Hello St. Lukers! Happy New Year (again)!
Last Sunday evening, I got the chance to participate in the City of Orlando’s interfaith service in memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I was there alongside groups of youth who were affirmed in their call to make the world a more just and peaceful place, and alongside other faith leaders from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Unitarian, and Sikh traditions. We joined together in a vigil and walk from City Hall to First Methodist downtown in unity and remembrance.
During the service, words were shared that reminded us of our common unity in seeking justice for all people, and continuing the legacy of Dr. King as we nonviolently and relentlessly push back against all those forces that seek to divide and turn us against one another.
It was a beautiful picture of the whole of God’s kingdom, and a reminder that we are not alone in our work at St. Luke’s as we seek to bring reconciling love to our community and world. It reminds me that while the road ahead of us is still long, and sometimes it’s hard to see the picture of the beloved community on the other side, we are still people who are called to the work of revealing the Kingdom and living into Jesus’ mission to “bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, and declare the year of the Lord’s favor,” here and now.
As I shared in Contemporary worship last week, God does have a plan, and that plan is US.
It was such a powerful experience last week to renew our covenant to Lead our Lives as followers of Jesus together; and I hope you took seriously the work of “Resetting your Purpose” by setting your GOALS for 2024 in Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service and Witness. We encourage you to keep that card somewhere you’ll see it all year as a reminder of how you’re choosing an intentional life of discipleship this year.
This week, we conclude the third and final week of our “Reset Your Purpose” series as we look at what it means to be CALLED. And we have none other than a former member of our clergy team, Rev. Corey Jones, as our guest preacher!
Pastor Corey now serves as the Senior Director of the Warren Willis Camp and Conference Center, and this week he’ll be bringing a word to help us remember our callings, rooted in our baptism, as well as to reflect on the calling of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose life we remember this weekend as well.
I hope you’ll join us for an inspiring worship service as we begin this year ON PURPOSE, individually and as the St. Luke’s community, together.
See you Sunday,
Pastor Melissa