I am so grateful that Christ has called me to serve among you here at Columbia Presbyterian. Christ has worked among us over the twenty years that my family and I have been with you. One of the most wonderful things He has done is to show us how much we need Him and His work in our lives and in His body.
These past weeks have been hard weeks. We have watched friends as they have cared for loved ones in their last days of life. We have watched this weekend as two friends have lost loved ones unexpectedly. Several of you have also gone through difficult times of illness or injury.
God promises that He will not oppress us more than He strengthens us to endure. Sometimes it seems like He has a different sense of what we can endure than we do. Paul, in a time where he expresses being "perplexed, but not forsaken" also says "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Sometimes I think my scale is messed up. According to my scale these things do not seem light. They don't seem momentary. They don't seem transient. God has a different, more real, perspective. I am measuring the hard times against the scale of my lifetime. God views them against the scale of eternity. He promises to take care of us through these times and to use them in our lives to build a glory that is beyond scale, beyond comparison. I can't wait to see that glory and get a clear sense of its scale.
In times like this I need to know that my loving Father is still my loving Father. I need to focus on the amazing love Jesus has irrefutably demonstrated in His coming, His willingness to die, and His eagerness to redeem. He died willingly. He redeemed us eagerly. Even when I doubt Him, or wrestle with Him because of the painful things He is using to build glory in us, the Gospel tells me that He demonstrates His glory by loving me in the midst of my disputes with Him. He is there with me at the end of the process when I am finally willing again to rest in His care. I can see that throughout the entire process He has been holding me all along. He has been loving us, and accomplishing His good in the midst of our sufferings.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 is utterly true and right. I pray for all of us that we will see more clearly how it is true and right. I pray for all of us in the midst of these trying times that we will see how God is bigger, more patient, and more loving than we have yet seen.
Steve
Monday, February 9, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thanks for your support
I was at the Day Center today dropping off the abundance of food, toiletries, and even some money that you have been donating for the folks we serve at the Day Center. I was struck by how the help was both necessary and appreciated. As I heard from the people staffing the pantry that they were so very grateful to see me (or at least the many bags full of food I was carrying ;-)) I realized I haven't passed their gratitude on to you.
Today the shelves in the pantry were a bit sparse prior to my arrival with your generosity. The three staff in the pantry quickly grabbed the bags out of my hands and put the food on the shelves. As I went out to get other bags still in my car, I saw a line forming outside the pantry. When I brought in the second and third loads of food to the pantry a few more folks had gotten in line to get food.
Your gifts to these folks are deeply appreciated. I bring in our special bags (thank you SS) and I am immediately identified. They empty the bags and give them back to me so that we can bring them again with more food.
God has given me a trusted place with our friends, who know we at CPC care for them. He has opened doors for gospel conversations. Even today I had another conversation with one of my friends. We talked about Jesus, and how our love for Him drives us to care for her and for the folks at the Center. We have had good times of prayer together, and I believe God is using our work to honor Him. He will use our labors to build His kingdom and reach His people.
So, thank you. Your sacrifices and prayers are making a difference. I am proud to represent you at the Center and to share with you how God is at work through you.
Steve
Today the shelves in the pantry were a bit sparse prior to my arrival with your generosity. The three staff in the pantry quickly grabbed the bags out of my hands and put the food on the shelves. As I went out to get other bags still in my car, I saw a line forming outside the pantry. When I brought in the second and third loads of food to the pantry a few more folks had gotten in line to get food.
Your gifts to these folks are deeply appreciated. I bring in our special bags (thank you SS) and I am immediately identified. They empty the bags and give them back to me so that we can bring them again with more food.
God has given me a trusted place with our friends, who know we at CPC care for them. He has opened doors for gospel conversations. Even today I had another conversation with one of my friends. We talked about Jesus, and how our love for Him drives us to care for her and for the folks at the Center. We have had good times of prayer together, and I believe God is using our work to honor Him. He will use our labors to build His kingdom and reach His people.
So, thank you. Your sacrifices and prayers are making a difference. I am proud to represent you at the Center and to share with you how God is at work through you.
Steve
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Living In Tumultuous Times
I have been thinking a lot lately about our economy. President Obama and his team met today to work on their plans to stimulate the economy and do whatever is necessary to rebuild our economy and lead us back to prosperity.
