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How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Psalm 133:1 

This photo captures a California surfing community coming together for a “paddle out” for unity in the midst of our national divisions. Their colorful surfboards spell out “UNITY” on the beach. Unity implies a community at peace. Peace = CommUNITY.  

God’s greatest desire for creation is peace. On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus prayed for peace. He prayed for unity among his followers. He even prayed for those who did not yet know him to be brought to complete unity. Jesus’ prayer and desire was for us to be one in him.  

As a faith community, Desert Cross seeks to facilitate unity by following the way of Jesus in word and deed lived out by humble service. Our congregation is working to share a sense of hope, community, and faith. Our Faith Formation themes for Worship, Learn, and Serve encourage CommUNITY.  

The October theme is “Serve” with many opportunities to come together in unity. Join us for worship, join in our coffee fellowship after worship and faith formation classes unified by the theme, join in our service project, Desert Cross Serves, to pack snacks for the hungry, join in Family Night for all ages, and check out the latest mission e-News from Denise McClellan with new opportunities to serve outside our walls as ambassadors of Desert Cross. Learn more at https://www.desertcross.org/. 

Psalm 133:1 says it all: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Peace brings unity. Unity brings peace. In Hebrew, peace is “Shalom.” In Arabic, peace is “Salaam.” Jesus himself is our Shalom. He is our Salaam. He is our Peace that allows us to form CommUNITY that serves.  

May we work and pray for peace in our lives. Let us work and pray for peace in the world, as we seek to understand our neighbors. In the week ahead, let’s join in this Prayer of Peace from St. Francis of Assisi: 

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Peace, Pastor Andrea