For Our Neighbors
There are moments when the news feels very far away. We see images of disasters, wars, and tragedies unfolding around the world, and it’s easy to think of them as events happening to “someone else.”
But every now and then, we’re reminded they aren’t.
The recent earthquakes in Venezuela have brought heartbreaking loss. Homes. Schools. Businesses. Lives. For one family in our congregation, this tragedy isn’t a headline. It’s deeply personal. They’re grieving loved ones and waiting anxiously for word about others whose fate is still unknown.
Moments like this remind us that the headlines are never just headlines. Every news story is someone’s hometown. Someone’s church. Someone’s family.
We’ve seen that truth before. Families in our congregation lost loved ones in the attacks of September 11. We have mission partners and dear friends whose lives have been forever changed by the war in Ukraine. Members of our church have family living amid the ongoing violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Many of us have sons, daughters, parents, spouses, and friends serving in the military, often in places of great danger.
As Christians, we’re called to respond with compassion. At the very beginning of our Route 66 journey, we were reminded that every human being is created in the image of God. That truth isn’t limited by nationality, language, the color of someone’s skin, or even their religious faith. Every person bears God’s image and is worthy of respect, compassion, and love.
Scripture also calls us to bear one another’s burdens, especially within the family of faith. We may not be able to cross an ocean or rebuild a home after a disaster, but we can come alongside those who suffer. We can encourage them with our words. We can pray faithfully. And we can give generously so that practical help reaches those who need it most.
This Sunday, we’ll gather around the Lord’s Table to celebrate Holy Communion. As is our tradition, we’ll also receive a special Communion Offering to help meet the needs of those who are hurting. This week’s communion offering will go entirely to UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
UMCOR is one of the ministries of our church that makes me especially grateful to be United Methodist. Whenever disaster strikes, UMCOR is there, offering relief and hope to people in desperate circumstances. Even more encouraging, every dollar designated for disaster response goes directly to that work. Administrative expenses are covered through denominational funding and a separate annual offering.
As you prepare for worship this Sunday, I’d encourage you to consider bringing a special gift for this offering.
When we bring God’s tithe and our offerings, we worship God with grateful hearts and participate in Christ’s work through the church. When we give above and beyond to care for those in need, we also bear witness to Christ’s love. It’s a tangible expression of compassion for neighbors we may never meet, and a reminder to those who suffer that they aren’t forgotten.
Whether they’re down the street or across the world, they’re our neighbors. And by God’s grace, we’ve been given the privilege of loving them well.
