Mail Bag - 4: Pray for Us, Mary
The 217th General Assembly is only a few days away and the amount of mail I have been getting is a testament to that. I am getting so much mail that a lot of it has to be left with the my condo's concierge because they no longer fit my mailbox.
Most of the mail have lately been urging me and other commissioners to vote against Recommendation 5 of the Theological Taskforce on the Peace Unity, and Purity of the Church. Inherent in those letters is a fear of change; of forgetting that as Presbyterians we are always reforming. One thing I have learned all these years is that the only constant in this world is change. We must embrace change and have faith in God as we continue to reform ourselves.
Among my recent mail was a card postmarked Wheeling, WV. Fellow Presbyterians there have appointed Mary Hood to be my Prayer Partner. Thank you, Mary! Your and other people's prayers are especially needed to help us discern God's will during this assembly.
Most of the mail have lately been urging me and other commissioners to vote against Recommendation 5 of the Theological Taskforce on the Peace Unity, and Purity of the Church. Inherent in those letters is a fear of change; of forgetting that as Presbyterians we are always reforming. One thing I have learned all these years is that the only constant in this world is change. We must embrace change and have faith in God as we continue to reform ourselves.
Among my recent mail was a card postmarked Wheeling, WV. Fellow Presbyterians there have appointed Mary Hood to be my Prayer Partner. Thank you, Mary! Your and other people's prayers are especially needed to help us discern God's will during this assembly.
posted by NYAPC Elder at
10:34 PM
1 Comments:
John 17:22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
By the end of June, we'll all know what kind of damage has been caused by our General Assembly. The ordination issues that we are facing and the constant bickering of the opposing sides have been leading up to this crucial moment in our denomination’s history. The whole thing vexes me because the unity and effectiveness of the church is at stake. There will be no winners in this theological tussle and, in the end, the devil will be laughing.
Some people don't see it coming, and that worries me. Others have got their own crises and personal issues to deal with, so they can't take on board the church’s burdens. Still others are beginning to believe that all of these problems and events are part of the end times. I don't blame them – sometimes I feel the same way, especially when both sides tear each other apart.
A broken church that cannot heal itself cannot help a broken world. And that’s the problem – at a time when the world needs us to be at one, we're imploding and exploding simultaneously.
What happened to the Reformed doctrine of the priesthood of all believers? Why are we so intensely focused on standards of perfection for those who are ordained? Why aren't we commissioning people to go out into the world to preach, teach, and heal our communities through acts of love, encouragement, and hope?
We need to be as one. We need to unite with one another through Christ. We need to act like a church that has faith for the faithless, love for the loveless, and hope for the hopeless. If we get hung up on being perfect, we've forgotten that we are all sinners who fall short of God’s glory. There is only One who is Perfect – that’s why we call Him Savior.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, instead of fighting evil in the world, we're fighting with one another. Instead of advocating for those who are in need, we're crusading for our own needs. Forgive us, Lord, for being disunited, distracted and disconnected. Help us to be healed and made whole again. In Your Holy Name. Amen.
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Stushie, at 8:33 PM
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