A Note from Pastor Stacey

Dear friends,

On June 11, we will celebrate Pentecost. We gave thanks to God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit comes to us in the church to give us the gift s we need for ministry and mission. As different as we all are, the Spirit holds us together and helps us to work together for God. Through the Holy Spirit we are able to do things that otherwise might seem difficult or impossible.

You’ve heard me say that Christian love is not a warm fuzzy feeling; it is a policy, a position, a commitment to treat other people the way God has treated us – with respect, fairness, com- passion and mercy. We may not be able to help the way feel we inside, but we can act in ways that express the love of God for all people.

I have been thinking of the many people I know who try to live this kind of life. People who give their me to reach out by volunteering at the hospital, the Bread of Life, and other places in our community. People who visit folks who are older or shut in – and do errands for them, drive them to appointments. People who have an attitude of respect for everyone they meet and who look for the best in people, just as Jesus did.

I also think of people who work to make our community and our world a place that is more just and fair. People who take the me to write a letter or make a phone call to a city or state representative to tell them that something isn’t fair and should be changed. People who work to make our environment safer and cleaner. People who protest injustice, people who are learning more about racism and taking action to eliminate it. Christian love finds many expressions.

When we talk about Methodism, we use the word “sanctification” – a big word and a concept, but mostly describing our journey with God to make our lives more and more as God would have us be. There are many ways to grow in love, and as God’s church, in the power of the Spirit, we help each other on the road.

In Christ,

Stacey