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by Emily Turner

Throughout this season of Lent, we explore the ways in which living out our Core Values enables us to spread God’s love in all that we do. This week we reflect on the Core Value “Embrace All God’s Children”, drawing from Galatians 3:28:

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,
nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The Lenten devotional prompts us to consider what it means to be “one in Christ Jesus”. In our communities and around the world, we witness great diversity. Being “one” does not mean we are all the same, nor does it mean we disregard what makes every individual unique. Being one in Christ Jesus means we all experience the power of God’s love and are part of a unified body through that love. In this love we find comfort in knowing that every last one of us is accepted by God, even with the varying mix of burdens, unresolved troubles and messy baggage we carry. It also means we are called to extend Christ’s welcome and love to all people.

All people. Think about the magnitude of that. Imagine the people in your life - the ones you have loved deeply for years, the ones you are getting to know, even the ones that sometimes cause you frustration or who have wronged you. Imagine the ones you pass on your way to work or on a walk in the park. Imagine the people you have witnessed who are suffering and in need of support. To welcome all people means to not only accept every person where they are on their journey without judgement, but to embrace them, love them and care for them. It means to be curious about differences in ways of thinking and living and to be ready to respond to the ways in which God desires us to come together as one in Christ Jesus.

As we consider our “Ripples of Faith” Lenten theme and prepare our hearts for the ministry campaign, we have an opportunity to reflect on what it means to embrace all people as we imagine how God is calling Christ the King to grow and evolve in the coming years. It is through our prayerful response and openness to embracing others that such a future can become reality, one where every person knows they belong at Christ the King and experiences the fullness of God’s love.