Volume 93, Issue 9 May 1, 2013
“Love one another as I have loved you.” John 13:34
What does it mean to love? It’s a question I often ask of couples planning a wedding, people who are starry eyed and hopefully planning a wonderful future together.
But what does it really mean to love someone?
A definition I have heard and quoted says that love is wanting for another person the good you want for yourself – things such as compassion, being heard, food to eat, clothing to wear, shelter, a decent job, fair treatment. This especially applies to loving one’s neighbor as oneself.
Another explanation is that love is a verb, an action word. Love is not a warm fuzzy feeling but how we treat one another, help one another, respect one another. I usually remind these same couples that their warm fuzzy feelings will rise and fall, ebb and flow, but their faithful and loving actions will maintain and deepen their love. Love also means respecting each person’s individuality, even when person disagrees with us.
But when Jesus said “Love one another as I have loved you” he added a dimension. The love which Jesus means is not the giving up of one’s life, but the giving away of one’s life. Jesus gave his life to his disciples as an expression of the fullness of his relationship with God and of God’s love for the world.
Jesus is particularly talking about the relationship among the disciples, including us, who are called to be God’s representatives and ambassadors on this earth. Some years ago a popular camp song proclaimed, “They will know we are Christians by our love” as we work together, help one another. That’s what Jesus meant when he added to the above quotation: “By this all [people] will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
How do you show love to your fellow believers?
In Christ’s peace,
t Pastor Moll
Thursday, May 2Worship & Music Committee, 7:00 p.m.
Scout District Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 5Deadline to order geraniums
Girl Scouts, Fellowship Hall, 1-5:00 p.m.
Monday, May 6Finance Committee, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 8Council Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 9Messenger article deadline, 3:00 p.m.
Social Ministry Committee, 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 5Ecumenical Memorial Service, SUN Home Hospice invites
family and friends whose loved ones died between
March 1, 2012 and February 28, 2013 to attend the service
at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, 100 South Third Street,
Lewisburg, at 2:00 p.m. The service will be followed by
refreshmentsand fellowship.
ST. JOHN’S MESSENGER (USPS-515-660) is published biweekly, annually, by
St. John’s Lutheran Church, 300 Queen Street, Northumberland, PA 17857.
Periodical postage paid at Northumberland, PA.
POSTMASTER: Send address change to St. John’s Messenger,
300 Queen Street, Northumberland, PA 17857.
ST. JOHN’S MESSENGER May 1, 2013 Volume 93, Issue 9
St. John’s Evangelical
Lutheran Church
570-473-3770
This Sunday at St. John’s
May 5, 2013
Adult Cookie Sunday
8:00 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
9:00 a.m. Sunday School
10:15 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
1:00 p.m. Quiet Communion
Next Sunday at St. John’s
May 12, 2013
Mother’s Day
8:00 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
9:00 a.m. Sunday School
10:15 a.m. Worship Service with Communion
Church Office Hours Mon-Thurs 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Fri 8:30 a.m.-Noon
MarthaSue Moll, Pastor
William J. Jacavage, Director of Music