Glorious God, our Creator and Sustainer, we are awed by your steadfast love for humankind, not because we imagine your love might fail, but because we are ever aware of how our love fails. We imagine that the world would be a harmonious place if everyone thought the same way, worked the same way, and perhaps looked the same, but in our most rational thoughts we know that harmony in human relationships is only achieved with great effort. Create in us righteous hearts and willing ears ready to listen, ready to hear and slow to judge. Call into our consciousness patience and true reason, compassion and tenacity. Let us never give up on the path of reconciliation, which shall lead to the equality of all persons, the dignity of all persons and the well being of the world in the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
OFFERTORY THOUGHT
It is no accident that Human Relations Sunday is coupled with the celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. In his adaptation of J. Wallace Hamilton’s Sermon the Drum Major Instinct he wrote: “Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness.” Since its designation in 1986 MLK day has come to be called the King Day of Service when all are invited to volunteer time to help others, making it A Day ON, not a Day Off.
This Sermon was originally titled R.E.S.T. (changing the order of the Wesleyan quadrilateral formula: R=reason, E=experience, S=Scripture, T=tradtion
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