From Our Pastors

Rev. Megan
Berkowitz

Rev. Amy
Clark Feldman

Pastor Megan
January 25, 2024


“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up..”

 1 Corinthians 8:1b 

This verse comes from a section of scripture in which Paul is arbitrating a discussion among the faithful in Corinth about how to interact with the culture around them. They want a clear edict from him, want him to come down on their side (one side or the other), and instead Paul offers this bit of wisdom. Being right is one thing, he seems to be saying, but being loving is another entirely.

I think this is another piece in the puzzle of getting to the heart of things in our faith. We could make a lot of noise about scriptural interpretation, theological doctrine, denominational polity, and lots else – all important, but maybe not the heart of things.

There are a lot of right and wrong answers, depending on whose side you ask (on one side or the other!). I learned in school about “norming norms,” or the standard by which we judge all other standards, and Paul is offering one here.

Are we building one another up in love? This question, beloved, will help us to get to the heart of things.

Peace,
Megan

Past Posts


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  • From Our Pastors: November 15, 2024
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    Thank you to everyone who joined in the Congregational Meeting last Sunday, and particular thanks to co-moderators Susan Hunt Stevens and Susan Gedrick for leading us, and to Jaap van Reijendam for ensuring those on Zoom could take part as well. The brief workshop Leila led on 1:1s, in the GBIO and community organizing model, gave us a tool for connecting with one another more deeply. Learn More
  • From Our Pastors: November 8, 2024
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    November 8, 2024
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  • From Our Pastors: October 18, 2024
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  • From Our Pastors: October 11, 2024
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    Octoberr 11, 2024
    So much in the world at large and within our own community and families feels like it is in upheaval, right now. War, storms, the coming election, health challenges, grief, transitions, and more make it feel as though the ground is shifting for so many of us. I was reminded in a conversation this week of the framework offered by Joanna Macy in The Work that Reconnects. In it, she explains that how we choose to tell the story – of the world and society at large, but also of our lives – affects how we feel and how we act. Learn More
  • Hurricane Relief
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  • From Our Pastors: September 13, 2024
    Pastor Amy
    September 13, 2024
    It was a joy and comfort to be together again as we kicked off the new church year last weekend.  Something special happens when we worship and are fed together at the communion table; when we hug, cry, and laugh together; when we celebrate together in the sunshine.  Learn More