A Lesson on Love

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." [Matthew 22:37-40]

Chinese Community United Methodist Church has a tradition of passion for community service, social justice, and sharing God’s love. We have a heart for trying to make the world a better place for all people. To go on a Missions project – particularly one abroad – is to put yourself out of your element, out of your comfort zone, and even out of your safe space. Certainly, one can go out into the world with one’s own expectations, a guarded heart, and personal boundaries; but Missions is more than just building a home for someone or talking to someone about Jesus. When we think about “with all our souls,” we recognize that Missions is to open our souls and be in connection with others – to see their lives in their environment and to share our lives with them.

As our members prepare for this Missions project, the outward bound team and the home team walk together in a spiritual journey to transform the world and be transformed in the Love the God gives us. We seek to listen to God’s voice in hearts and hear how we can each make a difference. We will learn how each of our members hears God’s call in his/her own way. We will learn how we can speak to others through God’s Love. And we will have the opportunity to support each other – the outward bound team supporting the home team and the home team supporting the outward bound team. To “love your neighbor” is God’s call to us. Through this Missions project to Uganda, God will be our guide and our teacher, showing us what “Love” is.

- DerekL, Chair of English Ministries Council