How do you preach having an active faith to a bunch of folk who already live an active faith?! That is what I kept coming back to when I thought about this sermon for today.
But then I really focused on the Scripture passages for today and 
they talked about love and light as central to putting faith in action. And, I would add one more L word – life.
Love and Light are what illuminate a Life of walking faith. First John reminds us that it is God’s love that moves us to action. Do we feel that love? Do we know that God is indeed love and when we live in the light of that love – we, as The Message puts it: God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. (1 John 4:17)
A life of love brings light to the world. A life of love brings hope to the world. A life lived out of God’s love for us and our love for God and neighbor ensures that we don’t just live by talking the Word, we live by walking the Word. Love and light give life to us and to our neighbors. Love and light propel us towards being even more mission-oriented people.
Now what does that mean – we already serve our community in myriad ways – mentoring at Donegan, participating in a variety of hunger programs and activities like the CROP Walk and dinners at Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering, working towards ensuring affordable housing is built on this land. We raise money for the Lehigh Valley Habitat for Humanity through our faithful nailing skills. We host Hi Neighbors which is a great way to get folks out of the house and into community.
We now house the Helping Hands program who are currently in North Carolina helping folks still recovering from natural disasters. We are love and light to the LGBTQIA+ community through our visible participation at the Lehigh Valley Pride Festival. We bring beautiful music to our community. We believe in interfaith interactions and proudly work with the Bethlehem Interfaith Group. We continue to nurture our own faith formation for all ages through Body & Soul and Hearts & Minds. I could go on – but you can hear how we are love and light bringing life to our community.
Our Mission Study theme of being more mission-active could mean many things – time will tell – but I have no doubt the focus will come as you continue down this path of Love and Light. Perhaps you will move into a more justice-oriented mission – becoming leaders for affordable housing in Bethlehem. Perhaps you will become even more affirming and educate people about the transgender community through the lens of Love.
What is happening to transgender folks in this nation is unconscionable – they constitute about 1% of the US’s population but have been made the scapegoat in endless culture wars that are not rooted in love and light, but in fear and anger. Love leads to curiosity which leads to understanding. Fear and anger lead to persecution. Let Love Light your way so that others will have Life!
Let Love be your guide. Let Light in so that the path will continue to be illuminated to how this community of faith can put their words of faith into acts of faith. Let God’s Love for you and this community of faith root deeply within you so that you, me, us grow stronger and stronger, branching out in Light and Life. May it be so. Amen.