Today I am just thinking….
I sometimes think that we have worn out the word “love.” We have overused it. We say we love the Boston Red Sox or [your team goes here], pizza, puppies, and today’s beautiful weather. I am careful about using the word “love” in my sermons because love is often regarded as wimpy, the stuff of chick flicks. We have also sexualized it, as though love and lust are synonymous. We have in many ways, made love a small thing, Maybe that’s our way of trying to control its power.
And it is powerful. Loving is a courageous, daring act. It takes a lot of guts to love deeply, to give of ourselves, to risk disappointment, to regard someone or something as more important than our own survival.
Love is not confined to the love between people. We can love an idea, like freedom or education, and love it into reality. I think Jesus was like that. I think he loved people, but more than people he loved who we could become, that kingdom he so often mentioned. He loved that idea with his whole being.
So I watch for love in action and I find myself looking for other words for love.
Mercy, respect, sacrifice, commitment, courage, devotion, friendship, honor, community, acceptance.
Help me out here. Do you have words for love? Where have you seen it in action?
Blessings,
Pastor Cindy
Pastor Cindy Hickman
West Des Moines United Methodist Church
720 Grand Avenue
West Des Moines Iowa 50265
515-279-0826
Like us on Facebook or visit us at wdmumc.org.
We worship at 8:30 and 11 on Sunday mornings and we would love to worship with you.
This week at WDMUMC:
Consecration Sunday! This Sunday we will celebrate our future as consecrate our financial pledges for the year ahead. Come and join the party!
Midweek Refuel! Supper’s on tonight at 5:30! (Pasta night!) Lots of activities for young and old.
Trunk or Treat! Next Wednesday! Morganne is collecting candy in the bin outside her office.
A Baptism Celebration! On Saturday, September 27th at 5:30 we are celebrating the baptism of a baby girl. And you are invited. Family members are flying in from across the country and they are not able to make a Sunday morning service, so we are holding a special service. Babies are baptized into the church community and we need members of the church community to surround this little girl. Can you come and represent the church?
And—there’s more. This little girl is surrounded by loving parents and aunts and uncles and grandparents and church. Not all babies are. So we are celebrating this baptism with a “baby shower” for babies in need. You are invited to bring a baby gift and these will be given to a local program that supports infants and toddlers at risk. We will celebrate babies!
It is good to be the church.
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