Who is my neighbor?

From The Pastor’s Desk

So raise a glass to turnings of the season, and watch it as it arcs towards the sun. And you must bear your neighbor's burden within reason, and your labors will be borne when all is done. -The Decemberists, “Don’t Carry It All”

Many of you may be unfamiliar with the Portland based band, The Decemberists. They rose to popularity when I was in college, singing songs about obscure topics ranging from dowager queens, the violence in Northern Ireland, shapeshifting cranes, and the simple beauty of nature. However, the line I included above -about bearing one another’s burdens, and having our own borne as well- has always stuck with me. The Decemberists are not a Christian band, but they key into one of the central tenets of our faith.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructs his listeners: if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile (Matthew 5:40-41). While this value of radical service is often mocked by the world, it remains central to our walk with God. We are encouraged to consider the needs of all whom we encounter, and to do our best to meet them.

As the season turns and arcs towards the sun, there are many ways to meet the needs of our neighbors. In early July, we will hold a pie sale to fund scholarships for local youth. Stop by the Farmer’s Market any Wednesday and you will find that fundraising for the annual CROP Walk, which combats hunger at home and abroad, has already begun. In September, we will resume our monthly community luncheons.

There are so many ways to have an impact on the lives of our neighbors. This summer, as you enjoy the warm weather and time spent with friends and family, may you also find an opportunity to reach out to someone in need. By doing so, we make manifest the love of Christ, the love God has for all creation, and remind those around us that we are never alone.

—Pastor Jon