English (United States) 
"Love One Another" from the 2020 Summer Vision Newsletter
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35).
Jesus’ words in John 13 are a defining characteristic of what it means to be a true Christian. We are called to love our neighbor, not just when it’s convenient or easy, but when it requires effort and sacrifice.
We may have used these past few months of being quarantined and isolated from others as a reason why we may need to be more focused on ourselves and are unable to serve others in ways we would under normal circumstances. And yet, a pandemic is not an excuse to forego the command of Jesus Christ. On the contrary, it gives us the opportunity to be more creative in the ways that we demonstrate Jesus’ love towards one another.
Following are some examples of unique ways that members across the country have been able to serve their neighbors. May these stories be an inspiration as we all look for ways to serve and love each other over the coming months.
- The Sunday School group in the Schaumburg congregation were able to meet regularly for their Spring lessons through Zoom. Each teacher put in extra effort to make the lessons more engaging and interactive for the students. For one lesson on letting the light of God in, the students were asked to build forts in their homes to watch and listen to the lesson in. And for Mother’s Day, the teacher mailed out a packet of materials beforehand so students could use these to create their own Mother’s Day cards.
- During the month of June, the Clifton congregation in New Jersey allowed the city to use the church parking lot as a site for free coronavirus testing. Talk to your rector about how the congregation can use your church space for community activities.
- A youth group in Florida had a virtual bake-off in May. A recipe was sent out a week ahead to give the youth time to buy all their ingredients. Each one connected to Zoom from their kitchens, and during the time while their cookies were baking, the youth leader led a discussion with the youth and their families on different spiritual topics.