Its Turkey Time..

Dear Family,

We celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday, and i hope that you all took time with family and friends, and i also hope that you all took time to reflect on just how blessed we truly are. As i write these words, it seems North Korea is doing all it can to push South Korea, and by proxy and being their ally, the United States of America into war. The last few days have illuminated the acts, desperate acts, of a maniacal leader, and i am nervous where this could lead. North Korea is at a place, economically, that it would do anything to emerge from its financial crisis, even declare all out war. And by the way, North Korea has nuclear capabilities, but we never invaded North Korea to stop them from amassing weapons of mass destruction. Just think about that for a while.

Anyway. As i type, reflecting on the fact that another war could be upon us, i have to take time to be thankful for how blessed i am. When i examine my life, my family, my career, my schooling, and my church family, i feel incredibly touched by God. No amount of uncertainty can change the fact that God has touched my life, immensely. I cannot complain, and i would feel rather self-absorbed and disconnected if i didn't celebrate God's presence and blessings in my life.

Which paves the way for the greatest season of the year: Advent. It is a season to celebrate hope, joy, peace, and love, as we journey towards the birth of Immanuel: God with us. On Sunday we will honor our emergence into Advent by naming what this season promises: hope. And each successive Sunday will illumine another promise of the season, moving us to Christmas Eve, when we will honor Jesus, the promise made real.

Is it enough to worship Jesus who promises hope, joy, peace, and love? Is that all we should focus on during Advent? These are vital to our well-being, but is there more? Should we expect more? Should God expect more of us?

This year, i want us to journey, together, through a series i named LITE. It stands for Love Inspires Together for the benefit of Everyone. This Sunday we will jump into Romans 13, where Paul tells us that love, not legalism, doctrine, dogma, perfection, moral rigidity, but love is the fulfillment of the Law: Love of God/Love of neighbor. But what does it mean to love God? Love our neighbor? Who is our neighbor?

These questions should motivate us to find/discover the answers, because i sense they are going to be different per person, per community of faith, and per season of our journey. No matter how these questions reveal themselves to us, i know we will never uncover the answers, unless we journey, as one body, together, into the depths of whatever ministry God has created us for. Love is only truly love, when our lives, our ministries, and our passions are shared with other sisters and brothers. Only when our lives are shared, honestly, zealously, together, will we experience the true power of the Divine.

And now, more than ever, we need some Divine Intervention. So join me and your other sisters and brothers on an adventure that will change our lives and the world. Amen.

Shalom, Salaam, and Peace...

And in the words of a classic Christmas Hymn: "Joy to the World! The LORD has come.."

jerry