“A Community of Faith, Family and Friends”
Pastor: Rev.
Christopher Druce Jones
Put
a Little Love in Your Heart
Dear Ones in Christ:
A few
years ago I heard this awesome song by Anne Lennox and Al Green that has the
following words.
“Think of your fellow man; lend him a helping hand.
Put a little love in your heart.
You see it's getting late; oh please don't hesitate.
Put a little love in your heart.
And the world will be a better place; for you and me.
You just wait and see.
Another day goes by; and still the children cry. Put a
little love in you heart.
If you want the world to know; we won't let hatred
grow. Put a little love in your heart.”
Take a good look around; and if you're lookin' down.
Put a little love in your heart.
I hope when you decide; kindness will be your guide.
Put a little love in your heart.
And the world will be a better place; for you and me.
You just wait and see. Put a little
love in your heart.”
I
was inspired when I heard the song and it made me think about the love I have
in my heart. Is it enough? Does it make a difference in the lives of others?
Does it make a difference in my own life? I have resolved this coming Lent to
put a little more love in my heart instead of not doing something. Yes, I am
adding on more to my life during Lent. I am anticipating it not always being
easy because loving others is not as easy as it may sound.
Let
me pose a thought provoking question: What does it mean to live in the world
with a truly compassionate heart, a heart that remains open to all people at
all times? It is very important to realize
that compassion is more than sympathy or empathy. When we are asked to listen
to the pains of people and empathize with their suffering, we soon reach our
emotional limits. We can listen only for a short time and only to a few people.
In
our society we are bombarded with so much news about human misery that our
hearts easily get numbed simply because of overload.
But
God’s compassionate heart does not have limits. God’s heart is greater,
infinitely greater, than the human heart. It is that divine heart that God
wants to give us so that we can love all people without burning out or becoming
numb.
It
is for this compassionate heart that we pray when we say or sing during the
season of Lent: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right
spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your
holy spirit from me.”
The
Holy Spirit of God is given to us so that we can become participants in God’s
compassion and so reach out to all people at all times with God’s Heart. May
God’s Spirit increase the love in your heart this Lenten season.
Lord, when I fail to love others, as I
often do, help me realize that it is because I’ve first failed to love you, the
source of all love. This is Lent, help me to reach out to someone who is poor –
in body or spirit – someone whose love for you may be fading.
Pastor Chris
Sermons for
the Soul February
4 What
Are You Hungry For? Matthew
14:13-21 February
11 What Are You Hungry For? Matthew
15: 21-28 February
18 What Are You Hungry For? Genesis
32: 1-21 February
25 What Are You Hungry For? Luke
8: 26-33
Sunday Helpers
for February Liturgists Greeters Feb.
4 Iglika Jilly Kim Murphy 11 Roberta Ouper Cathy
Murphy 18 - Kristin Barr Robin Kolec 25 - Iglika
Jilly Erin Poliakon Ushers Feb. 4
Julie Weber Feb. 11 Cathy Murphy, Kim Murphy, Carole
Whitney Feb. 18 Elaine Teltz, Jim & Elaine
Gruber Feb. 25 -
Donna Rosenberg, Lois Hartman, Elaine Teltz, Jim Gruber We have a need
for Custodial Help for the
month of February. Feb. 4
- Erin Poliakon Feb. 11 Feb. 18 -
Park
Family Feb. 25
Lake Villa United
4th
Annual
Gumbo Gathering
Come
ONE, come ALL!
Join
us for Food and Fellowship @ LVUMC in
Conference
Room AND
Fellowship Hall
TODAY!
Sunday, February
11, 2007
following worship
Drinks
will be provided
Bring
your appetite!
Lake
Villa United
Annual
Chili Cook-off
LVUMC
Fellowship Hall
White
Elephant gift exchange @ 6:00pm; please bring a gift to exchange!
Chili will be judged by all present;
there will be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd
place!
Drinks and desserts will be provided;
bring your best pot of chili and your appetite!
|
D A T E/T I M E |
E V E N T |
S P E C I A L N O T E S |
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March 23-25 |
Super Rally |
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PRAYER LIST
(At Home)
For All Our Service Men and Women
Pastor Chris’s grandmother
Marilyn Dugger –
Lafayette Withrow’s son
(daughter of Lois Stachel ) Carol Whitney’s husband
Lafayette Withrow, Alexian Brothers Hospital
Patty Reinarts’ father
Gerry Gonsowski’s aunt
Arlene’s great neice, Nicole
Arlene’s daughter, Cindy Richert, undergoing
cancer treatments
Best Wishes are sent
to all who will be celebrating a Birthday or Anniversary in the month of February.
Happy Birthday to:
Andrews, Colin 2/2 Mack, Jennifer 2/2
Otten, Amanda 2/4 Hunsberger,
Dan 2/5
Welfer, Paula 2/5 Hartman,
Lois 2/6
Revell, Zach 2/7 Teltz,
Gayle 2/7
Dinardi, Nathan 2/8 Kiple,
Lauren 2/8
Koman, Becky 2/8 Cobb,
Jake 2/13
Mitchell, Valerie 2/14 Heneberry, Joyce 2/15
Maynard, Gail 2/15 Yukna,
Olivia 2/16
Bocox, Mark 2/17 Gaylord,
Barbara 2/17
Gofron, Lil 2/17 Mitchell,
Jill 2/18
Bocox,
Bill 2/19 Reinarts,
Dan 2/20
Gonsowski, Ann 2/23 Goggin,
Daniel 2/24
Park, Tyler 2/24 Zell,
Phyllis 2/24
Allen-Stewart, Nicky 2/25 Park, Jan 2/25
Schneider, Kelly 2/26 Aiken/Kellogg,
Jillian 2/27
Bartlett, Colleen 2/28 Keeney, Saundra 2/28
Welfer, Meghan 2/28
Happy Anniversary to:
Edward & Judy Ham 2/ 1 Joseph & Arlene Loncsar 2/ 1
John & Tammy Minella 2/ 3 Al
& Becky Koman 2/6
David & Carey Kines-Kellogg
2/14 Bob & Dee
Sherwood 2/25