There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear… (1 John 4:18)

Our worship service this coming Sunday is meant to mirror the rhythm of the universal language: music. In choosing a theme about which our worship would center, it should not be too surprising that we chose to work from the other universal language: love. Both music and love are gifts from God that equip us to communicate with our brothers and sisters of all cultures, colors, creeds, genders, sizes, shapes, ages, sexualities, education levels, social statuses, financial abilities, and anything else that may seemingly divide us.

Music offers a method of displaying the beauty of God through sound. Love offers a method of displaying the beauty of God through action.

The central passage upon which our service is built is from the first letter of John, chapter four. It is one of the most profound passages on love written in our scriptures. Its central focus is that God is love. From there, the writer points us in every possible direction to represent that same God to the rest of the world. We love because God first loved us.

One of those gorgeous sentences in this passage, that many forget originates here, is this mention of fear (seen above). Perfect love does cast out fear. Why? Because love is that perfecting force that teaches us to choose what is necessary and compassionate and essential and caring and sometimes extravagant over what we fear. It takes courage – a bravery which God will give to any who will seek it.

Love wins – that the the key message of our scriptures in summary. It wins not as a thought or a feeling, but instead as the truth that there is no greater force than a love that will lay down ones life for another.

That is what it means to experience unbound love. Not only do we find its grace in every encounter with God’s holy presence, but we also grow in its strength through every loving action with our brothers and sisters.

Our hope is that the music we will make will inspire you to mirror its beauty through the love you share.

Blessings,     Janie