Today, I was with a group of Congolese delegates as they were describing an act of violence (certainly reminiscent of other acts committed in the name of change, democracy and freedom). The delegates were insistent that the Church needs to speak out against those acts of violence, that the Church apologize for its silence, and that the Church needs a prophetic witness in creating a better, brighter future for our children and our children’s children.

Tonight, we worship a God who urges us to repent, to be shaped by a love that will take us far into the future. Stepping forward in faith, knowing our sordid history, we press on reaching for the Love that ultimately brings us together…maybe, just maybe, one smile at a time.