Reach Sunday 2025

In a world often marked by division and self-interest, we are reminded of a powerful command that has the potential to transform our lives and communities: "Love one another." This simple yet profound instruction lies at the core of our faith and purpose.

The call to love is not merely a suggestion or a nice idea—it's a command. We are instructed to love others as we have been loved, with a depth and sincerity that reflects the very nature of God. This love is meant to be our defining characteristic, the unmistakable sign that we are followers of Christ.

But what does this love look like in practice? It's far more than warm feelings or kind words. True love, the kind we're called to embody, is active and sacrificial. It sees the needs of others and moves to meet them. It crosses boundaries, breaks down walls, and reaches out to those society often overlooks or ignores.

Throughout history, this radical love has been a catalyst for change. In times of pandemic and crisis, it was Christians who stayed behind to care for the sick when others fled. It was believers who established the first hospitals, driven by compassion for those in need. This selfless love drew attention and sparked curiosity—people wondered what could motivate such extraordinary care for strangers.

Today, we're called to continue this legacy of love in action. Our faith community is actively engaged in numerous initiatives that embody this calling:

We partner with local organizations to provide food, shelter, and support to those facing poverty and homelessness. Through these efforts, we're not just meeting immediate needs but building relationships and restoring dignity.

Our outreach extends to local schools, where we mentor students, support teachers, and contribute to creating nurturing environments for learning. By investing in education, we're helping to shape futures and break cycles of poverty.

Internationally, we're making a profound impact through scholarship programs that enable students in Kenya to access education they could never afford otherwise. These scholarships aren't just about academics—they're lifelines that rescue young people from desperate situations and open doors to futures filled with hope and possibility.

One student, Sammy, shared how this love changed his life: "In my past, I always felt hated or judged by everyone because my parents died of AIDS. The love and encouragement from the mission teams changed my life. At first, we were all scared to approach them or we don't want to talk to them because we all felt unworthy. It is hard here not to feel useless. But the love they have shown us overwhelms us."

This is the power of love in action—it sees beyond circumstances, reaches across divides, and communicates worth and value to those who have been made to feel worthless.

But our calling to love isn't limited to grand gestures or organized programs. It's meant to infuse every aspect of our daily lives. It's about choosing to see others through God's eyes, recognizing the divine image in every person we encounter.

One woman shared how she practices this in a simple yet profound way: whenever she enters a room, instead of gravitating to familiar faces, she asks God where He wants her to sit. This openness has led to countless meaningful encounters and connections she would have otherwise missed.

Love in action is also about meeting practical needs with compassion and dignity. A local initiative called Blue Barn Blessings exemplifies this beautifully. Through this program, hundreds of students receive bags filled with clothing, toys, toiletries, and other essentials. For many, these gifts represent the first new items they've ever owned.

One counselor shared the story of an eighth-grade boy who received a simple red shirt through the program. This shirt became a treasured possession—the boy wore it weekly, proudly telling others, "I'm wearing my red shirt again. Those angels gave it to me." For a child who had never before owned new clothing, this small act of love communicated that he was seen, valued, and worthy of care.

These stories remind us that love has the power to transform lives in both big and small ways. Every act of kindness, every moment of genuine connection, every effort to meet a need or lighten a burden—all of these are ways we fulfill our calling to love one another.

But living out this love isn't always easy. It requires sacrifice, stepping out of our comfort zones, and sometimes facing rejection or misunderstanding. It means being willing to engage with difficult situations and challenging people. It calls us to look beyond surface-level judgments and see the inherent worth in every individual.

As we strive to embody this love, we're not just changing others—we're being transformed ourselves. Our eyes are opened to see the world and its people as God sees them. Our hearts expand to embrace those we might have previously overlooked or avoided. We begin to understand more deeply the vastness of God's love for humanity and our role in making that love tangible in the world.

This is the essence of our calling—to be conduits of divine love in a world desperately in need of it. It's not about grand gestures or heroic acts, but about consistently choosing love in our everyday interactions and decisions.

As we reflect on this calling, let's challenge ourselves:
- How can we cultivate a greater awareness of the needs around us?
- In what ways might we be overlooking opportunities to show love to others?
- Are there boundaries or prejudices in our hearts that limit our capacity to love as we're called to?
- How can we make love a more intentional part of our daily lives?

Remember, every act of love, no matter how small it may seem, has the potential to create ripples of change that extend far beyond what we can see. As we embrace our calling to love one another, we become part of a beautiful, transformative movement—a living testament to the power of divine love in action.

Let us go forth with open eyes, open hearts, and open hands, ready to love others as we have been loved. For in doing so, we not only fulfill our calling but participate in the ongoing work of bringing light, hope, and healing to our world.