacious, life-changing love that  I can only express as God.  Maybe you have another word, but it's the kind of feeling I get working with a community of people to change the world, only to find myself changed.

I needed these affirming words on Monday.   I don't know if you need their invitation or encouragement today.  They are here for you if you do.  

One thing is clear to me.  I want to make sure you hear those two inviting affirmations from God. God loves you and intends to use you to make the difference.  Pass it on. 

10,000 Joys in Christ

Dave

Planning, Potholes & Pit Stops -- It's All here!

¹⁶ God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. ¹⁷ God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them! John 3:16-17 (CEV)

  The story of God's strategic plan is in all of our holy story from Genesis' creation to Revelation's new Jerusalem.  We know it didn't always go smoothly, remember the Garden of Eden--oops, the Israelites wandering in the wilderness--oh my, and the disciples scattering after the crucifixion--yikes!  We also know the powerful success of God's strategy of Love at the empty tomb--yes, the Holy Spirit's fire at Pentecost--wow, and the power of the Body of Christ infectiously Loving through the Church--amazing.

Palmyra First UMC is beginning a strategic planning process, and to be sure it will parallel the ups and downs of God's story.  We'll get some things right the first time, and we'll make a few humbling stumbles.  We'll enthusiastically embrace where God leads us, and we'll rebelliously grumble in our discomfort and discontent.  Perhaps, most importantly, God's redeeming grace will shine through in the end, when we choose this  journey.

Strategic planning will stretch us personally; God will call and nudge us to new places.  Sometimes we'll say "Yes" easily.  Most often we'll doubt, dodge and ditch God's invitation for a while.  We'll need one another for honest feedback, loving challenge, and mutual support, while we adapt and love on.

Strategic planning will stretch us as a church; God will call and nudge us to new ministry, forms, neighbors and places.  Sometimes we'll embrace the new with excited hard work.  Frequently we'll avoid, forget, and distort God's invitations to us.  We'll need much prayer, holy conversation, and Jesus-inspired boldness, so that we can adapt and love on.

Strategic planning will stretch us in our resources; God will challenge us beyond what we can see.  Sometimes we'll step out faithfully with generous choices.  Anxiously we'll act protectively, territorially, and selfishly--both as a church and as individuals.  We'll need God Moments told joyously, personal faith lived entrepreneurially, and administration lived transparently, assisting us to adapt and love on.

Saved and stretched, stretched and saved, is the story of God's Love in Jesus, the holy story, the Bible's story.  This timeless invitation and challenge starts from the inside-out, "Will I trust God and go where I don't choose, can't see, and quite possibly am not comfortable?"  My prayer, as pastor and follower of Jesus, is that we all help one another answer, "YES!" because we trust the life transforming, world changing, soul saving Love of God in Jesus Christ.

   

10,000 Joys in the Way of Jesus Christ, Pastor Dave

   *All bible story references and genuine conversation about them available from  dave@pfumc.us

Questioning Easter

"² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they went in, they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ They didn’t know what to make of this."  Luke 24:2-3

 We celebrated Easter with singing and shouting about our risen Lord, but like the women and the early disciples we struggle with what to make of new life on an ordinary day. We sing hope, yet look live in fear.  The disciples saw the empty tomb and were amazed, but didn't believe until later.  We celebrate promise and live limits.  What I'm getting at is that certainty is the opposite of faith.  We celebrate a gift, a path, a direction, a love, an experience.  We celebrate a mystery that is barely expressed in any one account, or accounted for in any one expression. We celebrate a faith that includes both doubt and confidence.

Don't despair.  Do what those first followers did, ask fierce questions:  Who took Jesus?  How can I believe unless you show me?  How could we possibly feed this crowd?  Put those question alongside the celebrations, the stories, the testimonies, and the truths, then take a step.  Take a step in any direction, but take a step.  That's a step of faith.  Yes it is, because it's mixed with all that other stuff, God stuff, life stuff, YOU stuff!

OK, I may not have the whole thing down in a perfect formula.  There's probably a flaw in my argument somewhere, there usually is.  But I'm taking a step into a conversation with you.  I'm leaning into my experience of new life this Easter, of Jesus, of Love and tip-toeing forward.

How about you?  Yep, I sang "Christ is risen..." and I shouted "He is risen indeed!"  I also did all of that with questions, hurts, hopes, opportunities, struggles and so much more swirling in my life.   It's usually a bit of a jumble.

Yet, it's my jumble, my story and because of Easter (at least as a key in a bigger story/truth/promise) my hope.  So, I'm singing, hunting eggs, chowing down with family, and telling my story.  Not because I've got it all together, but because something bigger's got me.  The words I have for that are Jesus, Love, God, and Easter. My experience of God is a Love that won't let me go, a dependable Love.

