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Hello St. John’s Family,
The smoke has cleared, and the lingering aroma of barbequed chicken has (mostly) lifted from the kitchen, signifying another outstanding Chicken BBQ is now in the books. Last Saturday was a wonderful day, with the only thing topping the amazing weather (and barbequed chicken, of course!) was the genuine friendship and joy our community witnessed. While working the take-out window, I lost count of the number of times customers commented on how much they appreciate the event, and of the genuine hospitality and care that accompanies it. Our Chicken BBQ is a great opportunity for our neighbors to see the care and love that are hallmarks of our St. John’s Family. Thank you to all who assisted and did an amazing job of extending the love of Christ while making some top-notch chicken! And thanks to Jack Donovan and the United Methodist Men who put in so much work to make the 38th edition of the BBQ another outstanding day!
I sense one of the aspects that makes our Chicken BBQ such a success is the way it highlights the genuine relationships we share with each other. Out on our front lawn, for all to see, a genuine atmosphere of togetherness permeates the day. Teamwork, laughing, helping in any way needed – this is what’s seen by our neighbors. In a culture where genuine fellowship, service, and care has become rare, our genuine relationships leave a powerful impression.
Earlier this week I came across a brief anecdote that speaks to the powerful impact of genuine love and care for others. A friend saw this on social media and passed it on; I’d like to share it with you.
During one of my last visits with Justice Scalia, I saw striking evidence of the Scalia-Ginsburg relationship. As I got up to leave his chambers, he pointed to two dozen roses on his table and noted that he needed to take them down to "Ruth" for her birthday. "Wow," I said, "I doubt I have given a total of twenty-four roses to my wife in almost thirty years of marriage." "You ought to try it sometime," he retorted. Unwilling to give him the last word, I pushed back: "So what good have all these roses done for you? Name one five-four case of any significance where you got Justice Ginsburg's vote." "Some things," he answered, "are more important than votes. I let him have the last word.
From Jeffrey Sutton’s introduction to The Essential Scalia: On the Constitution, the Courts, and the Rule of Law.
In a world where relationships are so frequently reduced to transactions – calculated deals to advance our own agendas – the relationship described there reveals genuine love and care… between ideological adversaries! Yet that genuine care and concern for the other person points to a much deeper truth: the intrinsic and immeasurable value of every person who cares and devotes themselves to “Equal Justice Under Law.” I can think of few examples which better illustrate how to live out our identity as children of God, who love and value each other as children of God, than this. I sense it also sends a powerful reminder of how impactful it is on others when we genuinely value and care for others – whether we agree with them or not. A very important reminder for us all.
I hope you’ll join me this Sunday in worship, as we’ll explore an example Christ gives of the radical nature of the grace of God’s kingdom; grace that challenges and even offends our concept of fairness, while also representing the essence of good news. Check out Matthew 20:1-16, then join us Sunday for a meaningful morning of worship!
One last note – before I forget, here is a link to the powerful story I shared in last week’s sermon, that chronicles the choice to forgive:
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