Copy of Conference Minister's Corner 5.20.26
- Matt Alighieri
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Conference Ministers’ Corner
By: Transitional Associate Conference Minister, Linda Hirst
5.20.26
We are in the season of graduations! College kids, high school youth, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and middle schoolers are all graduating and moving on to the next step: another grade, college, life, or work. Chances are someone in your life is graduating, and if you’re at the college level, someone is giving a commencement address. I graduated from the University of Rhode Island, and our speaker was the great philosopher Mortimer Adler. Who we really wanted was Carol Burnett, but that’s another story. Almost all commencement speakers talk about the next step—be brave, be open, and try to make a difference! These are all good sentiments, but I think Paul’s letter to the Roman church (chapter 12) has the perfect words for a graduate, whether you’re a churchgoer or not. And if you haven’t heard them recently, here they are (in part):
“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor… Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; pursue hospitality to strangers.”
And as if that weren't enough, there’s more!
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them… Live in harmony with one another; do not be arrogant, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible…live peaceably with all.” and finally… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Really, what more needs to be said? So to all our graduates out there and all of us who are attending graduations, may Paul’s words guide us and our lives together, and may we all be brave, be open, and try to make a difference in our world. Happy Graduation!
See you in Church,
-Linda