Created for Love
This past Sunday we held some very special services as a part of our All Saints’ Day worship. They were designed to help us remember and celebrate the lives of more than 200 people, friends, members and family members who have passed in the last 18 months or so. They were filled with moments that encouraged us to grieve and honor the lives of those on whose shoulders we stand. On Sunday evening we gathered for another special concert/requiem to remember the more that 700,000 lives in the USA and more than 5 million lives globally who have died due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to thank you for coming out and participating in these special events. I have heard from many about how helpful these specific services were.
November continues with our current sermon series, “Created for Love”. Jesus reminds us that love is at the heart of our faith. We were made by God with love, we were made to love, we are made to be loved. During this short sermon series, we will be exploring why love is the greatest commandment and our most important act of faith. This Sunday we recognize Veterans Day and are reminded that love – love for our co-creation and for what we value – can call us into action, even if it means making a sacrifice.
Sacrifice is something very familiar to the Christian gospel. It is often seen as something done for penance or to deny oneself something. However, sacrifice is also something that we do to the benefit of others. As is our tradition, we are trying to make sure that no one goes without Thanksgiving Dinner this year and planning to donate 500 baskets, filled with enough food for a family of four, meaning that more than 2000 people will be fed this year on Thanksgiving. We are now over half-way to our goal and this Sunday is the last day that we are receiving either donations of cash ($45 per basket) or signups to bring a basket already prepared. For more information, please email Bill Martin (bmartin@cathedralofhope.com) or check this link (https://cathedralofhope.com/thanksgiving)
In closing this week, I want to again thank you for your generosity. We continue our Stewardship drive and many of you have already made your 2022 commitment. Today, I am pleased to announce that we are nearing 65% of our desired pledge goal of $1.1m of a total proposed budget of $2.7m in 2022. You can find out more about pledging HERE. Please complete your pledge for 2022 from a place of gratitude and prayer. Gratitude for what God has blessed you and us with during this time and prayer, taking a leap of faith and stretching ourselves just a little bit.
I do look forward to seeing you again this weekend and know that God continues to guide us and bless us as we look forward to this week, this month, the rest of this year, and the year ahead.
