Raising the chalice
Bishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, raises the chalice of wine during Holy Communion of the Africa Colleges of Bishops meeting Sept. 3, 2023. (Council of Bishops Photo)
Sept. 4, 2023
LUBUMBASHI, DR Congo – The Council of Bishops President Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton on Sunday called on United Methodists to focus on love because the church’s greatest success depends upon mutual love and meaningful relationships throughout the world.
“The quality of our love for one another among Christians makes the church an effective witness for the gospel because it is what the human spirit longs for, dreams of and desired,” Bishop Bickerton said during the worship service in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Bishop Bickerton is attending the Africa Colleges of Bishops meeting, representing the Council of Bishops with Bishop Gregory Palmer.
“When we demonstrate our genuine desire for unity in Jesus Christ, God draws us into a perfect love that exists between us and God and between us and the world. God calls the church to become a community of mutual love in the world so that people will see and experience the love that believers have for one another but also the love that God has for us.”