Welcome!
Beloved, we are not merely participants in a religion or practitioners of ritual for ritual’s sake. We are God’s children, members of God’s family, invited to celebrate the relationship we share with Him. Jesus invites us into a transforming way of life, where our beliefs are not about keeping a checklist but about fellowship in love. As we gather in community this week, let us listen to Jesus’ call to a radical reorientation of the heart, rooted in the intimate relationship He offers. Our relationship with God is not measured by the strictness of statutes, but by the love we share in Jesus’ name with others. Today, let us explore a family faith, one that humbles us, unites us, and invites us to live out the gospel in every relationship.
 
Jesus is walking with a man down the path of life. Jesus' yoke is big, and the man's part is small.
  
“Come to me, all you who are weary and overburdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is
easy, and my burden is light.”*
 
Heavenly Father, we thank you for adopting us into your family through Jesus Christ. Help us to live not by the letter of rules but by the Spirit of love, the love we share in your name with others. Carry us into a deeper relationship with you, deepen our trust, and widen our circles to welcome the vulnerable and the weary. Teach us to bear one another’s burdens, to speak truth in humility, and to act in mercy. May our church be a radiant sign of your Kingdom where people find rest for their souls, and where the world sees that we are indeed your children. In the name of Jesus, who invites us to come, we pray. Amen.
Scripture:  *Matthew 10:28-30 (CEV)
Image: Jesus is walking with a man down the path of life. Jesus' yoke is big, and the man's part is small. Artist Sherry Boettcher. Licensed through GoodSalt.com
Margin Image: Licensed through GoodSalt.com