In this Easter season we hear the words of Jesus: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35(NRSV).

      As the disciples who were taught this in person during that "Last Supper" with Jesus had times of struggle and failure in learning how to live this in their day to day lives, so do we.  And as did those early disciples, so do we also rejoice in God's presence and guidance, love and forgiveness as we turn and re-turn to God, trusting/believing/living faithfully in the steps of the journey of each new day.  We too rejoice in knowing Jesus speaks to us "Peace be with you."  We too hear Jesus sending us into this world not to judge the world, but so the world may know God's salvific love as we testify to this with our lives, speech, listening, action, and compassion.

 And as the United Church of Christ likes to say "No matter who you are, no matter where you are in life's journey, ALL are welcome here!"