Now, I'd love to hear your celebrations and laments.  I want to hear your story, struggle, hope, and the words you have for them.  You see, Easter means to me, that there's room for all us to look at the situation and not know what to make of it right now.  Let's have a meal and talk it over.  I'm confident there's more possibility to be found. 

That's why I celebrate Easter.  Why I say "Christ is risen."  And why I'm still wrapping my mind, heart and life around all that means.  Happy Easter.  Christ is Risen Indeed!

   

10,000 Joys in the Love of Jesus Christ, Pastor Dave

I'm Following Jesus with Questions

Today I was listening to a Science Mike and Mike Gungor Lost & Found Podcast 1 & 2. (2 here).  I was reminded just how my faith in God is foundational for me, and yet so much of church, theology and what is raised up as Christianity in this time is, at the same time, open for discussion.  I found Science Mike's (his nickname)  axioms to offer intriguing perspectives for me as my faith grows and matures embracing God's Love and mystery.  

 Here they are:

• Faith is AT LEAST a way to contextualize the human need for spirituality and find meaning in the face of mortality. EVEN IF this is all faith is, spiritual practice can be beneficial to cognition, emotional states, and culture.

• God is AT LEAST the natural forces that created and sustain the Universe as experienced via a psychosocial model in human brains that naturally emerges from innate biases. EVEN IF that is a comprehensive definition for God, the pursuit of this personal, subjective experience can provide meaning, peace, and empathy for others.

• Prayer is AT LEAST a form of meditation that encourages the development of healthy brain tissue, lowers stress, and can connect us to God. EVEN IF that is a comprehensive definition of prayer, the health and psychological benefits of prayer justify the discipline.

• Sin is AT LEAST volitional action or inaction that violates one's own understanding of what is moral. Sin comes from the divergent impulses between our lower and higher brain functions and our evolution-driven tendency to do things that serve ourselves and our tribe. EVEN IF this is all sin is, it is destructive and threatens human flourishing.

• The afterlife is AT LEAST the persistence of our physical matter in the ongoing life cycle on Earth, the memes we pass on to others with our lives, and the model of our unique neurological signature in the brains of those who knew us. EVEN IF this is all the afterlife is, the consequences of our actions persist beyond our death and our ethical considerations must consider a timeline beyond our death.

• Salvation is AT LEAST the means by which humanity overcomes sin to produce human flourishing. EVEN IF this is all salvation is, spiritual and religious actions and beliefs that promote salvation are good for humankind.

• Jesus is AT LEAST a man so connected to God that he was called the Son of God and the largest religious movement in human history is centered around his teachings. EVEN IF this is all Jesus is, following his teachings can promote peace, empathy, and genuine morality.

• The Holy Spirit is AT LEAST the psychological and neurological components of God that allow God to be experienced as a personal force or agent. EVEN IF this is all the Holy Spirit is, God is more relatable and neurologically actionable when experienced this way.

• The Church is AT LEAST the global community of people who choose to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. EVEN IF this is all the church is, the Church is still the largest body of spiritual scholarship, community, and faith practice in the world.

• The Bible is AT LEAST a collection of books and writings assembled by the Church that chronicle a people group's experiences with, and understanding of, God over thousands of years. EVEN IF that is a comprehensive definition of the Bible, study of scripture is warranted to understand our culture and the way in which people come to know God.

I share these both as a window on my faith and in deep interest for how these work or don't work from your perspective.  

I find these axioms more on the At Least side to resonate and find I go further.  For you they might be more helpful on the Even If side.  And perhaps you can challenge my thinking as you push back for more or less.  It is in the conversation that we all grow.

 In this Christian season of examining our lives of faith, Lent--getting ready for Easter, I find myself reflecting.  What are you thinking?

P.S. My explorations and sharing are all a part of asking myself, not only why my faith in Jesus is important to me (and what it looks like), but also how or if it holds value for others.  I have friends and acquaintances who come from questioning places and I genuinely want to listen, understand and explore.  Thank you all for being a part of my life.

Women on the Edge

What if love, not force, is most important in life?  Getting ready for Christmas, Advent in my circles, is all about entertaining a relentless Love-that-will-not-let-us-go, and that does the impossible.  Getting close to such a thing takes us close to the edge, dangerously amazing places.

Speaking of Mary & Elizabeth in Luke's Gospel, Brian McLaren writes, "...the actual point of these pregnancy stories... is a challenge to us all: to dare to hope, like Elizabeth and Mary, that the seemingly impossible is possible.  They challenge us to align our lives around the 'impossible possibilities' hidden in this present, pregnant moment." (We Make the Road By Walking, Brian McLaren p. 69)

The seemingly impossible is possible...hmm.  While pondering this for teaching and worship this week I watched Kathryn Schulz's video, "On Being Wrong,"  a TED talk, about a basic human aversion to being and feeling wrong, and how it limits us. (Well worth the 18 minutes to watch.)  This same human predisposition also makes it hard to willingly believe God can make the impossible possible.  Schulz unwraps why we feel "right" even when we're wrong.  She prompted me to ponder if I might be wrong in my assessment of the "impossible," anything labeled impossible, especially when it comes to God.   

