United in Christ – Our Mission: To Serve
Presbyterian Church (USA) and United Church of Christ
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-6a NRSV
Valentine's Day is just around the corner. How will you celebrate this special day? Will it be with flowers, a special card and/or candy? A special night out on the town? Going to a favorite restaurant? A surprise of endearment? Online searches indicate that in 2010 retail sales in the US for Valentine's Day exceeded $14 Billion. Yes, billion, not million…. $14 billion spent to say, "I love you."
"I love you." These three words are so very powerful. How do you define love? When do you say "I love you"? To whom? Under what conditions? Who says them to you and why? While these are important questions, it is also important ask: How do you define God's love? How do you experience God's love? How do you express your love to and for God?
It is impossible to describe God's love in one word in the English language. The Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures use the word "hesed", while the New Testament scriptures use the Greek word "agape" whenever specifically referring to God's love. Both words encompass much, much more than can ever be expressed in our word love.
God's love, God's hesed, has nothing to do with the physical and emotional attraction between two people. Hesed includes being in a covenantal relationship in which God continuously seeks out God's people with unconditional, unmerited, undeserved loved. This hesed is a love of compassion, mercy, loyalty, steadfastness. It is a faithfulness in which God covenants with us to forever and always to be our God.
Hesed is a divine love. It has nothing to do with who you are. Instead, it has everything to do with whose you are. There is a difference. Who you are has to do with how you and others perceive your identity. Whose you are means to whom you belong. You belong to God. You were created by a loving God who calls you to be more than you can even begin to imagine. Not only that, God will never give up on you nor forsake you. God is always ready to receive you, welcome you, embrace you, love you – no matter how grievous the sin.
God's love, God's agape, further defines God's love of hesed in the love of God in Jesus Christ. Much like hesed, agape is a self-less, unconditional, undeserved, unmerited love, self-sacrificing love that can be seen throughout scriptures, such as
* "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." ~John 3:16
* "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." ~John 15:12-14
* No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. ~1 John 4:12-19
No wonder we can proclaim that nothing in life or in death can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Nothing can take God's love away from us. Absolutely nothing!
So on Valentine's Day, as you are remembering and recognizing those you love, also remember God's love, God's hesed, God's agape love. And as you do, may you live out and experience the agape love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-6a as a way to live
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends.
You Know? Money just cannot buy this kind of love. Thanks be to God!
Blessings.
~ Rev. Jeri Fields
UPB Gap Minister
Office phone: 301-249-6411
On the web: www.unitedparishbowie.org
A LOOK AT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012: Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Adult Education (9:45 AM)
Worship (11:00 AM)
The Rev. Dr. Wilson Gunn, the General Presbyter for National Capital Presbytery, is preaching. Following the service he will be available for questions and answers during time of food and fellowship.
Scripture: Isaiah 43:16-21 NRSV
Sermon: Beyond Babylon
Chat and Chew after the service with those whose last name begins with A-G asked to bring something to share.
A LOOK AHEAD TO THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 13 – FEBRUARY 18
Tuesday, Feb. 14 Happy Valentine's Day
Wednesday, Feb. 15 SEEDS (6:00 – 7:15 PM)
Choir Rehearsal (7:30 PM)
SAVE THE DATE
Wednesday, Feb. 22 Ash Wednesday Service (7:30 PM)
Sunday, March 11 Daylight Savings Time Changes (Be sure to get up at 2 AM to spring forward)
Thursday, April 5 Maundy Thursday Service (7:30 PM)
Friday, April 6 Good Friday Service (7:30 PM)
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
FOOD DRIVE
To support the Bowie Food Pantry after the holidays when their donations tend to slow down, the Mission & Service Committee invite you, the congregation, to participate in a focused food drive. While we support the Bowie Pantry all year, this is an opportunity to put more focus on it for the next 7 weeks. To ensure a variety of items, we have designated certain foods for each week based on input from the pantry.
February 12 canned meat such as beef stew, chicken breast meat, chicken and dumplings.
February 19 canned beans - any kind
February 26 toilet paper
March 4 fresh fruit/fresh vegetables
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