This Sunday, bring your backpacks to the 10:30 am service where we will have a blessing to kick off the new school year!   Then following the service we will celebrate with an old fashioned ice cream social.

At times I am paralyzed without a clue as to how I can make a difference regarding the frequency of death and dying in our community and country. As difficult as it is to hear the rhetoric from polarized camps regarding guns, their use, and the constant media bombardment that continues to raise the level of sensationalism that puts into question the facts and the truth, I must remind myself that the most important things are to listen, research and know the real issues, teach others and make my choices count when the time is appropriate. It is very unlikely that our nation will collectively amend the constitution and bill of rights that will eliminate a personal ability to own and use a gun.

Do we know the language about guns?  What is an assault rifle? What is an AR-15 or AK-47, or what do all these names mean? The question is ...does it matter? What is the difference between registering a car and the call to have all guns registered?   It is said that people have the right to own a gun, but it is the law to register a car and apply and qualify for a driver's license. Owning a gun is qualified in the second amendment. Having a car is a privilege and a driver's license must be attained through proof of a person's ability to meet the qualifications to drive safely. Now, debating whether the later should applied to owning a gun will continue to be debated, and will require changing the constitution.  With all that being said, we are still at a loss for what we can immediately do to end the violence that is killing people in our community. Folks, it may read as a broken record coming from me, but part of the answer is LOVE. It is LOVE that we show and express in how we treat each other. It is LOVE that allows us to see beyond our differences and allows us to listen instead of debate. It is LOVE that allows us to care for the homeless and those in need unconditionally.

It is LOVE that makes us better listeners, givers and supporters. Can LOVE be the answer to all things? I think I know someone who would say yes to that question. Remember LOVE is an ACTION word. If we dare to LOVE we dare to make a difference in how we respond to issues, actions and situations. Jesus Christ would tell us to LOVE in the face of all adversity and calamity. What would Jesus being doing today amidst the mass casualties of people across the world? The better question to seek out is; what IS Jesus doing through the Holy Spirit to affect change in this world? To answer my question that begins this article, PRAYER is NOT enough.  We must act. Acting out of LOVE is certainly part of the solution.

In my readings over the last several days I found this article from the Huffington Post. In the article the writer Paul Heroux states: "Do we have a gun violence problem in the United States? Yes. There is no doubt about that. With about 10,000 gun homicides a year and 20,000 gun suicides a year, the U.S. has far more gun-related killings than any other developed country (but not the most of any country).  However, gun violence isn't the leading cause of violence in America.  It is just the most salient."

This article bears reading as it helps to appreciate our violent culture; a culture that is being affected by more than just guns. I would ask that you take the time to read the whole article. It can be found here.