Schultz presents a choice to either, be misled by our feelings of rightness, or to embrace a different perspective beyond the "...tiny, terrified space of rightness and look around at each other and look out at the vastness and complexity and mystery of the universe and be able to say, 'Wow, I don't know.  Maybe I'm wrong.'"  Could I be wrong and the impossible really is possible because of something I can't see or feel at the moment?  Trusting something bigger than a feeling seems to me a fair description of what Mary & Elizabeth did.  It might be a reasonable way to describe faith.

Let's look at the story about these two women in Luke's Gospel.  Elizabeth, unable to have a child, learns a baby is on the way.  Mary, young and unmarried, is invited to participate in the life-threatening impossible, and she says, "Yes!"  (Luke 1:5-48) to this possibility.  Both circumstances and participants illustrate paths of feminine leadership, the kind that is a conundrum to the religious establishment (then and sometime now).  Both exhibit allegiance to God, "...who doesn't rule with the masculine power of swords and spears, but with a mother's sense of justice and compassion." (We Make the Road, p.69)

What if you and I regularly entertained the realities of our limited rightness, along with Schulz, and considered the possibilities of God's mothering justice and compassion that births such a love impregnated impossible?  What would change?  What would unfold?  Mary's son "...Jesus ...consistently model(ed) her self-surrender and receptivity to God." (We Make the Road, p.70)  Christmas is undoubtedly a time of wonder, imagination and faith.  I certainly think so.  But, maybe I could be wrong.

Let Love Win

I was a bit surprised this morning by the election results.  Not what I expected, or preferred.  And truth be told, my preferences are not what count the most here.  I do trust that God is at work in this territory.   I pray that we can find new ways to work together and love one another,  love the stranger, and love our enemies, because I believe Love is more powerful than anything. Love wins.

If you rejoice today, I rejoice with you in your gladness.  If you lament today, I willingly wait with you in your pain.  If you are hopeful, or fearful, anticipating or dreading, I pray that Christ's Light and Love may speak to your greatest hopes and fears, leading you in the way of Shalom.  

I commit to continuing to work for the common good and God's justice in the world.  I commit to continuing to seek love over hate, both within myself, and in the world.  As I tell my congregation, "When I say 'Everybody's Welcome', I mean everybody.  God is working with us all. And all of us need work!"  My door and my phone are open to you all.

I share a few of my friends facebook posts here because I think they offer something that may be of use in our quest to be with God and one another in this spirit of love.  At least they have invited me to reflect:

• Today I hold my head high ... For I look to the hills. From where does my help come? My HELP comes from the Lord! -- Jennifer Williams

• Jesus followers are people of hope. In victory or defeat, Jesus followers find hope. Oh, be inspired today! Decide that both wins or losses move you only to hope (Psalm 27). Be well. --Pastor  Vance Ross 

• Today, I return to the words that taught me my worth years ago (refuting those who told me I could only be a Pastor's wife since I was a woman...). These words remind us of who we are called to be as God's people: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." May our churches truly be sanctuaries for all people right now. -- Dawn Taylor Storm

• By the rivers of Babylon—there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our harps. For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? - Psalm 137:1-4   --Eric Law

• Congratulations to our new president-elect, Donald Trump. I am praying for you, especially that you will be successful in keeping these promises you made during your victory speech: " I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans...See More  --Dan Roth

• I write this from a tree stand in the forest on a rainy gray morning. I cannot deny that I'm disappointed in the choice our country has made. I have been blessed in my life to gain understanding and perspective from many people who are different from me. I have been blessed that I've never truly been fearful of the person who holds the nuclear codes. I have been blessed that I've been raised in a culture that preaches love over hate. Please consider your neighbors whose fear...See More  --Dan Kirby

• "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well" were words written 600 years ago by Julian of Norwich (1342-1416) in her Revelations of Divine Love. This is believed to be the earliest work in English written by a woman. Julian of Norwich's words are worth repeating this night: “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well." --Leonard Sweet

• To my African American friends, I love you. To my LBGTQ friends, I love you. To my Muslim friends, I love you.  To my friends with disabilities, I love you. To my fellow women friends, I love you girl. ... See More  --Jessica Yagel

So many thoughts. Such division, among Christians, in our nation. John Wesley said, referring to the Love of Christ, "If your heart is as my heart, lend me your hand." Jesus prayed, "I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me. I want all of them to be one with each other... Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me."  (John 17:20-21 CEV)

You matter to me and to God.  Love is more powerful than hate. (1 John 4:18)  May we all help Love Win!  In your mercy Lord, hear our prayer.

And with my friends I pray for all, our leaders, those forgotten...all.


Check out devotionals for Nov. 9
Upper Room
commonprayer.net