October 2024
Dear Friends,
Happy Autumn! We have been enjoying some beautiful days filled with sunshine, falling leaves, and cool mornings with warmer afternoons. I hope that you are able to enjoy a bit of it while it lasts! Every season has its own beauty and opportunities for enjoyment. Are you discover the wonder of God’s creation?
As a country, we are also in a season, the election season. It is an anxious time, and
you might wonder how we will survive this contention. We as a country seem to have grown in anger and forgotten kindness. In church each week, we will be reflecting on Jesus’ teaching found in both Matthew and Luke. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12, see also Luke 6:31). Friends and foes, neighbors and strangers, those with whom we agree, those with whom we disagree, Jesus’ call as Christians moves us towards kindness, compassion, humility, respect, and love; Jesus asks us to love our others as he loves us. Might we dare to dream what the world would be like if we treated each other the way Jesus’ treats us? What will happen when we choose kindness, even in those times when civility seems a far fetched dream? When we choose kindness, perhaps others might be inspired to do the same.
I hope that you are able to to come to church or worship with us online as we seek God’s vision for our world. Share our social media posts to include the wider community in conversation. A devotional is also available to deepen your spiritual walk as we seek to spread kindness and God’s love with our neighbors. If you have not picked up a copy at church or seen it in the Faith Matters, please contact the church office for a copy.
May we discover the wonder of God’s creation, not only in the beauty of the nature around us, but in each and every person we meet. As Rev. Adam Hamilton charged his congregation, “Together we can let our light shine, reduce polarization, and spread kindness in our world.”
To download a devotional, please visit https://www.pumcny.org/goldenrule/