October 29, 2026 - "The Word Among Us" - A Weekly Note from Pastor Michael

The Word Among Us 

A Weekly Note from Pastor Michael 

Becoming a Sanctuary People 

Thursday, October 29, 2026 

The Federated Church of Chagrin Falls 

Last Sunday, we heard Jesus answer one of the most important questions ever asked of him: Which commandment is the greatest? 

His answer was both simple and profound: Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And love your neighbor as yourself. Upon these two commandments, Jesus said, hang all the Law and the Prophets. 

But what does that love look like when we put it into practice? 

This Sunday, we continue into Matthew 23, where Jesus challenges the religious leaders of his day for failing to practice what they preach. It is a familiar criticism, one that has given shape to our understanding of hypocrisy. The word comes from the Greek language of the theater, where a hypokritēs was an actor, someone who played a role. 

Jesus reminds us that faith is not a performance. It is a way of life. 

And that brings us to an important moment in the life of Federated Church. 

This Sunday, we will begin introducing a conversation that will continue in the months ahead: What does it mean for Federated to become a Sanctuary People? 

We have long proclaimed that no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here. But welcome is more than something we say. It is something we practice. It takes shape in the relationships we cultivate, the boundaries we respect, the care we extend, and the ways we protect and honor one another. 

As part of our congregation’s ongoing Safe Church process, I have the honor of welcoming to worship a friend and colleague, Rev. Tina Green. Together, we will begin exploring what it means to cultivate a congregation where our commitments to love, dignity, accountability, and belonging are reflected in the life we share. 

And there could hardly be a more meaningful Sunday to begin. 

November 1 is All Saints’ Day, when the church remembers those who have gone before us in faith. We are part of a communion that stretches across generations, inheriting both the gifts and the responsibilities of those who came before us. Their lives helped make this community possible. Our lives will help shape the community that comes after us. 

We will gather at Christ’s table to celebrate Holy Communion, remembering that the church is not simply a building, an institution, or a collection of individuals. We are a people called together by grace, formed in love, and sent into the world to serve. 

A sanctuary is not simply a place we enter. It is something we become for one another. 

I hope you’ll join us this Sunday as we remember the saints, share the bread and cup, and begin imagining together the kind of community God is calling us to become. 

In Shared Communion, 
—Pastor Michael 

Preparing for Sunday 

Read Matthew 22:34–40 and Matthew 23:1–12. 

• What is the difference between proclaiming love and putting love into practice? 
• Who has helped make Federated a place of belonging for you, and how might we carry their legacy forward? 
• What would it look like for our congregation to become a sanctuary people—not only in what we believe, but in how we live together?