God calls us to be disciples of Jesus, building community through
service and fellowship and sharing the love of Christ with all.
“The United Methodist Church of Westford is an open and welcoming community of Christian
Faith. Without any exceptions, we welcome anyone who seeks to love and to serve God.” Learn More
“The Sacred Space Under the Oak Tree”
In Genesis 18, Abraham is sitting at the entrance of his tent when three strangers appear. Without hesitation, he runs to welcome them, offering water, food, shade, and rest. What begins as an act of hospitality becomes an encounter with God. For centuries, Christians have seen in this mysterious visitation a glimpse of the Holy Trinity. In Andrei Rublev's famous icon, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit sit together around a table in a circle of love, peace, and mutual welcome. The filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky described this image as a place "where hatred and violence can no longer destroy us." In other words, the divine triangle reveals the safest space, where hatred, violence, and fear cannot invade.
The Trinity reminds us that at the heart of God is relationship. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit create a sacred space of love, acceptance, and belonging. Beneath the oaks of Mamre, Abraham's tent becomes such a space. In welcoming strangers, he finds himself welcomed into the life of God.
This raises an important question for the church: If God creates space for others, what kind of space are we creating? In a world marked by division, competition, walls that keep people in and out, loneliness, self-interest, and exclusion, the church is called to reflect the life of the Triune God. We are invited to become a community that creates safe space where people can belong, where strangers become friends, and where God's hospitality is made visible.
The mission of the church is to bring this divine triangle into the world—to create sacred spaces where people encounter grace, healing, and hope. Whenever we make room for another person, we make room for God to be present among us.