Love & Connection
Connected and Loved.
While I’ve been praying over this part of our vision statement at my coffee shop office I’ve sat across from this board.
Our friends at Unhinged have a board where people can write down ridiculous moments they’ve experienced in life and post them anonymously. And there’s all manner of chaos that’s shared, from tripping in front of a busy construction site to forgetting to take the plastic off the cheese before making a grilled cheese. (those might be mine…)
People will come by this board and read things that make them laugh, and point while saying, “Yeah, I’ve been there.”
The purpose, though, is not to judge or insult. The purpose is to illustrate that we all have moments in life that are far from perfect, and that in spite of those imperfections, we all deserve connection and love.
This is something Jesus lived out in so many ways. In fact, a few of those moments I could see Jesus writing down on a sticky note and placing on this wall. Maybe these:
“I once rubbed dirt and spit in a guy’s eyes so he could see.” 👀
(John 9:6-7)
“I hug people who have skin diseases.” 🤗
(Matt. 8, Mark 1, Luke 5)
“One time while I was preaching, a group of people tore the roof off a house and dropped their friend in!” 🫠
(Luke 5:17-39)
Jesus doesn’t want you to feel so ashamed or embarrassed of who you are that it keeps you from finding connection and feeling loved. Which is why these words are part of our vision statement.
In fact, they form what could become our mantra at KUMC:
Love Louder.
Connect Deeper.
As we work to make this vision a reality, our work will be loving louder than injustice and oppression in the world—whether it’s as big as racism or as everyday as making mistakes—and connecting deeper with God, our community, and ourselves.
This is our activity as God’s people: to see these things become real in the lives of everyone we engage with. And it beautifully frames our vision of the future.
The heartbeat of the community describes how we hope to be with our neighbors: present, attentive, giving life, and creating space for people to rest and be renewed.
And Love Louder. Connect Deeper. gives us a way to think about what we do. It helps us filter the things we plan, the ministries we create, and the way we show up in our community through two simple questions:
Does this help us love louder?
Does this help us connect deeper?
Together, these ideas give shape to the kind of church we hope KUMC will become—and the kind of community we hope to build with our neighbors.
From my heart,
Rev. Steph Margeson
