LOVE

What is the truth about the LOVE that is at First United? How does it show up? We “feel the love,” see the love, hear the love, hope for the love? We hear stories of love and hope from staff, community members and residents in housing and the shelter.
What do you love about First United? How do you show the love? We are so thankful for the loving relationships with our partners and friends. We are thankful for all the gifts of love, hope, peace, and joy that are given to support the work of charity and justice in our neighbourhood.
Thanks for partners and communities of faith that support First United and believe in the work that we are doing, I give because I care. I give because I love. I give because I can.
We appreciate the many loving reasons for why you give.
Putting our ASK on the line in the name of love. Putting our love on the line each and every day in service to this community. This is the truth of mission and ministry at First United. Please join us in sharing the love.
As we live into another Advent Season, let us prepare, be present to one another, and listen deeply to the truth telling story of the Great Creator that is with us as Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Let us celebrate this presence that is in all living things as we listen to the Truth that needs telling.
People of Faith! Prepare the way and wait upon the delivery of the great good news of love incarnate with us, for us, as us. God with us!
Let us awaken to the way, the truth and the life that liberates and sets us free.

To you is given the gift of endearing tenderness and unconditional acceptance…
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. -1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is a warm and caring feeling that is felt for another person. However God’s, love is unconditional, given to us freely regardless of our words, thoughts, or actions. (Experience God’s Christmas Presence)

Lighting the Candle of Love
Leader: Advent is the season of preparation and waiting.
All: We have prayerful work to do.
Leader: As we light these candles of Hope, peace, Joy, and love we join with many others around the earth, proclaiming our faith and our prayerful intentions to be prepared and to do the work.
All: We wait expectantly with hope. We pray and act for Peace. We choose joy and share the love with others. These lights of hope, peace, joy, and love shine for all.
Leader: Be the hope. Be the peace. Be the joy. Be the love.

All: We will be the hope, the peace, the joy, and the love with Creator God being our helper. Prayers of Love for the People
Leader: With fear and doubt, we enter into the Holy presence.
With so much wrong with this world, we doubt that love is really the answer. With so much hate and hurt, we fear and doubt that love can heal and make whole.
Where’s the love in the hoods and households where children are neglected, and domestic violence
lurks?
We ask…does every child really matter? Do Black lives really matter? Does anyone or anything matter anymore?
All: Forgive us our unloving trespasses as we forgive those who unlovingly trespass against us.
Shine and ignite the light of love upon us and within us. Ground us in the love that will not let us go. Ground us in the love that sets us free to go and love the world. Ignite our loving actions that help to make the kingdom come. Amen.