The difficulty is that there are many things beyond our ability to “fix.” As I work in Celebrate Recovery I am constantly forced to face the many ways we live in denial. Last week as I taught I dealt with the topic of POWERLESS. One theme recurred over and over again as we looked at this acrostic. That theme was the choice between living in fantasy or in reality.
We are in a very tough time economically for our world. Global Financial markets are declining. Banks are at risk of failing. President Obama has undertaken responsibility to focus our government on the task of rebuilding. I am sure he will do his best to manage country’s massive resources in this endeavor. But all of those resources and all the wisdom of our country’s finest minds won’t be enough to solve this.
So I ponder all this and ask myself “Where is your hope?” We are tempted to live in the fantasy that denies our troubling circumstances. We can also live in the fantasy that says that we have to fix our problems and it is up to us. Or, we can live in the reality that God really does exist and that He really is in control. He is accomplishing His good purposes and the truth is that I don’t control Him. I can’t tell Him what to do, when to do it, or how to do it. In my more sane moments, I don’t want to find hope by living in a fantasy.
As a child I was taught to pray “…give us this day our daily bread....” Philippians 4:19 tells us that God will supply our needs. That truth hasn’t changed as the economy falls apart. It is true for believers, individually and corporately. I am called to trust the sovereign God of the universe who holds the created order in His hands. When I falter in my faith, I am called to recognize that, repent of it, and return to trusting Him. He died to redeem me, to redeem us. He has demonstrated His love for me on the cross, and His power to save in the reality of an empty tomb.
When I think of the needs we have, my mind moves to think about the stewardship we have as well. God has entrusted to us material goods, spiritual gifts, talents, health, experiences, and all sorts of other things. He has entrusted them to us with a purpose. Contrary to what I sometimes think, this trust is all about kingdom. Jesus tells us that He is not only able to meet my needs, and our needs, but the needs of the entire world. He is using us and our limited resources to do that. This economic turmoil doesn’t endanger His kingdom building. We are still called to be part of building His global kingdom. As Allen preached Sunday Jesus calls us to build the kingdom in our
I hope you will pray as well that God will show you His presence, power, and purposes in this tumultuous time. We have a great and awesome God!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Allen's Reflections on General Assembly
I am finally back from my summer roamings. I would like to share a few things with you about my time at the Orthodox Presbyterian General Assembly, which met in Tacoma, Washington July 9-16.
I agree with Steve’s blog, but let me add my own personal observations. Steve, Wayne Koch, and I went because: a) we as a session have been convicted that we need to be more active in the life of our Church. Presbyterianism is, after all, about connectionalism.
b) we are very concerned about the new Directory for Public Worship, and how it will turn out. We wanted to help strengthen its wording, but also to preserve Biblical freedom in the exercise of the priesthood of all believers in worship.
While our concerns did not always prevail, there was a very encouraging effort in the assembly to not bind the consciences of others like us who wanted more freedom. For instance, there was a strong move to require every congregation to have exactly the same membership vows, a move which ultimately failed.
The keynote sermon of the first evening, by last year’s moderator, warned the assembly, from Matt 16:18, that we are Christ’s Church, and that we dare not set manmade boundaries around Scripture to ensure orthodoxy and orthopractice. Amen!
I was surprised to learn that nationally the OPC and PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) seem to be drifting apart, with less effort from our denominations at increasing our unity and cooperation. The PCA delegate chided us for this in a warm and humble way. He received an unprecedented standing ovation, which I thought was one of the highlights of the week.
I was also thrilled to learn that our denomination is now working with the Presbyterian Church in Brazil, an 800,000 member Reformed Church that wants our help to strengthen its commitments to Scripture. We are working with them to bring the gospel to Uruguay. Brazil is larger than the USA, the fifth largest country in the world. What a privilege to partner with this group!
Personally I felt warmly welcomed after many years absent from GA. It was great to catch up with old friends at meals, and see what God was doing in their lives. Several urged CPC to continue to be active in the large church and strive together with them for the Gospel.
A couple final personal notes:
I went out two days early and stayed two days after because I had always wanted to explore a bit of the Pacific northwest. I hiked around Whidbey Island the two days before and explored Mt Rainier National Park and Point Deception the two days after. All were extremely enjoyable. Mt Rainier is awesome in its majesty: 14,410 feet high, within sight of the sea at its summit (no, I didn’t attempt to summit!). Point Deception is one of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen, both natural and cultivated garden beauty.
