We've all heard - and maybe said - "turn the other cheek." But what does that mean - really? Is it a call to be passive in the face of conflict and abuse? And, of course, we all know what "love your enemies" means, right? And "pray for those who persecute you." We've all heard these things - and have heard we should be able to do these things if we're "REALLY" a Christian, or if we're "REALLY" a person seeking to live a life of spirituality.
The good news is that it's not so simple. Maybe, just maybe, this injunction found in the Christian gospel of Matthew 5 is more complicated than it seems. We'll explore this text and the complexities of living a life grounded in Spirit this Sunday night.
A clue to where the evening will take us is our offering designee: Neighbors in Need. Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry. Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects.
Our potluck theme is regular: anything you'd like to share with your Gathering neighbors will be great!
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