NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2023
Sunday is the “Sixth Sunday of Kingdomtide;” but at Covenant we will also observe it as “World Communion Sunday.” Every first Sunday in October, Christians around the globe celebrate World Communion Sunday as a day of promoting Christian unity. However, at Covenant we observe it as a way of helping to learn to see and appreciate our connectedness to others around the world, and not just other Christians.
In the assigned Epistle text for this Sunday, Philippian 2:5 tells us “Let this same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” Several passages tell us to “Have the Mind of Christ.” The text further explains that “Having the Mind of Christ” is found in Jesus’ humility. It’s “humility” that helps us put selfish ambition on the back burner and learn to regard others as better than ourselves. It is a “humility” that will help us to not just think of our own interest but think of the interest of others as well.
But the most important thing I believe “Having the Mind of Christ” does for us is it allows us to see others as Jesus saw people. A relative new hymn says it this way:
Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us;teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.Be present, Lord, among us and bring us to believewe are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live.Teach us, O Lord, Your lessons, as in our daily lifewe struggle to be human and search for hope and faith.Teach us to care for people, for all not just for some,to love them as we find them or as they may become.
Join us this World Communion Sunday, in person, by Zoom, Facebook Livestream or YouTube as we “love others as we find them or as they may become.” We will have a special communion liturgy. My sermon will be “Having the Mind of Christ – Humility!” It’s based on Philippians 2:1-8, 12b & 13.”
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