One of the greatest gifts that God gives us, is the opportunity to love and serve one another. Even though Jesus said to do it and to do it often exhausts us, it also continues to be a deep source of joy and a blessing for all involved! “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
Each year, the ELCA has a day of service to kick off the school year, called “God’s work. Our hands. Sunday.” It is an opportunity for congregations around the United States to be the Church in the community as we serve and love our neighbors and demonstrate God’s love among us and through us. One participant declared, “We love Jesus by serving others!” This past Sunday, families and individuals, young and old, came out to serve and “Live Generously,” as our T-shirts exclaimed!
This year, we shared in three projects. One group showered the West Chester Police Department and West Chester Fire Stations with food, posters, cards, and affection, visiting a total of six stations!
Another crew prepared our fellowship hall for our Family Promise guests by putting up the mobile walls, loading in beds, nightstands, lamps, and then cozied up the rooms by making beds, creating welcome signs, and assembling care bags for each person. After they were done, they also prepared a delicious lunch for the entire crew.
Our third team helped with several outdoors projects at Union Elementary School, including playground clean up, trimming and mulching the back side of the building, and unearthing an outdoor classroom that had been overgrown for some time.
It was fun and empowering to see how our one congregation, one body of Christ, motivated by the invitation to serve could make such an impact on our community in the name of Jesus. This was certainly God’s work, through our hands, feet, words, kindness, and generosity.
So often, when we seek to be a blessing, we are also blessed. That’s how the Spirit of God works in our lives. We are simultaneously loving and being loved, serving and being served, encouraging and being encouraged.
One of the songs from worship last Sunday morning spoke to this reality of gratitude for all God’s good gifts.
For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies:
Christ, our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above;
for all gentle thoughts and mild:
Christ, our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
Folliott S. Pierpoint, 1835-1917
As you step into the rest of your week, continue to live generously, following the example of our loving Creator!
Peace.
Pastor Lowell