"Love One
Another
The condensed text of the
mostly unscripted sermon delivered by Rev.
Kirk Moore on Sunday, May
17, 2009 at Union Congregational Church, United Church of
Christ, in Somonauk, Illinois.
PODCAST of "Love One Another"
What does that look like?
Love one another.
From the context of this
week’s Bible reading from John 15:9-17
- It’s not about romance
- It is about mutual affection
and genuine respect.
- It is about the kind of love
that makes a person willing to give up their life for
someone else’s
The command from Jesus is
"Love one another as I have loved you."
What does that look like?
Here are some thoughts from folks
I talked to this week – and thoughts that I’ve had,
too.
- A member at First Congregational United Church of
Christ in DeKalb
had an idea. He’s a person who will be receiving a
$250 stimulus check from the government. And he said,
"I’m going to give half of it to (forgot the
project) one of the ministries to those on the margins in
DeKalb county. And I’m going to encourage other
folks I know to do the same."
- It’s impossible to live
up to that kind of love. Jesus was a hopeless idealist!
Or maybe he was a hopeful idealist?
- The same church held a plant
sale last week – all the proceeds benefit Safe
Passage and one other ministry in the area. Lots of the
plants for sale were standard flats and pots. But some
were plants brought in by church members – plants
from their own gardens. When folks found out that the
plant sale was a benefit for Safe Passage, they went home
and got some of their own plants to give. The sale netted
$4200.
Suggestions from the conversation
with the congregation:
- "Helping cook, clean,
wash dishes take out the garbage and do laundry where I
live"
- Helping weed the new
community garden
- Supporting our Sharing pantry
with financial gifts.
- Taking food to shut in folks
– meals on wheels
- Helping feed a friend
- Shovel a neighbor’s walk
- Spending time really
listening to a friend who needs to talk
- Donate blood or organs
- Providing transportation to
church or other places to folks who no longer drive
- Praying – and being bold
in giving our prayers "legs"
- Being better stewards of out
planet – green initiatives
- Donating to and working with
Habitat For Humanity
- Bringing a plant to folks on
their birthday (Outreach committee to those who are
celebrating their 90th birthday and beyond)
- Visit the folks you’ve
been meaning to visit
- Support Crop Walk, Walk for a
Cure, etc
- Waterislife.org
Got some more? Email them to
me!)
Other ways to live "Love one
another"
Let me close with the words of one
who is not a Christian, but who is a person of great wisdom: The
Dalai Lama, 21st century
Because we all share this
planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with
each other and with nature. That is not just a dream, but a
necessity. We are dependent on each other in so many ways that we
can no longer live in isolated communities and ignore what is
happening outside those communities.
Love one another.
© 2009 Union Congregational Church, All Rights
Reserved