Greetings,

Mr. Rogers, is probably most recognized for singing the song, "Won't you be my NEIGHBOR"?

*Leviticus 19:18 (KJV) Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: l am the Lord.

*Mark 12: 31:33 (KJV) And the second (commandment) is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto Him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; And there is none other but He; And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

God shows love to all people and we are called to do the same. Our neighbor is anyone in our proximity with whom we can share God's love. Loving our neighbors means attending to their needs. A person may seem distant, but all are near enough to receive our friendship, care, connection, help and support. Jesus expanded the boundaries of our neighborhood to include all of God's children.

Sooo, those making us uncomfortable, frustrated, super mad, and .......... ? YES!!! Those with cultural and religious differences than our own? YES!!!

And the questions could continue, but we are created for community and Godly relationships that require us to develop humility and patience. And most importantly: Love!!

Love,

Judy Ferguson, Elder