Most of us have taken membership vows here at McKnight, and our vows include not simply promises to be “members of Christ’s holy church” and “Christ’s representatives in the world,” a whole lot of individuals unified by faith, but—and this is key—promises to “nurture one another in the Christian life and faith.” We not only worship the same God, but we pray together, and for each other, and we support each other on this journey, as we live and learn and try to respond faithfully to God throughout all the circumstances of our lives.

I see that in you. I see you calling each other, checking up on sick congregation members. I see text chains in which people are supported in prayer. I see you conversing on Sunday mornings, laughing or shaking your heads as you talk about your weeks. This, too, is holy work, the work of the Body of Christ.

This Sunday, after worship, we’ll have a Valentine’s Cookie Social. It’ll be fun, and delicious, and all kinds of good things. But I invite you to consider, too, that this time together after worship is also holy time: checking in with the other members of the body of Christ. It doesn’t have to feel like work to be holy. So, come—fellowship with fellow members of Christ’s body. Share God’s peace, gain new understanding of each other, and rejoice in God’s love.

I’ll see you in church,

Becky

Prayer

Gracious God, who brings us together,

Thank you for not leaving us alone.

Thank you for sharing the belovedness between us

as well as with us.

Teach us to treasure your community,

to respond to each other in love,

to learn to understand fulness of life together.

May we learn to think of ourselves as a body

as well as individuals,

living into your creation,

in which we are all related.

Heal our divisions, we pray,

and help us to love each other through them.

In the name of your Son, who faced death out of love

not only of us, but of the other people with whom we live. Amen.