Dear Church Family,
               This Sunday we’ll be looking at one of the most familiar passages of Scripture – Paul’s hymn of love, I Corinthians 13.  Scripture reminds us that God’s love is abundant and free flowing. It is not as though there is a limited supply.  It is not as though if someone else gets a generous portion of God’s love that there will be less for us.  The gospel pushes back against a theology of scarcity. 
               It concerns me that too often in our world, we operate with the assumption of zero-sum equations in the distribution of positive resources.   There’s only so much good, so much justice, so much love, and so think that higher wages for those at the lowest end of the scale will cost me economically;  that efforts to rectify hurts done to people of color invariably penalize whites;  that employment  opportunities for immigrants mean my job is in jeopardy.  An assumption of scarcity makes it tempting to look for someone to blame. 
               The economy of love operates differently.  The Bible suggests love isn’t a scarce  or limited resource which needs to be parceled out.  Indeed, people of faith discover the more love they offer, the more there is to give.  Such a view of abundance seems odd in our world, but it is the essence of the good news. 
               The sermon is “Love’s Lessons for a Church in Ferment.”  The texts are I Corinthians 13 and Ecclesiastes 4:7-12.
               Assuming we don’t get snowed in, I look forward to seeing you in church on Sunday.
Peace and Joy,
Rich