Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:30-31)

My church family,

I am Pastor Sophia. Let me ask you something: have you ever sat at a four-way stop where nobody seems to know whose turn it is? Everyone waves. Everyone hesitates. One brave soul inches forward… then backs up. It becomes a confusing dance. Now imagine that multiplied by a hundred cars. Suddenly, rules don’t seem so restrictive anymore—they seem like a gift!

In our lives of faith, God’s commands are not meant to box us in. They are meant to protect what is precious. They are signs of God’s covenant love—His desire to be in relationship with us.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus beautifully summarizes the heart of God’s commandments: love God with all that we are, and love our neighbors as ourselves.

Simple? Yes. Easy? Not always. Life-changing? Absolutely.

Currently, I have meditated on what it means by living as children of God in the world where division has been loud, and opinions has been sharp without listening to each other. The call of Christ remains steady and clear: love God, love your neighbor.

Imagine what would happen if we truly lived that way—not just in church, but at home, online, at work, in conversations with those who disagree with us. Imagine how different our community would feel.

As Lent approaches, this invitation becomes even more meaningful. Jesus did not come merely to give us better advice. He came to establish a new covenant—one sealed in love. We are invited into companionship with God.

So this week, I encourage you to reflect on two simple questions:

How am I loving God with my whole heart? How am I loving my neighbor in practical, tangible ways?

And if you feel like you have fallen short—welcome to the human family. The good news is that God’s covenant is grounded not in our perfection, but in His faithfulness.

I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday. Come ready to sing, to pray, to listen, and even to laugh.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you and give you peace.

With gratitude and hope,

Your pastor
Sophia (Seung Hae) Yoo-Hess

Pastor of Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church
43987 Little River Turnpike, Chantilly, Virginia
Office) (703)3274461