At the heart of life is love: God's love for us and our love for God, neighbor, and self. The most precious treasure of the Christian Church is the love we have been entrusted by God to share. As with any treasure, knowing its incredible value, a local church can choose to keep it for ourselves, to dispense it parsimoniously, or to share it generously. I have the privilege of serving a church where people practice the language of love, a love that makes God visible.
Recently, a representative of the Seaman's Center at the Port of Wilmington spoke in worship about the concrete ways in which God's love is offered to the sailors entering the Delaware port. She offered her thanksgiving for the good work of Nan Ransom, a Grace Church member, who volunteers her time at the center with sailors who are often out on their ships, away from home and family, for nine months out of the year. She told the story of one sailor who mentioned that he had a daughter who was an avid reader. While in the Port of Wilmington, he had wanted to find her a copy of Alice in Wonderland but could not. Nan heard this; and when she left that afternoon to go home, she went to a bookstore, found a copy, and saw to it that it was put into the sailor's hands. Such a simple act of love; yet it made God visible to this sailor.
"How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action." 1 John 3:17-18
I was moved to tears this week when I received an email from one of the Moms in our church family who shared a project that her elementary age son is working on. It is called "MJ's Christmas Wish Project." Marlen read about the local Sunday Breakfast Mission and its need for persons to take on the finishing of rooms in its new building. After learning about the good works of the mission, Marlen felt he HAD to help. There are two rooms he would like to see completed: a handicapped accessible family unit room 135 and a small learning center room 161. If you go to http://www.mjschristmaswish.weebly.com/, you will see what is needed for this project to be completed. A local bank has committed to matching contributions that are made up to $10,000! Not only is Marlen displaying a love that makes God visible; he is asking us to step up and do the same.
"How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action."
Recent mission trips to Mississippi...Tennessee...preparing monthly meals for the ministry of caring in the city...connections to various outreach/mission opportunities in the city and beyond... These are part of the precious treasure of love that we have been given to share.
What is next for Grace Church? Like MJ, you tell us. What concrete expression of love would you like us to enage in as a church family?
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