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Great words, am I right?
These words sit in my reading nook, and I contemplate them every day. These words are the first I see each day and what I view before ending the day. My thoughts about being loved and how I love have been greatly shaped by the work of our church. I remember a certain sermon, one of the first that Patrick shared, where he stated “We are taught to love." He explained that he meant that love is not something innate; rather, caring and loving are taught (hopefully) to us as a child. The exact context of the sermon I’ll freely admit I do not remember, but I have kept those words in my heart and have contemplated them for quite a few years now. I also remember a reference that “learning to love” could be a sermon all on its own and I agree (hint, Patrick!).
We all come to love from different places. I remember the early understanding of love from my family and friends and how that love has taken many shapes and forms over the years. I also see how the work we do as a church around mission within our community has challenged my notion of love and often also surprises me, humbles me, and also stretches me with the beautiful ways this congregation loves the stranger: the immigrant, the unhoused, the poverty stricken, the survivor, the lonely, the grieving, and the sick. The way this congregation rallies when a community is hit with hurricane damage or provides funds for Covid relief to our co-workers in Madagascar is often swift and with great passion.
Being a person who was not raised in the church, it has been this congregation, this church, who taught me to love (as God loves us), and to be loved, and honestly has been a huge driving force in my faith and relationship with God. A wise person once defined what a blessing is from our pulpit: a blessing is not only something that “happens” to us, but a blessing passes through. This church, you, do that so well, and I am grateful and absolutely privileged to get to witness so very much of the love you share.
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