I apparently contracted food poisoning during GA, which laid me low for three days. So I missed much of the debates at GA. The Lord was kind in restoring my health just in time for the first of two trips up to Mt Rainier.
Having an apartment with Steve and Wayne was a great treat, which enabled us to enjoy a couple of relaxed times of sharing our lives and comparing notes and feelings about the assembly.
I am so glad we went. Thank you for sending us.
I agree with Steve’s blog, but let me add my own personal observations. Steve, Wayne Koch, and I went because: a) we as a session have been convicted that we need to be more active in the life of our Church. Presbyterianism is, after all, about connectionalism.
b) we are very concerned about the new Directory for Public Worship, and how it will turn out. We wanted to help strengthen its wording, but also to preserve Biblical freedom in the exercise of the priesthood of all believers in worship.
While our concerns did not always prevail, there was a very encouraging effort in the assembly to not bind the consciences of others like us who wanted more freedom. For instance, there was a strong move to require every congregation to have exactly the same membership vows, a move which ultimately failed.
The keynote sermon of the first evening, by last year’s moderator, warned the assembly, from Matt 16:18, that we are Christ’s Church, and that we dare not set manmade boundaries around Scripture to ensure orthodoxy and orthopractice. Amen!
I was surprised to learn that nationally the OPC and PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) seem to be drifting apart, with less effort from our denominations at increasing our unity and cooperation. The PCA delegate chided us for this in a warm and humble way. He received an unprecedented standing ovation, which I thought was one of the highlights of the week.
I was also thrilled to learn that our denomination is now working with the Presbyterian Church in Brazil, an 800,000 member Reformed Church that wants our help to strengthen its commitments to Scripture. We are working with them to bring the gospel to Uruguay. Brazil is larger than the USA, the fifth largest country in the world. What a privilege to partner with this group!
Personally I felt warmly welcomed after many years absent from GA. It was great to catch up with old friends at meals, and see what God was doing in their lives. Several urged CPC to continue to be active in the large church and strive together with them for the Gospel.
A couple final personal notes:
I went out two days early and stayed two days after because I had always wanted to explore a bit of the Pacific northwest. I hiked around Whidbey Island the two days before and explored Mt Rainier National Park and Point Deception the two days after. All were extremely enjoyable. Mt Rainier is awesome in its majesty: 14,410 feet high, within sight of the sea at its summit (no, I didn’t attempt to summit!). Point Deception is one of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen, both natural and cultivated garden beauty.
I apparently contracted food poisoning during GA, which laid me low for three days. So I missed much of the debates at GA. The Lord was kind in restoring my health just in time for the first of two trips up to Mt Rainier.
Having an apartment with Steve and Wayne was a great treat, which enabled us to enjoy a couple of relaxed times of sharing our lives and comparing notes and feelings about the assembly.
I am so glad we went. Thank you for sending us.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Promised Report on General Assembly
Once again I want to thank all of you folks at CPC for sending Allen, Wayne, and me to the General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. We belong to this denomination and it has been quite a while since one of us went as a delegate. I don't think we have ever sent three delegates.
I also thank you for your prayer support. God answered the prayers we had asked you to pray, and answered them powerfully. All three of us enjoyed safe travel to the west coast. We were able to share housing and have good times of fellowship and prayer together as we discussed the day's events.
I thought I would share a few of my personal highlights from the week.
I enjoyed being with men I have known for years, but have not seen since the last time I attended GA. The opportunity to share meals, to have conversations, and to learn about each others' ministries was very satisfying. Fellowship at the Assembly is important to the ongoing work of the church.
I also enjoyed seeing Nate Lee's dad. General Douglas Lee is a pastor in the PCA who also has served for many years as a chaplain. He has recently become the head of the Presbyterian and Reformed Joint Chaplains Commission. In that capacity he will lead the board that oversees all of our OPC chaplains, as well as those of several other sister denominations. He spoke to the combined Assembly. I know that he will do a great job in his new post.
