Beloved Community:
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God. – 1 John 4:7
Scripture continuously reminds us that God is love and that our call as disciples is to share that love with the world. This year’s theme, Beloved Community, is a daily reminder of what it means to build a community that is deeply rooted in the love that God has for us. Love that brings freedom and wholeness. Love that builds up and draws in. Love that affirms and uplifts.
Perhaps it is best described in this definition borrowed from the Episcopal Church: The vision of Beloved Community rises from the Bible’s most important commandments: to love God and love our neighbors, in whom we see the face of God. We understand Beloved Community to be the community that loves as God intends: where we speak truth and dismantle hierarchies of human value, where we seek right relationship with one another and creation, where each person and culture honors and protects others as equally beloved parts of the human family of God, and where we counter human selfishness … with the selfless love of Jesus.
May we continue to build this community – the coming of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. May we show the love that has been first shown to us through Christ. May we be the Beloved Community here at Reformation for the good of the world and for the sake of the gospel.
ELCA Stories of Faith in Action
This annual publication illustrates how God is at work across the ELCA through your generosity. It highlights how a portion of your offering, called Mission Support, advances the ministry of our church — particularly the ways the ELCA nurtures vital congregations, raises up leaders and grows the global church. Most importantly, it’s one way we say thank you for your faithful generosity to your congregation, your synod and the churchwide organization — by showing your offering at work.
Reformation members reflect on the importance of our ministry…
The end of every worship service at Reformation establishes the framework as I go forward into the world. The focus becomes “serving our neighbor” and sharing with them the abundance that we all have. This outward focus allows us each to “build a living faith.” – John Grantland
Abundant life is found in love, peace, and in connection to one another. Reformation Lutheran Church has long provided me and many others the depth and breadth of abundant life in Christ. Our abundant life together knows no bounds! – Laura Reiter
We each have a choice to see what we have as enough or not. Once we choose abundance, we have everything we need. I find my faith life at Reformation as a constant reminder of the abundance God grants me every day; I am grateful. – Marian Filtz