Faith, Hope and Love   Scripture:  And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. I Corinthians 13:13

Reflection: I Corinthians 13 is a frequent scripture chosen for weddings. A Church of England wedding must have at least one reading from the Bible. The number one most popular reading for weddings is I Corinthians 13. For the summer sermon series, Ruling Elders currently serving on the Eastridge Session chose their favorite scripture. Jason Anderson chose I Corinthians 13 which Jason and his wife Lindsey had read at their wedding. Thinking of the number 13, Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition according to Wikipedia. It may have "originated from the story of Jesus' last supper and crucifixion" in which there were 13 individuals present in the Upper Room on the 13th of Nisan Maundy Thursday, the night before Jesus' death on Good Friday. The number 13 is special to me. Specifically, Friday the 13th is a lucky day. My husband and I had our first "date" on Friday the 13th - our high school senior prom. The wedding industry celebrates romantic love, rather than Christian love, which is all about commitment. Eastridge Church had a Marriage Celebration in 2012, recognizing couples who had been married for fifty years or more. There were 67 known couples listed. Talk about commitment! My husband and I are grateful to be celebrating 58 years of marriage this month. Martin Luther stated, "There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage." Prayer: God, you are with us as we celebrate faith, hope, and love daily in our lives. Thank you for your blessings bestowed on us. Amen Lois Poppe