Faith Presbyterian Church

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March 01, 2006

March Newsletter

Pastor’s Pen

The cat is out of the bag for anyone who read the Journal & Courier this past Monday (Jan 27th), that is, for anyone who knows me and takes note of such minor matters as how old a person is. The guy in the story who has come to enjoy teaching Hebrew is 64. Once upon a time I was scared silly of Hebrew but now I love to teach it. Next year at this time it’s the big 65—that some of you now look back on as no big deal but for me now is dizzying to contemplate—Medicare kicks in.

Time moves along for us all, even for little children. All of us who are in the category we think of as “getting older” were little children not long ago. We traipsed to the front for children’s sermons and adults looked at us with a smile. I ramble a bit. Rambling happens on birthdays.

This morning when I checked the two news sources that come in on my computer I was struck by two stories. The first had to do with the massive widespread hunger in sub-Sahara Africa. The second had to do with an amazing acrobatic-dance troupe from China that has produced an eye-boggling version of “Swan Lake.” I hope to see the latter. I wish I could do something about the former—the hunger in Africa. I’ve been there to see it.

I’ve often been struck by photographs from Africa that we so seldom see pictures of any but very thin people. Putting on weight is a sign of prosperity. Would it please God if a part of every church’s budget were sending funds to agencies that may be trusted, who feed starving people?

The article mentioned the various problems that exaggerate the hunger problem: corrupt governments, draught, AIDS, bad distribution systems. A BBC story on Malawi this week tore at my heart; families where the parents make the choice of eating the meager portion of gruel available from some aid organization, distributed locally, or giving it to their children. One or the other has to starve.

Sometimes the problems are so huge that we simply don’t know how to respond. We’re told there is enough food to feed everyone, but food can’t get to where it’s needed. The heart of humanity needs changing to make a system possible that will feed the hungry bodies. Our faith in Jesus who fed hungry thousands calls us to follow where He led, but how do we follow to where the need is greatest? We must try.

The second picture that grabbed me was of a stunning pas-de-deux involving the two lead dancers in the Chinese “Swan Lake.” The principal ballerina is standing on her tippy-toe on top of the head of the male principal dancer. Other slides of the performance show people flying elegantly through the air, caught in mid-flight.

But on reading the story I see that something like a production mill makes possible such amazing, seemingly super-human possibilities. The enforced discipline of body on gifted youngsters over many years so that their bodies can perform feats that defy gravity and the imagination—how are we to think of this as a moral issue? Living in the Western world where personal discipline is entirely a personal thing we are appalled at the apparent slavery imposed on these youngsters who are being trained to perform at such a high level.

Anyone who achieves at a high level must be disciplined. Discipline requires keeping a close focus on what is really important to achieving a particular goal. Even these spectacular athletic dancers one day will die. Then people will remember how they were. News stories will appear to remember how they were, and the newspapers will be used to wrap fish in the fish market two days later. Big headlines will stare beneath vacantly staring fish eyes.

I think of what the Bible says about the difference between things that are lasting and things that are temporary. What lasts, lasts beyond the edge of life that awaits us all. My job has to do with what lasts but it is hard to focus on what is lasting when much that is temporary is so fascinating. How can we be disciplined in the area of life pertaining to what is lasting?

Luther’s Reformation hymn has us sing lustily, “The body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still.” So my duty in life is to lead in reminding folk of what is lasting and to encourage us all to live amidst the temporary interests of life while keeping vigorously alive the life of the spirit.

I’m gratified at small tokens of success. At the Work Release Jail on Tuesday evenings when Mike and I gradually see a change coming to the life of someone whose earlier life was mis-spent, it seems that what is truly lasting is coming to the fore in this person’s life. I was so pleased yesterday (Wednesday) to see the increased numbers of those who came to pray at 7 AM. Prayer, we all concede, somehow touches on what is of enduring importance, life consciously lived in the presence of God. Without our knowing it we all always live in the presence of God, but it matters to how we choose to live if we are conscious of this. Praying together helps keep alive the consciousness of living before God. It takes discipline to pray together regularly. I might say this is a happy half-hour at Faith Church each week. Life together is sweet when we’re all in to what is lasting—deliberately.

I think of how many of our prayers and how much of our energy and money has to do with the body, even though the body only lasts a while. Life is like a vapor. Discovering I had prostate cancer brought home the fact that the C word does not only pertain to “others.” You and I join the ranks of the “they” quite by surprise. We’re all part of “others.” After we join the great majority who have passed on to the next phase of life, the extent to which we have majored on what is lasting in this life will be gratifying—or so it seems to me as one who is not yet passed over that edge of this life.

