A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over – Luke 6:38
You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. All the Law has been fulfilled in a single statement: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Galatians 5:13-14
Today is “Part-Two” of my report from the Presbytery meeting over in Smithfield this past Saturday. The first post focused on worship; this one covers the business end of the day.
What I enjoy about the Presbytery of New Hope (especially in my role as professional observer) is the positive spirit of going about the business of being the church. It always makes my heart glad when I hear the stories that tell about commitment and creativity, and when I witness such authenticity and passion when it comes to sharing the good news of the Gospel of Love.
We have this amazing message!
We have this incredibly important message – that Jesus is God’s wide-open invitation to life, more and better life than we ever imagined – and the best kinds of reports at a Presbytery meeting are those that share what the church is doing in response to God’s ongoing initiatives of love, grace, and mercy.
So I picked these 19 photographs that not only reflect the spirit of the day but also stand alone as artistic images you might enjoy viewing. I have captioned a few.
Other than interesting photography, I want this post to shed light on the truth about the church I love. Being the church is about following Jesus; and following Jesus is about letting God so fill us with light and love that these things spill out of us and get all over everybody else: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against things like this…” – Galatians 5:22-23
This is who we are. I pray that these images will inspire and encourage you in your own journey as an authentic follower of Jesus – DEREK
Derek Maul: Words, Photographs, and Food for the Journey 