Love wins. I sincerely believe this to be true. In a world that has turned skeptical of anything that is pure or honest, I dare to believe that at the end love will win. The love manifested by God in creation, made clear to us in Jesus and commissioned to be shared by the church around the world is not an idea, a concept, a value… love is the essence of God, and as John declares in 1 John 4.16 “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them” Our communities are starving for love and that can be said of our world as well. In a time of deep division only the love of God can show a way. Where we see conflict, love teaches us to be understanding. When we see bitterness, loves shows us the way to forgiveness. When we don’t see a way ahead, loves reminds us that not even death can be as strong as the power that flows from God, the power that raised Jesus from the dead and that sustains the church in our mission. So this is my challenge to you today: don’t let your love be drawn by silence, by the day-by-day rush, by distance. Let’s make our love loud through words and actions, let’s open a way to love through prayer, let’s dare to believe that God is at work in us and through us to bring his heart to the world. Yes, it takes hard work. Yes, it can be very difficult at times. But if we give up this idea that love of God will transform the world, we already lost the battle. So let’s embrace the challenge! Let’s face the adventure! Let’s serve one another, love one another, believe for the best in one another, and above everything, remain in a place of unity. When we are one, the world will believe our message. And I’m honoured to be able to face this battle knowing that you are by my side.