How Do We Proceed?

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) ended its meeting and dismissed the commissioners yesterday. The several hundred men and women from all over the world now go home and try to communicate exactly what they did in Detroit for a week and why they did it. Some will return to hand shakes and “Job well done!” Others will be asked “How could this possibly happen?” with expressions of shock and dismay. Such is the nature of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Some will believe we have finally done the will of God. Others will believe we have ignored it once again.

There are few things we can say for sure. First, as a denomination we will continue to dwindle. Our stance in Detroit will be the basis for 17 international denominations to cut their ties with us. Churches will leave. Membership will decline. Our efforts to “fit in” just don’t seem to be working like we had planned.

Second, we continue to focus on the irrelevant, even when the irrelevant seems to make the front page. You have probably heard that the Presbyterian Foundation has been ordered to sell all stock in Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, & Motorola because of those companies’ ties to military efforts in Israel in opposition to the Palestinians. On the surface it makes sense. Is it really appropriate for a religious organization to own stock in companies that produce a product meant to bring violence on other people? This was the lead story on many internet news feeds. When you dig deeper, you find that “our” holdings in Caterpillar amount to 0.05% of the holdings owned by the foundation. When you add all three companies together the amount “skyrockets” to 0.35% of total holdings. Obviously, the sale of these stocks is limited to symbolic value only. It will not hurt our portfolio, nor will it hurt their bottom line. Actually, it is amazing this wasn’t done several years ago simply to avoid this kind of publicity!

Thirdly, our grand idea of 1001 new worshipping congregations within 10 years has been swallowed up in fights over gay ordination, same sex marriage, and divestment from the industrial military complex. Granted, the original counting of wine tasting clubs as worshipping congregations caused many people to question the emphasis. However, it was starting to look more promising until the really important matters came to the fore this summer. Yes, I am being sarcastic.

What does this mean for you as a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) sitting in your pew the first Sunday after the dismissal of the GA? It means you should pray. You should pray for a denomination that seems to have forgotten what its mission and ministry is about. You may start to pray first and foremost for all of us right here, because it is people like us who make up this branch of the Church. Maybe we have lost our way as well. The Gospel is not that we have sold our Caterpillar stock, nor is it that we have gotten our way on a particular issue. The Gospel is Jesus Christ died for sinners like you and me. His death and resurrection restores our relationship with our Heavenly Father. It restores our relationships with one another. It heals us from our brokenness. And, hopefully, it holds us together through our petty fights and disagreements.

The months ahead will be difficult. Make sure that your prayers are among the many offered for a new sense of vision and purpose, a desire to return to that which has never become old, worn out, or irrelevant. For God so loved the world, that he sent his one and only Son, that anyone who believes in the Son shall not perish but have everlasting life!

Pastor Craig

FATHERS

I write this on the days leading up to Father’s Day. Father’s Day was first celebrated on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington to complement the already established Mother’s Day. The original celebration was supposed to be on June 5th to honor the birthday of William Jackson Smart, Civil War veteran, single parent to six children, father to Sonora Smart Dodd, the sponsor of the day. However, pastors wanted to write a sermon worthy of the day and begged off for two more weeks.

There is an example. Many of us feel we do well raising fewer children with two supportive parents! The model for Father’s Day seems to set the standard pretty high!

We know there are some who long for positive male role models and cannot find one who will step up and put themselves on the line. The failure of some father’s to perform their God-given duties has been one reason some have encouraged a more abstract role or title when referring to God. The idea of “father” does not always give rise to thoughts of love, support, and affection. There are those who were not as fortunate as some of us. Or even more difficult, what about those who, as they think of their father and his influence in their life, can only recall pain, abuse, and suffering.

I am a traditionalist. I hold on to the idea of God as Father. However, he is not like our earthly fathers. All fathers everywhere know they have made mistakes. They have lost their temper. They have allowed work, hobbies, and even church to drain time away from their children. They can recall times they have been too strict, and they remember times they wish they had held the reins more tightly. As fathers, we recall all those things because we are well aware of the man we wish to be, and we know we have failed to reach the goal.

Fortunately, our Heavenly Father does not falter or fail. He does not fall short in his compassion and forgiveness. He fills in the blanks where our skills are weak. If your father chose to be absent from your life growing up, you now have one who wants the rest of your life and will never leave or fail you. If you had a harsh disciplinarian as a father, know that your Heavenly Father expects much, but he gives more than he expects. Your cup overflows.

So, on this Father’s Day, take time to thank your Heavenly Father for setting the standard for your earthly father. Praise him for his never-ending mercies and his healing touch so that our hearts may be open to receive the blessed gifts he wishes to bestow upon us.

Pastor Craig

Beginnings!

We celebrate two brave beginnings this time of year. Graduations are taking place all around us. In the past week I had friends graduate from high school, college, and had several colleagues awarded their doctorate. All of these are brave beginnings in that they publicly declare that something new is happening, and that this something new is life changing.

The other brave beginning is Pentecost. Imagine the roller coaster for the disciples. Jesus’ ministry takes them to the height of popularity. They are rock stars. People envy them.

Suddenly, Jesus is crucified. He’s dead. These one time rock stars are now huddled in fear that they will be next. The doors are locked; the lights are out. Let’s pretend that no one is home! But, through that locked door walks Jesus, the risen from the dead Messiah. Everything is back on track! Life is good.

Forty days later Jesus gathers them together to say “Goodbye” for real. “I am going away. Where I go you cannot follow just yet. Wait!”

Wait? Wait for what? Haven't we be waiting long enough? We want to start something. We are ready to return to our rock star status. But, the only job they are given is to wait, just wait.

So, they gather together, probably in that very same room where the celebrated the last meal with Jesus and where he walked through the locked doors. They wait for someone or something called “The Comforter.” They wait, and they wait. Then they wait some more. Ten days they wait. They are not exactly sure what they are waiting for, but knowing Jesus, they’ll be able to spot it when it happens. Jesus does not disappoint. A sound, no, more like a thunder of rushing wind seems to descend upon their very spot. They have feelings they are not quite ready to put into words. Their fear is gone. This is The Comforter!

All of a sudden, the need to hide in the upper room vanishes. The teachings of Jesus that seemed so obscure and difficult to understand are starting to come together. Yes, Jesus had to die. Of course, Jesus would rise. Certainly, The Comforter is the next step. Everything is clear, Everything has purpose. Peter walks across the room, opens the door, and leads the disciples down the stairs and out into the street.

Pastor Craig