Pray, Praise and Worship: Pastor's Life

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Pastor's Life - Love

Love isn't easy – or optional
by Rev. Dr. Christine Chakoian

Again and again, Jesus urges us to love: to love the Lord our God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength … to love one another, as he has loved us … to love our neighbors as ourselves … and to love our enemies, as hard as it may be.

Now, there are times when love is delightful, joyful, and easy. Recently I went to Albuquerque to visit our daughter and her family. It had been months since I’d seen our sweet granddaughter. What a joy it was! At 20 months old, she is running and jumping, playing with dolls and reading baby books. She’s talking more and more, and she loves to hug. If there is ever an easy person to love, it’s that adorable kiddo!

But it’s not quite as easy to love everyone, is it? Even – sometimes especially – in church.

Some of us have known the challenge of love through the pain of being hurt by our closest friends and loved ones. Some know the challenge of love when we’re the target of nasty gossip or humiliating public judgment. Some have borne the brunt of degrading condescension, or being marginalized altogether, with no promise of "a future and a hope."

Love is challenging. But as followers of Christ, it’s not optional. So how do we find our way?

Rev. Dr. Christine (Chris) Chakoian serves as Pastor and Head of Staff of Westwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles. She has served in this position since August 2019. She is called to lead the congregation in the ways of Christ. She comes to us from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary where she served as Vice President for Seminary Advancement. Her previous calls include Pastor/Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest, IL, and Community Presbyterian Church in Clarendon Hills, IL, as well as Associate Pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portland, OR, Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, and Overbrook Presbyterian Church in Columbus, Ohio. She is married to John Shustitzky, Director of the Doctoral program in Applied Clinical Psychology at the L.A. campus of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Their daughter and son-in-law, Anna and Spencer Sohn, live in Albuquerque.