Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. – 1 John 4:11

This weekend has been another amazing “Community Experience” for us. Things like enjoying a walk through the neighborhood over to Main Street to drop off a package at the Post Office, meeting new people along the way, then enjoying a sandwich at one of the downtown delis.

And, Saturday, walking Max up St. Patrick Street and wandering into Tarboro’s annual “Happening on the Common” event. Not as extensive, apparently, as pre-covid years, but still a fun coming together of people in a beautiful setting. Max, especially, enjoyed the opportunity to be greeted and admired by so many people.

Another occasion, like the wonderful “Arts in the Garden” exhibition, to enjoy some of the hospitable spirit of the good folks who call Tarboro home.

All day, after early showers, threatening clouds circled around the town, but the only effect was to make the skies more interesting.

Preparation for Sunday:

Back at home, Rebekah and I enjoyed one of my favorite Saturday activities – working together in preparation for Sunday at church. She, fine-tuning a sermon for Pentecost; me, burying myself deep in C.S. Lewis for another Sunday morning of tying my brain in knots trying not to sabotage the Oxford don’s clear thinking about Christianity.

Such preparation requires, of course, good coffee as well as prayer and study. I do take my responsibility seriously when it comes to teaching, especially having read a thought like this from Jesus in our breakfast devotions Friday morning:

“Woe to the world because of stumbling-blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling-block comes!” – Matthew 18:7

Jesus had been talking about leading people down the wrong path. “Let’s face it, stumbling happens,” Jesus says… “but if you’re the one causing others to stumble, then that is a different issue.”

It’s like Jesus said in the “Woes of the Pharisees.” “You slam the door to the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 23:13) “You lock people out” according to another translation.

If I am going to make a mistake – and I do, all the time – I want my teaching errors to fall on the side of grace, not exclusion.

Later in the day – both in the afternoon and the evening – Rebekah and I took in a couple of concerts from this weekend’s Mozart Festival. First, an exceptional piano recital and then a fun evening featuring a collection of the composer’s arias.

But the music is going to require its own post, so be sure to look for words, photographs, and a couple of short video clips in the near future – maybe Monday morning.

Meanwhile, I pray that we will see you in church. It’s Pentecost, the birthday of the church, what better day to be reborn into the Grace of Jesus – DEREK