Posted: February 16th, 2010 Crystal Dempsey

By Ayofemi Kirby and Tonya Jameson

On Valentine’s Day, while couples around the country expressed their love for each other, two faith leaders encouraged congregations to explore the ways they could express their love for God.

As a part of the XChange Sermons program, on Feb. 14, Pastor Nancy Kraft of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church spoke to Unity of Charlotte while the Rev. Nancy Ennis delivered a message at Holy Trinity.

“Rarely do we get to celebrate God on Valentine’s Day,” Pastor Kraft said to the crowd. “So today, I want to explore what we mean about love and our relationship with God.”

Pastor Kraft then shared her surprise when she first told someone she was dating that she loved him and he replied with “Thank You.” “How often, when God tells me I love you, in my life, the best I can do in response is say 'thank you,' ” she said. “But what God would prefer to hear from me, is I love you, too.”

Through the sermon, Pastor Kraft quoted verses from the Bible that highlighted instructions on how to return God’s affection.

She said that God wants his followers to show him their love by loving other people. “Our human relationships tell us about our relationships with God,” she said. “Let there be no doubt about what our God is all about, those who abide in love, abide in God and God in him.

Pastor Kraft didn’t hesitate to acknowledge the history members of the Christian faith had of not loving others, however. “If John had said God is hate, sometimes our actions would make more sense,” she said. “We get so mired in our sinfulness that we don’t leave openings for God's love to enter our lives.”

She referred to the example set by Jesus Christ for examples of how love should look on earth. She said Jesus’ response gives his followers clear instructions.

“God couldn’t give us just one answer,” she said. “He said, ‘Love God and love thy neighbor.”

At Holy Trinity in Plaza Midwood, the Rev. Nancy Ennis talked about the importance of sharing love.

“What better day is there for us to come together?” Ennis asked the congregation. “It’s love that brings us together. It’s love that will improve our interfaith relationships.”

Ennis’ message was a sort of wake up call on a day when we focus on romantic love.

Ennis talked about the importance of being caring, empathetic and compassionate. She talked about showing respect and kindness. She gently chastised congregants for seeking love more than sharing it.

“People search everywhere to get love, but we should share love all over the place,” she said.

In keeping with the Xchange Sermons theme of interfaith connections, Ennis encouraged congregants to use love to build bridges between faiths and with each other. She said the key to building those bridges is discarding the notion that people need to be loved to be fully loved. The love is within us, she said.

“We are the love we’re seeking"

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