From the Pastor's Pen

Dear Friends, 

I was struck by something one of our members wrote to me in an email today.  I hope it’s ok to quote him because I thought his sentiment was lovely.  He wrote, “I so wish we could live in a community where we were all just God’s children without recognition of ethnic origin, race or sexual preference.  That is the way I was raised but I guess I must resign myself to the reality that our society in general does not accept that view.”  I responded that I thought that was the Kingdom of God moving in his inner being causing him and all of us to long for the world as God intended it to be.

In I Thessalonians 2:12 Paul writes to the new Christians in Thessaloniki reminding them how he and his colleagues “urged and encouraged and pleaded with them, that they would lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”  I really believe that God’s call to his Kingdom begins to have an effect on us over time.  In stirs up the love, mercy and justice of God in our hearts and minds so that we tend to see what’s wrong with ourselves and the world around us, and it causes us grief.  Part of leading a life worthy of that calling to the Kingdom then is seeing clearly with the eyes and heart of God and finding the love and creativity to try to bring God’s grace and goodness into the picture.  This is not a simple task, but no one ever said being God’s child in this world was simple… but it is a blessing.

Peace,

Pr. Sally