Valentine’s Day was last Saturday

Dear Congregation,

Valentine’s Day was last Saturday, a day when a red heart is a symbol of love. I presume that is why the planners of the weekly Prayer Vigil across from Alligator Alcatraz last Sunday chose as its theme “To Immigrants with Love.” To go along with the theme, those present prayed “We the people will love” in response to a litany of anti-immigrant actions. We also had the opportunity to sing songs about love. And so our own musicians, Graham, with his tambourine, and Mike Crudele (Prof), with his guitar, did a great job of leading the gathered crowd in two songs “Lead With Love” by Melanie DeMore, and the Beatles “All You Need is Love”. It was a powerful time as we sang together, expressing our belief as human beings in the power of love.

At the end of the vigil we were asked to move together to form a heart which was captured on film by a photographer standing on top of a charter bus that had brought people to the vigil. The heart was made up of all kinds of people who’d come together to pray and stand in love for the immigrants incarcerated and suffering in the detention center, and their families.

Jesus’ Great Commandment is that we love God and love our neighbor, defining ‘neighbor’ as anyone in need. Let us continue, in this season of Lent and beyond, to do what we can, as a church and as followers of Jesus, to show love to immigrants who are our neighbors.

I invite you to make your attendance in worship an important part of your Lenten journey. I hope to see you in church Sunday for the service followed by our Annual Meeting.

In Christ’s love.

Pastor Candy