Dear APUMC Family,
This Sunday, we will hear the question once again: and who is my neighbor? (Luke 10:29).
While some will ask for the sake of their own purposes, or even as a way of letting themselves off the hook, Jesus turns the table on the conversation, inviting his disciples to consider what it would mean to actually become a neighbor themselves.
This is an important consideration for the church in any era. As the Apostle Paul reminded us last week, “bearing each other’s burdens” is the way to fulfill the law of love. Try as we might, there is no way of avoiding this call as followers of Christ.
Earlier this week, at our Monday morning small group, we were studying Psalm 5:2–Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. So we prayed. We thought of all those in our lives and throughout the world that have ever wondered if God was listening.
Together, we reflected on these words from Dr. Richard Beck:
"Hear my cry."
The psalms are anguished. Tears flow. Death haunts. Enemies taunt. Nights are sleepless.
We're drowning, faltering, and wasting away. So we cry out with desperate, cracked voices.
Perhaps this is the petition behind all petitions. The prayer behind all prayers. "Hear my cry."
Hear. See. Attend. Listen. Come. Help. Heal. Protect.
Can you see me? I need you.
Can you hear me? I am crying out.
As we did, we naturally thought of those cries that have gone out amidst the devastation in Texas this week, as well as other arenas of heartbreak throughout the world.
We acknowledged that no amount of rationalization would help in the face of such grief and loss. And yet, in hope, we dare to believe in a God who hears every…single…cry.
We also believe that hope does not disappoint us (Romans 5:5).
Last night, another group gathered to study and reflect together on the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-11). As a practical summary, blessed are you, said Jesus, you pursuers of God’s Kingdom, when you discover the time, the talent, the gifts, the service, and the witness to respond to the cries of others with mercy and justice.
For the next two Sundays here at Ashland Place, we will be taking a special offering for the use of UMCOR and their ongoing support of disaster response relief in Texas and Western North Carolina (still recovering from Hurricane Helene). We are grateful for the work and witness of our connection as United Methodists, enabling us to “bear each other’s burdens” with faithfulness around the world. UMCOR represents more than just the hands and feet of our well wishes and good intentions. Fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit, these servants of God are the very presence of the crucified and risen Lord in the midst of it all.
Our Missions Board is committed to financially supporting this offering as well, which is a right and good and joyful act of thanksgiving. As a reminder, I also want to thank the congregation again for your support of our flood bucket challenge several months ago. We never know when these tangible signs of love and support will be needed, but it’s good to know that they are already in place.
On August 24, the church will be hosting the 1st Annual Kickoff Cookout, a special outreach event that will include a flag football tournament and community tailgate. There is more on this in this newsletter, but we are expecting a crowd! There will be no fees for the event, but any and all donations for food and festivities will be directed to the Missions fund for future support measures to the community at large.
Who is my neighbor? The world still asks the question.
By God’s grace, we are preparing ourselves to answer: We are!
For Christ,
Darren