These are part of the thoughts that have swirled in my head in the early morning of the day I turned 64. I presume I have the right to impose these thoughts on you because I’m pastor of the church that produces this newsletter. I hope these thoughts stir good things in your hearts and minds.

Pastor Stuart D. Robertson

Worship Information

March 12th – Sermon: “The Incarnation: A Revelation of Human Duties”
OT: Judges 6: 11 - 24
NT: John 1: 1 - 14

March 19th – Sermon: “The Value of a Faithful Witness”
OT: Malachi 4: 1 - 5
NT: John 1: 15 - 24

March 26th – Sermon: “Jesus, the Lamb of God”
OT: Isaiah 53: 1 - 7
NT: John 1: 25 - 34

Clerk's Corner

What about Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday will be on March 1 this year. Do you know the symbolism of the day?
1. From ancient times, ashes have been used as a symbol of mourning, penitence, grief and humiliation. In his pain and sorrow, Job “sat among the ashes” (Job 2:8). The Old Testament book of Numbers and the New Testament book of Hebrews indicate that ashes were also used for purification (see Numbers 19:17 and Hebrews 9:13).
2. Christians have had an old tradition of using ashes made from the palm branches used on the last Palm Sunday. Priests and ministers have often used the ashes to make the sign of the cross on a believer’s forehead as part of the Ash Wednesday ceremony.
3. The ashes symbolized the Christian’s intent to repent of sins, to accept purification from the Lord, and to make a public witness of one’s faith in Christ as Lord and Savior.
4. Since Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, the ashe symbolized one’s intention to deepen his or her spiritual life. Lent is a time for spiritual renewal and growth in dedication and service.
–-Taken from The Newsletter Newsletter, © 2000 published by Communication Resources, Inc.

One Great Read

Published in 2001 it tells of her attempt to live while working at low-wage jobs. She went to three states, working at the best paying job she could find that did not use the benefit of her education, living in the cheapest lodging she could find. She found it impossible to live indoors without getting a second job. It tells the story of the working poor.

This is a theme close to the heart of the Gospel life, the needs of the poor. I invite folk at Faith Church to get Ehrenreich’s book, read it, and participate with others in the community in discussion of it. Pastor Robertson

