Good Jesus, long ago you said, each time you gather to be fed, I’ll make you brave by sharing bread and resurrect you from the dead. We trust your promise to be near, at every Feast of love appear to eat and drink away our fear, and give us grace to persevere.
The Reverend Dr. Mary Luti
Neighbors and clergy from several Newton churches gathered for worship and Communion on Sunday, August 7, 2022. Worship leaders included the Reverend Wayne Earl (interim) from the Second Church in Newton, the Reverend Wendy Vander Hart (interim) from the Union Church in Waban, and the Reverend Cheryl Kerr from United Parish of Auburndale.
Guest preacher the Reverend Dr. Mary Luti gave a sermon entitled, “What’s Communion For?” She asserted, “Communion is meant to counter the world’s story of exclusion…with a story of unconditional love and acceptance regardless of status, race, zip code.”
She spoke about the power of communion to shape the faithful “into a body that eats together and shares food” and “remembers Jesus’ command not to hate.” She added, “Jesus saved his harshest words for those who have no patience for the weakness of others.”
“We lend oursleves to the shaping grace of repetition,” she stated. “We are called to get really good at resisting injustice.”
