Pastoral Letter: Following the Feet of Mercy

Dear Simsbury UMC Family,

Grace and peace to you in Christ.

As another Sunday draws near, we find ourselves in the thick of summer—days filled with blazing sun and sudden, rushing storms. I wonder how you are, wherever you find yourself this week. And I pray that Christ’s peace—his shalom—is reaching you in both quiet and surprising ways.
No matter what we’re facing—joy or grief, anger or loneliness—I hope we are learning to pause and recognize the Spirit’s gentle presence. That’s been my prayer for you. And it’s the prayer in my own heart as I write this letter.

When Mercy Walks Toward Us
Last Sunday, we explored the theme, “Mercy Has Feet.” We looked at the story of the Good Samaritan—Jesus’ response to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” But it wasn’t just a moral lesson. It was a story that moves. It crosses lines. It kneels down. It makes time. Too often, we hear that story and feel pressure to be the “good neighbor”—to do more, love harder, cross every boundary. But the gospel invites us to start somewhere else.

Before we try to be the Samaritan, we remember this:
Jesus became our neighbor first.

When we were lying on the side of the road—hurt, afraid, ignored—Jesus came near. He crossed the divide. He lifted us up. He carried us toward healing. That’s the heart of mercy. Not just something we do—but something we receive, and then live into. So mercy isn’t about trying harder. It’s about walking with the One who walks with us. And when we stay close to Him, somehow, we find ourselves walking where mercy walks.

What Moves Us
We’re now in week three of our summer series, “What Moves Us.”
Week one was Compassion—bearing one another’s burdens, going where God sends us. Week two was Mercy—crossing boundaries not by obligation, but because Christ crossed them for us.

And tomorrow, we’ll reflect on The Courage to Pause—the story of Martha and Mary, and the call to stop, sit, and simply be with Jesus.

As we move from action to presence, I find myself deeply thankful:
That this church is not just walking—but walking with Christ.

And that wherever He leads, we are willing to follow.
Even when it means slowing down.
Even when it means crossing the road.

“Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” (Romans 14:8)
Let’s keep walking. Together. With Him.

With gratitude and peace,
Pastor DH Choi