Hello Grace UMC

Sunday certainly was fun! Thank you again to everyone who stepped up and helped bring the story of David and Goliath to life right before our eyes. Even those in the pews, with your valiant battle cries, played a crucial role. And from those battle cries came a powerful question, what is the battle cry of Grace? My response was, “hallelujah, Christ is risen, you are loved.” For whatever reason, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that. At first I felt, “ugh, was that any good at all?” Yet as I’ve pondered it, it is exactly what our battle cry might be. We face collective giants together, as well as our own personal battles, each of them clamoring sword against shield, defying us to send out our best. In response, we proclaim boldly together.

Hallelujah:

A praise to God before we say anything else, an acknowledgement that in the face of what should cause us to be fearful, we offer praise to the God who is with us.

Christ is Risen:

This is more than just something we’re convinced of; we’re changed by it (credit to Bishop Lanette Plambeck for this line). We already have a champion who has fought a battle and won, and teaches us not a counter-attack, but a way of peace.

You are Loved:

A rebellious, but faithful, response to the challenges before us. That even our greatest enemy is not met with anger or even underdog-style aggression, but with grace and mercy. Our enemies will not be brought down by sword, but disarmed with love. The battle cry of Grace is not meant to intimidate like the armies standing across the valley from one another, but is meant to be a bold proclamation to the world of how we face our giants. Now, I can’t imagine this will be the way we end a service every week, and I’m guessing you won’t see it posted on our bulletins or newsletters anytime soon. In fact, the way we respond may sound a little bit different each time. May it be a model for how we respond in the face of adversity in our lives and in the world!