Dear Caldwell,
Caldwell folk filled a table at a breakfast this morning hosted by Mecklenburg Ministries, mercifully putting up with my feeble attempt at being a guest waiter. At the breakfast, Queens University President Pamela Davies was honored for her najor achievements for the university and for our community. In her remarks, she reflected briefly on the parable of the Good Samaritan and what she had been told when visiting the Holy Land. Just as the Samaritan would have been advised about his trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, she relayed a timeless piece of wisdom for us as a community.
“If you want to travel fast, travel alone. If you want to travel far, travel together.”
That’s good advice, for individuals, communities and congregations. As a people of faith, many of us have been on a long journey toward full equality and justice for all of God’s children. That journey continues. Yesterday, however, we reached a milestone we can celebrate. As you may remember, the Presbyterian Church (USA) has been conducting what is, in effect, a rolling national referendum on whether it will change language regarding marriage in our church constitution, the Book of Order.
As of the votes yesterday of two Presbyteries, a majority of the 171 presbyteries of the denomination have now approved that change. Accordingly, once the ratification process is complete this summer, the PC(USA) will now define marriage as “a unique relationship between two people, traditionally a man and a woman.”
There is both celebration and pain in this decision – celebration of those who want our denomination to recognize that love and commitment trascend sexual orientation … and pain by those more traditional churches that may feel uncomfortable with this decision and consider leaving our denomination.
So, while the Caldwell congregation is among those that celebrate, I also ask you to pray for the ongoing “peace, unity and purity” of our national church as we seek a way forward. As much as possible, despite disagreements, may we continue to “travel far together.”
If you want to read more about this news from the Covenant Network, an advocacy group we support, click here.
Don’t forget that we will host worship and a soup lunch today noon. Come on by!
Finally, please note the church office will be closed on Friday while the staff takes a day to plan and ‘retreat.’
In Christ,
John