Gathering

Archive of messages sent while serving as a bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  

Gathering on July 19th

I believe an important part of the gospel of Jesus Christ involves gathering. We gather as a Zion people to better ourselves and to lift others. We gather to live up to our covenants of mourning with those that mourn and comforting those that stand in need of comfort. We gather to feel the Spirit, share our struggles, rejoice, and worship our Heavenly Father.

While our current circumstances make it difficult to gather regularly, I am excited to invite everyone back for Sacrament Services on Sunday, July 19. Details on how we will do so safely are to follow, but before I get to that, I want to discuss how important it will be that we help, lift and support one another as opposed to being judgmental.

When we meet, there will be many that will not be able to come for a variety of reasons. We will miss you. You will not be judged for making those decisions for you and your family.

When we meet, masks will be strongly encouraged; however, a few people may not wear a mask for any variety of reasons. Those wearing masks and those not wearing masks will not be judged for making those decisions for you and your family.

When we meet, we will take the sacrament together to help us renew our covenants and to invite the Spirit to help us be better. We are all at different spots in our disciple's journey back to our Heavenly Father. No one will be judged with where we are falling short or trying to be better.

In short, there is no room for the prevalent divisiveness of today's culture inside our chapel and among a Zion people. This is a great reason we must gather: to exercise faith, charity, and hope for a better world. The answer to today's problems and all our problems is always Jesus Christ.

Welcome back to church.

With Love,

Bishop Sullivan