​Dear SUMC members and friends,
     Lent is a season when we brave the cold winter and hope for a fresh and sunny spring. Lent is
also a spiritual journey when we walk with Jesus, participating in his pain of crucifixion and the
glory of his resurrection.
      Unless we die, we cannot be born again. Our greed and hubris must die so that the spirit of
Jesus may rise in our hearts, in our church, and in our world.
       Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” When the world is dark with greed, hatred, and
violence, we are called to brighten the dark world with our Christian love and compassion.
As Mother Teresa said, “The problem with our world is that we draw our family circle too
small.” When we are stuck with the mentality of tribalism and nationalism, Jesus comes to
broaden our family circle so that we would include all people as brothers and sisters in God.
      We need to realize that there is a difference between nationalism and patriotism. Nationalism is
something Nazi Germany tried and failed. Patriotism pursues not just the interests of our
country but also justice and peace of the whole world. God loves the whole world, not just one
country over other countries.
      In UM Hymn (437) “This is My Song” is a line, “O hear my song, thou God of all the nations, a
song of peace for their land and for mine.” God has called us to work for the kingdom of God
on earth where we worship God, not human beings, unite people, not divide people, and love
people, not hate people.
       When our ego, selfishness, and self-centeredness die, Christ will be resurrected in our hearts!
In anticipation of Easter,
Pastor Jerry Cho