Youth Sunday Proclamations 5/2/2021
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Scriptures: Proverbs 27:17, Romans 12:4-6a, 9-13, 1 Corinthians 1:10, Ephesians 4:1-4, Ephesians 4:32
I. Written by Cecelia West
Diversity is what makes the church strong. As said in 1st Corinthians Chapter 12 Verses 16-17: “ And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?” God’s model for church depends on everyone being welcome and their unique gifts being valued as part of a greater whole. This starts with the acknowledgement of times when the church has not been a loving community as it should have been. When the church has stood against our siblings of color, our LGBT+ siblings, and our siblings of different religions and faiths. God intended for the church to be a force of love and unity, not of division and hate. Our theme “Together as One” calls us to actively fight against hate that divides us. It calls us to fight against racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and all other forms of discrimination. Only then can we create a truly safe and accepting environment that welcomes everyone to join together to praise and worship God. Our church has taken steps in the right direction by hosting a book study on anti-racism and thinking carefully about the language that is used in service that can exclude or harm certain groups of people; but change is really only possible if each and every one of us is committed to educating ourselves and putting forth the effort needed to make our church a community of inclusion, acceptance, love, and unity. We also need to understand and respect that certain people have been hurt by the church and therefore do not feel safe being a part of a church community. It is our duty to make our church welcome to everyone, but not expect everyone to accept that welcome. I would like to leave you with the verse Colin read, “ Now I encourage you, siblings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Agree with each other and don’t be divided into rival groups. Instead, be restored with the same mind and the same purpose.”
II. Written by Anne West
Most of us can understand that life is hard. Everyone has struggles in life and we all suffer. We also can accept that others may have it harder than us. People suffering from poverty, abuse, homelessness, oppression, may be living a more difficult life than others who do not experience those things. It is our job as a community to come together and stand up for others who are suffering. Standing against issues that many are facing in this country right now does not diminish our own struggles. It simply makes us good allies and children of God. God wants us to “love our neighbor as ourselves,” and this includes without judgement or prejudice. In Romans 9-13 we heard “Contribute to the needs of God’s people, and welcome strangers into your home.” Accepting our siblings in Christ and loving them as if they were our own kin is one of the best ways we can be good examples of Christianity.
III. Written by Aidan Tuck
A community with no friendship and cooperation can hardly be called a community at all. This is especially true in the church, which entirely depends on us being friendly to one another. What makes a community a community is the bonds shared between the members of the community. The first step to establishing these bonds is accepting each other for who we are and helping each other to fight against hate. This makes a strong foundation, but truly becoming Together as One will require a stronger bond between us. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens a friend”. One person being friendly to another forms a friendship. These friendships are what make up a community. Communities are made stronger when there are more friendships holding it up, and they are made weaker when these friendships weaken. To keep the church community strong, we need to make everyone know and feel like they belong by becoming friends or just being friendly with those around us. After the service, try starting a conversation with one of the people sitting next to you. Who knows what could happen? Maybe you become close friends, or maybe you get closer to the community as a whole. That is what makes a community stronger, and what makes the members of the church together as one.