It is with great joy that we welcome our new members in today’s service. And we celebrate with their families this step in their journey of faith and discipleship. A special appreciation also for the team which designed and led the year long confirmation course: Beth, Jean and Keenan. Your dedication and giving of yourselves to this ministry has been a great blessing to the whole community. We can only give God all the glory for the great things He is doing among us!
In January I offered us a theme to journey with through the year: “Living in response to God’s love”. And as we continue to explore what it means to be a Dedicated Giver, I offer this theme for reflection. We read in today’s gospel that Jesus seeks to teach us a new way of living in community. A way that is predicated on the great love shown in His going to the cross. In this act of self-sacrifice God shows us the depth of His love towards us. And Jesus calls us to follow His example of love and service for others. As we reflect on this call by our Servant-King what could our response be? Is there even a way to truly understand the depth of this love, mercy and grace? How can we become even
more open to receiving God’s love? And as we journey into the knowledge of that great gift of love freely given to us, what response does it call forth in you? To be a disciple, a believer, a follower of Christ is to completely surrender to the transformative power of that love.
In the moments that I can truly believe, experience and receive God’s love, I am filled with gratitude, amazement, humility. I experience a deep longing to meet that love with my own life. I feel compelled by that love, drawn by that love, empowered by that love— to ask God that I may love others as He loves me. I would offer that when we give of ourselves in this way we are meeting God’s own heart.
So, as we reflect this week on how God is calling on us to give of ourselves to build up the Kingdom, I
pray that you will experience the depth of God’s love for all that God has created.
Pray for me, I am praying for you.

Reverend Anastasia Huntley

17 October 2021