From the Pastor

Greetings Church Friends and Family,

Two hundred and eighty-five years ago, John Wesley warned an Oxford church full of biblical scholars
and people training to be clergy that it is possible to be almost a Christian without being altogether a
Christian. I believe today, Wesley would give the same warning to all who call themselves “Methodists.”
For Wesley, the “Almost Christian” was one with all the outward forms of faith: worship, prayer, service,
Sunday School, church committees, etc., but was missing one key element, a heart seeking
transformation. They “almost” arrived at what Jesus most wanted for His followers. The “Altogether
Christian,” on the other hand, was one who practiced all the things mentioned above, but their higher goal
was transformation of heart and life. The “Altogether Christian” is one who seeks more than anything else
to grow in love towards God and people. Their heart is slowly transformed into the heart of Christ, and
they gradually learn to love as God loves. Their life, then, is lived from this place of love.

Wesley shared that we can be followers of Christ in name yet hold back from pursuing a life fully shaped
by the Great Commandment. At the center of our journey stands Jesus’ call to love God with all our heart,
all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength, and to love all our neighbors as ourselves. Following Jesus
is not partial, occasional, or compartmentalized. It is a life given over completely to God’s love being
made real in us and through us.

Over the next weeks, SUMC worship will be filled with ways we can practice being not “Almost
Christian,” but, instead, “Altogether Christian,” seeking to grow in the love of God and neighbor more
than anything else.

On this World Communion Sunday, we begin to wrestle with what it means to love God with our whole
hearts in order to learn to love humanity all the more! As you prepare for worship and Holy Communion
with the world, today, my prayer is that you open your hearts to discern God’s next move for you and for
our congregation learning to love with our whole hearts as “Altogether Christians.”

With more love than you know…
Joy Joy - Alexis