We heard some very encouraging reports on the work being done to establish new churches in the US and around the world. The OPC is working as a denomination to establish churches in particular urban settings, including DC. We are continuing work in Haiti, Africa, and Japan, as well as starting a new mission in Uruguay. Jonathan Falk, who spoke at a recent Mission Month at CPC is now going to be leading the work to start churches in Uruguay.
One of the things that the three of us went to address is the Amended Proposed Revised Version of our denomination's Directory for Public Worship. This is a part of our constitutional documents and gives us guidance about how OPC churches structure their worship. The committee who is working on this has a tough job, and has been working on it for many years. We are now at the point where we are discussing and approving the APRV so that it can be approved by the Presbyteries and the finally put in force. We spoke to several issues that this revision raises. We also spoke to some topics where we have differences with the current and the revised Directories. The debates on the floor revealed that pastors in the OPC has some divergent views about how to conduct worship. There were some discussions that brought those differences starkly into focus. We wrestled with how to accommodate each other's views while being Biblically driven in what we do. The discussions will continue at next year's GA and I hope that we will have delegates from CPC in attendance.
I also believe, in line with the class on Stewardship that I taught this past year, that CPC has a stewardship with regard to our denomination. We have learned a lot of lessons in our ministry here. We can share those lessons, both in the fellowship we have with other pastors at GA, but also in the debates on the floor as we decide how to vote on the various motions at GA. We have a voice in our denomination, and I am glad that you sent us to this GA to speak.
If you have any questions about General Assembly, our denomination, worship, or something else related to this blog, feel free to get in contact with me at the church office.
Steve
I also thank you for your prayer support. God answered the prayers we had asked you to pray, and answered them powerfully. All three of us enjoyed safe travel to the west coast. We were able to share housing and have good times of fellowship and prayer together as we discussed the day's events.
I thought I would share a few of my personal highlights from the week.
I enjoyed being with men I have known for years, but have not seen since the last time I attended GA. The opportunity to share meals, to have conversations, and to learn about each others' ministries was very satisfying. Fellowship at the Assembly is important to the ongoing work of the church.
I also enjoyed seeing Nate Lee's dad. General Douglas Lee is a pastor in the PCA who also has served for many years as a chaplain. He has recently become the head of the Presbyterian and Reformed Joint Chaplains Commission. In that capacity he will lead the board that oversees all of our OPC chaplains, as well as those of several other sister denominations. He spoke to the combined Assembly. I know that he will do a great job in his new post.
We heard some very encouraging reports on the work being done to establish new churches in the US and around the world. The OPC is working as a denomination to establish churches in particular urban settings, including DC. We are continuing work in Haiti, Africa, and Japan, as well as starting a new mission in Uruguay. Jonathan Falk, who spoke at a recent Mission Month at CPC is now going to be leading the work to start churches in Uruguay.
One of the things that the three of us went to address is the Amended Proposed Revised Version of our denomination's Directory for Public Worship. This is a part of our constitutional documents and gives us guidance about how OPC churches structure their worship. The committee who is working on this has a tough job, and has been working on it for many years. We are now at the point where we are discussing and approving the APRV so that it can be approved by the Presbyteries and the finally put in force. We spoke to several issues that this revision raises. We also spoke to some topics where we have differences with the current and the revised Directories. The debates on the floor revealed that pastors in the OPC has some divergent views about how to conduct worship. There were some discussions that brought those differences starkly into focus. We wrestled with how to accommodate each other's views while being Biblically driven in what we do. The discussions will continue at next year's GA and I hope that we will have delegates from CPC in attendance.
I also believe, in line with the class on Stewardship that I taught this past year, that CPC has a stewardship with regard to our denomination. We have learned a lot of lessons in our ministry here. We can share those lessons, both in the fellowship we have with other pastors at GA, but also in the debates on the floor as we decide how to vote on the various motions at GA. We have a voice in our denomination, and I am glad that you sent us to this GA to speak.
If you have any questions about General Assembly, our denomination, worship, or something else related to this blog, feel free to get in contact with me at the church office.
Steve
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Welcome to the pastor's blog!
Hi everyone! Well here it is, our first blog. We decided to launch this blog as a companion with our new church website. We'll be posting here regularly so stay tuned to see what's new!
-Allen, Steve, Tim, Robbie, Jon
-Allen, Steve, Tim, Robbie, Jon
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