New Sermon Series: Do Unto Others Sept 8-29

Dear Church,

This Sunday, September 8, we will begin a four-week sermon series titled Do Unto Others. In a world increasingly divided—often symbolized by the colors red and blue—we will explore the Golden Rule,
which challenges us to engage in conversation and seek to create a common good with our relatives,
friends, and neighbors, even those we may see as being on the “other side” politically and ideologically.
Our goal is not to change each other, but rather to discover the beauty that can be created when we work together to make the world a better place. The “purple space” is where we cultivate kindness, compassion, respect, and love for one another and for the good of all.

Friends, preaching on “controversial topics” can often cause “preacher palpitations” of the heart… and not the good kind. It was with fear and trembling that I decided to embark on this worship series because I, too, have been feeling the weight of anxiety about the divisions and rhetoric in our nation’s political landscape (and life in general) right now. But I don’t believe we can keep waiting for this season to blow over. The deeper issues beyond the current election season have more to do with how we treat one another and how difficult it has become to maintain relationships with those who think and vote differently than we do.

So, I am challenging myself—and all of us—to be present to the situation around us: to our neighborhoods, church, family, friends, and those we encounter daily, even those not in our “circle.” Nurturing relationships has a ripple effect that extends well beyond the individuals we meet.
I’ve come to realize that acts of kindness, compassion, respect, and love are the only things we can control right now. When prayer becomes action—no matter how small—it heals all of our souls. Humanity has weathered times of upheaval before, and by practicing these values that stem from our faith in Jesus Christ, the True Center of our Lives, we can embody hope for a better future. Because as we do it, we build it. My hope for this worship series is that we will survive and heal—one relationship at a time, one kind act at a time.

Join us in September as we remember and relearn how to Do Unto Others.

Blessings!
Pastor Lisa