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Hello, Old Donation!
This coming Sunday we will hear those familiar words from the Gospel of John that many of us know by heart: “For God so loved the world.” Beloved, God does not love an ideal version of the world. God loves this world. The complicated one. The anxious one. The one that runs on group texts and breaking news alerts and very full calendars. That love is not sentimental. Rather, it is active, embodied, and stubbornly hopeful.
I am coming to this reading with a bit more humility than usual after spending last week home with both Covid and the flu. I do not recommend that combination. There is something clarifying about being forced to stop, to cancel meetings, and to accept that you are not as productive or superhuman as you would like to be. In that quiet, I was reminded that God’s love does not depend on my output or my availability. “For God so loved the world” includes clergy on the couch with soup and Tylenol. It also includes a parish that sends prayers, grace, and the kind of thoughtful messages that make you feel less alone. Thank you for that. Your love was felt.
I am genuinely glad to be back and to gather with you this weekend. Remember, our life together is not simply programming. It is also the steady practice of showing up for one another because God first shows up for us. In the weeks ahead, we have some meaningful opportunities to do just that as we continue our Lenten journey with one another. Be sure to read about all our opportunities to gather together and grow in your discipleship ranging from adult formation, quiet time, and more. I hope you will find a place to plug in. Remember, the love God has for the world is not abstract. It takes shape here, in our Old Donation community, in ways that are simple, faithful, and close to our hearts.
~Nelson+
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