Season of Pentecost – Tuesday, June 2

Family,

I have been thinking much about belonging in recent weeks. In the face of COVID-19, how do we belong to each other? In the face of unyeilding racism, how do we be long to each other?

Belonging is a central theme in Paul’s First Letter to Corinthinans. He urges the followers of Jesus in the diverse city of Corinth to think about belonging not to tight groups formed by charismatic teachers but instead to each other, to Christ and ultimately to God.

How do we get there? Three words seem essential to the work of belonging; Listen. Learn. Love. These three might not be the complete roadmap to belonging but any roadmap to lelonging that does not include them is incomplete.

As a group of us from LABC met via Zoom with Melanie Baggao, who ministers in Lebanon with American Baptist International Ministries, this past Saturday I was very much aware of the centrality of of listening and learning beyond our circles of familiarity that we might love all the people of world.

Melanie’s work of accepting, including and encouraging (building belonging with among) refugees who have fled to Lebanon to escape war, famine and persecution is needed. impressive and worthy of our support.

Currently, new or increased monthly donations to Mel’s Missionary support will be matched until the $239,100 available in matching funds runs out. I invite you to support her. Small contributions are greatly apprreciated. https://portal.internationalministries.org/give

Worship Survey

If you have not yet completed our survey on returning to in-person worship, here is the link.

No Soup, But Study meets tonight and will be reading I Corinthians chapter 3.