Dear St. Lukers,
We wrapped up another Wesleyan Way class this week, and it is always powerful to spell out who we are as United Methodists. Teaching our church’s history, theology, and practices reminds me why I am United Methodist, and why I continue to practice my faith within a United Methodist community. One of the distinct characteristics of Methodist theology and practice is our balance of focus on both personal holiness AND social holiness – it’s the same kind of concept that we at St. Luke’s refer to as “awakening disciples” and “revealing the kingdom.”
This is one of those weeks we see that integration of life and practice so clearly. We have spent the last six weeks on the road to the cross with Jesus, as we looked at all the ways he shows us what love on purpose looks like. And while the first thing on most of our minds is the upcoming Holy Week, the remembrance of Jesus’ last week on earth and final walk toward the cross and the tomb, at St. Luke’s we have one more opportunity to prepare ourselves for this powerful week of worship and remembrance.
On Saturday (March 23), St. Luke’s Missions is partnering again with the local organization Sleep In Heavenly Peace to build beds for kids in our community who don’t have beds of their own to sleep in. One volunteer I spoke with this week said she was able to be part of delivering our last batch of beds, and was so moved when the kids receiving the beds wanted to help put them together and make the beds, saying very proudly that this is “my” bed.
That’s what the concept of revealing the kingdom is all about...
