Centered in Love: SCYMF Annual Sessions
Our pastor, Matt Boswell, was the featured speaker at this year’s Sierra-Cascades Yearly Meeting of Friends (SCYMF) Annual Sessions.
The theme of this year’s gathering was “centered in Love.”
SCYMF is a group of eight Quaker congregations in Washington and Oregon. We also have about 40 individual (direct) members.
Jesus was radically inclusive in his life and teachings. Sierra-Cascades is Jesus-centered and invites LGBTQIA+ people to become full participants in the life of our meeting, including in paid and volunteer leadership positions.
Matt’s Friday evening message: John 13:34-38
Watch Video HERE.
Read Manuscript HERE.
John 13:34-38 (NRSV):
34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.
Queries:
What do you need? What do you need from us?
What do others need? What do they need from us?
What do you do that could be called Love? What makes that “Love”?
When do you experience Love? When have you felt loved by this community?
A simple but memorable example of Love in action that comes to mind for me is…
I vividly remember being loved by someone when…
I recognized that somebody felt loved because of something I did when…
A memorable “Jesus story” about Love is…
Matt’s Sunday morning message: Galatians 5:13-25
Watch Video HERE.
Read Manuscript HERE.
Galatians 5:13-25 (NRSV):
13 For you were called to freedom, (Friends), only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become (responsible for) one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.
Queries:
What do you need? What do you need from us?
What do others need? What do they need from us?
What do you do that could be called Love? What makes that “Love”?
When do you experience Love? When have you felt loved by this community?
A simple but memorable example of Love in action that comes to mind for me is…
I vividly remember being loved by someone when…
I recognized that somebody felt loved because of something I did when…
A memorable “Jesus story” about Love is…