Fields United Methodist Church

Pastor Tom’s Weekly Blog.                      “Simple, Really!”          I John 3:1-3

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called Children of God, and that is what we are.”           I John 3:1

For 620 years or more, the church has set aside November 1 as a time to celebrate the saints of the church. A saint is one that seeks a closer relationship with God and with others; living a lifestyle of loving God and neighbor.  For those of us today, we stand in celebration of those who have gone on before us, who nurtured us, loved us, and witnessed this simple faith that embodies the love that God has showered upon us through Jesus the Christ. Because of this amazing love, we are surrounded by the “great cloud of witnesses” that lived among us but now “rest from their labor.” It is a simple faith that they shared and we now hold dear; God offered us unconditional love and the eternal gift of being called “children of God.” As God’s children, we affirm that there is something greater than ourselves; it is not a series of complex formulas or rituals, or anything like that; it is as simple as God loving us as beloved children, now “even to the end of the age.” God will never let go of the “saints” and will never let go of you; you are profoundly loved by God and through that love you are forever connected with God and all the saints in the great cloud of witnesses that surround you now, at this very moment. Simply put, God put people in our lives to witness what it is to live by faith, day by day. You know who they are; parents, siblings, relatives, friends, teachers, and the list goes on. These are the people that shared with us their simple faith and amazing love that God shared with them.  Witnessing the simplicity of faith, or loving God and neighbor didn’t and cannot end with them because our witness is incredibly valuable to others as it has been valuable to us. Your life has impacted the lives of many people, some of which you may know but most of which you do not know.  The simple yet profound love God has for you cannot be held back; to be called “children of God” is to accept the gift of the resurrection as our own, and to see all people as precious in the Lord’s sight and to know that the mighty arms of God will forever surround you as they surround all the saints from this time and forevermore.  Thank you Jesus, for all the saints. Thank you for our lives and for the grace we have received from you from the time of our conception.

Rev. Tom Joyce, pastor

Fields United Methodist Church