Ordination Standards

If you haven’t already, in the coming weeks and months you will surely hear something about the latest episode in our denomination’s continuing struggle over the standards that apply to those who seek to be ordained, as ministers, elders, or deacons, in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Since it is important for you, as members and friends of this church, to know about such things, and since our Session has acted to involve us in the issue in a particular way, I am offering here what I hope will be a useful sketch of what’s happening:
The PC(USA) has been struggling over ordination standards for a couple of decades, at least. The major (though not only) question motivating this struggle has been whether or not a person who is involved in a homosexual relationship can be ordained. The position of the church for centuries has been that such behavior, like any others that the Scriptures explicitly identify as sinful, disqualifies a person from ordination as long as the behavior continues to be practiced without repentance. In other words, since all people sin, sinful behavior does not disqualify a person from ordination. But continuing in a behavior that the Scriptures or our Confessions call sin, with no remorse, confession, or intention to reform with God’s help has historically been a bar to ordained office. Despite numerous highly-charges debates on the subject in recent year, this standard remains in force, and is set forth in the Book of Order.
In 2001, the General Assembly of the PC(USA), seeking to move past the increasingly nasty fighting on this issue, established the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church to try to work out a way for the church to live together in spite of our disagreements, and, as their title implies, to advance the peace, unity, and purity of the church in light of our current conflicts. The Task Force was made up of people from all sides of the ordination debate, and worked intensively together for years, finally publishing their report in 2005. The report offers a lengthy and very good discussion of the theological basics of who we are as Christians and Presbyterians in the twenty-first century. It also offers a number of recommendations, which will be debated and acted upon by the General Assembly when it meets in July. It is these recommendations that have raised the current ruckus. But, in order to understand the significance of what is proposed by the Task Force, one needs first to understand what an Authoritative Interpretation (AI) of the Book of Order is. In a nutshell, the General Assembly has the power to issue and AI to clarify precisely what a particular section of the Book of Order means. An AI is binding on the church, unless and until it is reversed or removed by a later General Assembly. Unlike the process for amending the Book of Order, there is not provision for the various Presbyteries to ratify such interpretations. Once the General Assembly issues an AI, it is, in effect, law for the church. Accordingly, this power is only to be used in clarifying what is meant by a provision, not to materially change the Book of Order itself.
At the core of the Task Force recommendations is a request that the General Assembly issue an AI of section G-6.0108 of the Book of Order, the section that sets forth the standards of behavior and lifestyle for candidates for ordination. This AI would interpret this section as meaning that each ordaining body (Presbytery or Session) can decide for itself whether a candidate for ordination has met the standards, and whether any departure from the standards is important enough to prohibit ordination. In short, each ordaining body could decide for itself which standards are authoritative and which can be ignored (the so-called “local option”).
Many people in the PC(USA) see this potion as a useful compromise, a way forward from the current impasse. Others argue that, by making the standards more or less optional, the AI would basically reduce them to suggestions, opening the door for widespread ordination of practicing homosexuals in “pro-gay” Presbyterians and churches. The publication of the Task Force report, it must be said, does not seem to have visibly increased the peace of the church on this point!
Each Presbytery has been asked to study, pray about, and discuss the report. Our own Presbytery will be having this discussion at our meeting of January 27 and 28. As part of that meeting, the Presbytery will hear from one of the Task Force members, and consider the report in small discussion groups. Owing to the nature of the recommendations, however, there is not opportunity for the Presbytery to approve or disapprove the report, and it will go on to General Assembly for action regardless.
After our own reading and discussion of the report, the Session of CPC has several serious objections to the recommendations of the Task Force:
We are troubled by what appears to us to be an overstepping of the appropriate use of Authoritative Interpretation. The report’s recommendations would amount to a significant change in the way the church is governed, and such changes are appropriately made by amending the Book of Order, so that the Presbyteries have a chance to vote, up or down, on the changes.
We are concerned about the corrosive effect that the “local option” would have on our Presbyterian system. As one elder put it, if this AI is issued, “anything goes.” There would no longer be any truly authoritative, church-wide standards for ordination.
We fear that, if enacted, the recommendations of the Task Force will not advance the peace, unity, and purity of the church. Indeed, it seems quite possible that enactment of the “local option” would lead, ultimately, to the splitting of the denomination, as presbyteries and churches would be forced to decide whether to acknowledge the ordination of people who are ordained by a body whose standards are different from their own. At best, there would be a steady series of nasty fights at the Presbytery level over whose are not.
As a result of these objections, we, along with the Sessions, of the churches at Rolla/St. John, Minot, and Cavalier, have submitted an overture to the Presbytery. This is a proposal that, if approved by Presbytery, is sent on to the General Assembly, and placed on the agenda of that meeting for action. Our overture calls for the GA to reject the Task Force recommendation that would institute the local option, and instead to issue an AI that clearly upholds the current interpretation of the relevant section of the Book of Order. We acknowledge that the Task Force did much fine work and we respect their opinions that our overture accurately reflects what God is calling us to be as the church. We believe firmly that the system currently in place for proposing changes to the Book of Order is the appropriate channel for any who wish to change our ordination standards, and we hope and pray that our work will help to keep that system in place. But above all, we pray that, no matter what we, or the Presbytery, or the Task Force, or the General Assembly do, God himself will work in power to advance the peace, unity, and purity of his church, for it is, finally, only God who can do so for certain.
Addendum: On January 28, the Presbytery of the Northern Plains defeated the overture that was submitted by our Session, along with the Sessions from Rolla/St. John, Minot, Cavalier, and Bathgate, by a vote of 32 – 26. Our overture will not be sent to the General Assembly. I believe this decision of Presbytery to have been wrong, but I pray that it will be proven right, and that the results will be positive. I am proud of our Session’s hard work and courage in standing up for what we believe to be true.

Tired of Writing a Check Every Month?
You can now automatically have your church donation withdrawn from your bank account. You have the option of how much and how often you would like to make your donation. If you’re interested, or for more information, contact Stephanie at the church office, 743-3683.

University Church Update

Mark Your Calendar

Where: Homes of Faith Families

Time: 12:30 pm following Church and Sunday School

What: A shared meal and time of fellowship with other Faith families including those new to Faith.

How it will work: We will need several host homes. The host will provide the main dish and drinks for eight or more guests. Each guest will provide a salad, side dish, dessert, or bread. The committee will put together the groups and make dinner assignments. If you have questions please contact Jan Hem 463-7870 or Cathy McKinnis 463-4963.

Faith Women Fellowship

*Our small Mission Project will be baby items for the Life Care Services.

Birthdays

Anniversary

Community Worship Services

Schedule Information

Worship With Us

Faith Presbyterian Church
Phone: 765-743-3683

E-Mail: office@faithpresbyterian.org

Pastor: Stuart D. Robertson
Parish Associate: Ralph Smith
Admin. Asst.: Stephanie Cardwell

Posted by faithpres at March 1, 2006 11:41 AM

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