May 7, 2006

How to Love in Deed and Truth

by Rev. Dr. Jim Carlson

1 John 3:16-24

A British churchman dubbed "the quicker vicar" because of his love of running spared the blushes of a couple he was about to marry by sprinting over fields to collect the rings the bridesmaid forgot.

The oversight was discovered just minutes before the ceremony last Saturday but Christopher McQuillen-Wright threw off his priest's robes and sprinted three-quarters of a mile (1.2 kilometres) to the home of the bride's mother where the rings had been left for safe-keeping, church officials said.

Four minutes later the 35-year-old, who has won the Tresco Marathon on the Isles of Scilly off England's southwest coast, picked up the bands and turned on his heel, making it back just in time for the bride's arrival.

The priest said that the narrow lane outside the church in the village of St Columb Minor was blocked by a horse and carriage and he decided it was a better bet to collect the rings under his own steam.

How does a church deal with disagreements? Cope with people leaving?

Explanation of situation in 1 John:

Group within church left over disagreements - scriptures

Exodus of dissenters decimated church – scriptures

Author tries to redefine community identity – scriptures

Commandments – believe and love one another.

Love limited in 1 John to church. Good Shepherd imagery – scripture.

Different from understanding of neighbor in Luke – Good Samaritan.

I’m not interested in talking about our differences with people who have left.

Passage challenges us to continually reaffirm our identity as people who love each other.

Decentralization in ABC – seems like less cooperation.

Loving each other means trusting one another to get through a difficult time financially. Means helping needy parishioners.

Florence Heckler – loved people in word and deed.