President’s Blog: A Community of Christ-Like Love

 

At Landis Homes we begin many of our gatherings with a meditation and prayer.   In this blog I share a meditation by resident Ruth Rohrer at the start of our January 11 2016 Landis Homes Residents Council meeting.  This group of about 50 residents meets ten times per year.  I am grateful that Residents Council invites staff leadership to join them in these meetings which facilitate communication and shared commitment to our mission of honoring and enriching lives in a community of Christ-like love, guided by our values of joy, compassion, integrity, stewardship and community.

In this meditation Ruth reflects on Paul’s writing to the multicultural church community in Ephesus, and addresses issues appropriate to the diverse religious and cultural backgrounds present in the community.

Today we are here as a group of residents in this retirement home (Landis Homes).  Aren’t we thankful that we do not all need to be a Landis to be part of this body?  What is it that binds us together?  We have a Resident Council including the leadership team as well as some residents representing the people living here.  This is a group that works for the benefit of all of us.

Who helps this team agree on certain goals?  Have you heard anyone say they feel the spirit of love and service here?  Where does this spirit come from?  Have you heard how we start with prayer when a team meets?  I even noticed on Channel 95 there is a time for silent prayer offered for the team members or the residents.

Yes, Paul was right when he wrote Ephesians 1:10, “To bring all things in heaven and earth together under one head, even Christ.”  This is a mystery as it says in chapter 3, verse 7 “I became a servant of this gospel of love, by the gift of God’s grace given me through the work of His power.”

And chapter 2, verse 8, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Prayer:  Our loving Father, we are so thankful you help us do good works.  Thank you for the wisdom you give to this team of workers here at Landis Homes.  We are all your workmanship and we love one another.  We want to do our best to build your Kingdom from day to day.  Thank you for your grace and peace.  Help us to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. In the worthy Name of Jesus. Amen