Cashton Four-Point Parish

“¹³ And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”               1st Corinthians 13

Usually used at weddings, chapter thirteen of First Corinthians unpacks thoughts about love. The word “love” is used over seven-hundred times in the Bible. But this piece of scripture was not written with weddings in mind, even though love is a relevant topic at a wedding.

But what about the rest of us who are not pledging our vows to someone else at a wedding? Does this scripture have any meaning? What if you aren’t married? Does it still apply? Can it have meaning? Yes, it does and it can.

I like to think of this chapter as describing Jesus. Love is, after all, as Christians what we believe God has shown us first. Now there are a few different words for “love” in the Bible. They help us understand that love is not one-faced. Love is described as love between friends (philos), intimate love between two people (eros), and the sacrificial love of God (agape).

This agape love is the greatest we have received. The love between friends and others doesn’t always last forever, but the love we have received from God in Jesus does. It is eternal, unwavering and in its stubborn nature meant to teach us that it will indeed last forever. Even when we struggle with love for ourselves, each other or God, God does not struggle to love us and hold us forever.

Love doesn’t always last between people, but that is no reason to give up on love. For whether we find joy and lasting fulfillment in our human relationships, we never have to worry about that lack of love coming from God toward us. And in that patient, sacrificing love we can even learn how to love and forgive each other more.

“If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶ it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. ⁷ It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸ Love never ends.”

1^st Corinthians 13

Love, Pastor Dave Sorenson

Telling the story of Jesus’ birth involves many voices, images and songs. We tell the story because we, like the shepherds, are amazed at what we have seen and heard. Sunday School Christmas Programs at the Four-Point Parish involve participants of all ages. We all get to be part of the story-telling in our daily lives and at the Christmas Program!

The Fish Creek Sunday School had program practice for their Christmas Program this morning. They also visited several church family members on the ridge for caroling! We look forward to the program next Sunday at 11:00.

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Greetings!

“And the Word became flesh and lived amongst us…” John 1:14a

A blessed Advent and Christmas to you all! I am excited to be with you for this first Advent and Christmas season as your pastor and as a family. The awe of Christmas is in the story, and how we live that story out together.

In celebration of being together, my family is inviting you to the parsonage to celebrate the Advent/Christmas season. As we are welcome in your homes, you are welcome in ours. The open house will be on Sunday, December 16^th, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. We will provide the food, drink and atmosphere. Just bring yourself, your family, a friend, stay as long or short as you like. The game will be on!

Come, Lord Jesus, come,

into the darkness around and within and chase away the shadow of sin;

into our hearts and homes and fill us with your light;

make us shine with your love.

Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Pastor Dave Sorenson

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton