Beyond Politics . . .

"In the fleeting time that we have here on earth what matters is not wealth or status or power or fame but rather how well we have loved. And what small part we have played in making the lives of other people better."

Politics aside, whether you like him or not, in President Obama's words to the community in Arizona who gathered to mourn the loss of the people killed in such a tragic act of violence he summed up truly who we are called to be . . .

As a people of faith the things that matter are not "things" but the "who" and the "how."

How do we love? How do we show that love? It is in the small things.

I have to "speak" at the clergy meeting tomorrow morning about Williamson's West. I have to share about it . . . not real sure what that means.

Anyway - as I shared in my sermon on Jan. 2, my last encounter with the these clergy was at the District Board of Ordained Ministry and it wasn't what I would call stellar. Debacle would be more like it.

So I'm a bit anxious about what to say . . .

And then I was reminded tonight as I heard the President's words . . . there are only a few things that really, truly matter. Those things are all centered around "love" . . . and how we share Christ's love.

So, tomorrow I'll share how West is a place that shares that love.

I'll share . . .
how people email me asking for prayers for their friends and family.

how this faith community that was barely two months old adopted 60 angels and supplied them with Christmas.

how 25 people came the day after the "big snow of Christmas" to clean up our "stuff" from our Christmas services so the high school could have their basketball tournament and we were finished in less than 45 minutes.

how 29 youth give tirelessly of their time to provide a WIRED ministry for kids grades 1 - 5.

how a group of women asked me to go with them to pray with their neighbor, even though we had never met, because she was waiting on a brain mri to see if her tumors had shrunk.

how amazing volunteers pulled together to create two amazing and moving Christmas services.

how even when "screw ups" happen in worship we find a way, through the power of a spirit much bigger than anything we could create, to experience the presence of a loving, gracious God.

and how even when the pastor (me) was hurling ALL NIGHT LONG in the bathroom on the second Sunday of the new year . . . "worship" of a four month old church happened without MISSING A BEAT because of great VOLUNTEER leaders and a great "preacher's wife" (HA) that pulled together to make things happen.

I am blessed beyond words to be a part of a community that shares love so freely.

Obama also said, "the forces that divide us are not as strong as the ones that unite us."

How true.

Thanks be to God. Amen.