Sunday, May 2, 2021:
God is Love

WELCOME to ST JAMES'
ONLINE SUNDAY SCHOOL!

Here are the readings for this Sunday:
Here's what we're wondering about:
parts of today's Epistle: 1 John 4:8, 16b, 19

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.

16b God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God,
and God abides in them.

19 We love because he first loved us.

Sometimes I feel mad and unkind, sometimes I might even say that I hate someone. Does that mean that I don't know God? How can I make that right?

What if I didn't know that I was loved? What if I don't feel loved?

Does God always love me? How do I know that I am loved?

Abide (in Hebrew, "yashab") means: to sit, dwell, stay, remain.
What, then, does it mean to abide in love, to abide in God, and to have God abide in me? (Here are more thoughts about the word abide. And here is the beloved hymn, #662 in The Hymnal 1982, Abide With Me.)

How do I show people that I love them? How do I show God that I love him?

How do I know that God loves me? And everyone?

How does God show us the way to be loving - to abide in love?
Here are some ways that we share God's love, in our church family:

  • when we are in church, we pass the peace. We'll do that again someday.
  • when we are not in church, we try hard to stay in touch. Hello, friend!
  • we listen to, learn & share the lessons, prayers, and special words of the Bible and worship services. The words of songs chosen for worship are meaningful to us & the sound of the music connects us to God. We wonder about these things, and play with what we feel in our heart and mind.
  • we pray. We say thank you to God, we remember that God is great, we pray for whatever our own or others' needs might be, we pray to say hello to God.
  • we ask people: how can we help you, neighbor? We do whatever we can.
  • we make sure that everyone knows that they are loved.
Listen to this simple song, and sing, too.

Today's Epistle also reminds us that we must love our brothers & sisters.
Print & color, feel the love, share the love!
Make & play "The Love Game" to share kind words, encouragement, and fun!

PS Need craft supplies? Just ask!
Jesus said:
The first commandment is this:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your strength.

The second is this:
Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.
It's the Fifth Sunday of Easter! (Seven Sundays in all)

Please let me know if I can be of service to you these days, or any time. We are sharing these 50 days of Easter, together!

Love - Linda