“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” – 1 John 4:7-12
Loving and serving others has been an integral part of Prince of Peace since its inception. And this year,
this has been the underlying theme of multiple elements of our work at POP– the focus of the adult Sunday School class, a central value of the new mission and vision statements, and the core guiding principle to the start of POP on the Go.
And it did not stop there. We partnered with the Gathering People for Go Days, helping others in our immediate community. We partnered with Fayette Samaritans, Generations Together, and Boy Scout Troop 282 for multiple projects. Food, school supplies, gifts, pet food, and baby items were collected. Teams volunteered with the Griffin tornado response, I-58 Mission, Midwest Food Bank, and Operation Christmas Child. Our mission team went to Florida for the annual mission trip to rebuild homes. Even within our church family, we loved one another. Packing care packages for our homebound, college kids, and military. Making valentines for our senior saints. The prayer and care team praying and sending cards, enveloping those who need love. Caring for each other in grief, in joy, as neighbors, as friends, as family in Christ. The generosity of this congregation knows no bounds – inside and outside of the church, near and far from our comfort zones.
In reflecting on this past year, there are so many elements of our ministry that could [and rightfully should] be celebrated. Amazing things are happening here at Prince of Peace. And without a doubt, more is on the way in the new year. But it seems fitting that this year was filled with love. With carrying out the key commandment – to love one another. Without judgement. Without questioning. Loving deeply. Loving as He first loved us.
In the Christmas Eve message, Pastor Scott shared that “this Jesus who came to deliver the world first came to serve. That’s what He calls us to do – serve. Give of yourself to others.” How will you continue to love and serve those around you in 2024? What does it look like to take it to the next level, beyond what you did in 2023?
