Covenant Presbyterian Church
        

Weekend Update

from Bob Henderson       

Friday, June 27, 2014  

Dear friends:

 

The Christian church - and the Presbyterian Church in particular - has been making the news recently. In the course of the past 10 days we have been covered by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Charlotte Observer regarding a number of issues.  Therefore, this week I'm going to depart from my originally intended topic - Greed: the Greatest and Most Respectable Sin - in order to talk about the relationship of an historic Christian faith to a 21st century world. How do Christian people - and the Christian church -- faithfully bear witness in this religiously pluralistic, politically divided, and socially stratified world? What word do we have to offer?

 

I am convinced we have an essential word, one that centers on God's expansive love for all people, embraces God's desire for justice, and begins and ends with grace.

 

Fortunately, this is not the first time the Christian church has faced these challenges. Thomas Ken was a 17th-century English bishop, broad-minded and generous of spirit in an age that was neither, who wrote a prayer you might imagine hanging over the door of a church.

 

"O God, make the door to this house wide enough

to receive all who need human love and fellowship

and a heavenly Father's care;

and narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and hate.

-

Make its threshold smooth enough to be no stumbling block to children, nor

to straying feet,

but rugged enough to turn back the tempter's power.

Make it a gateway to your eternal kingdom."

 

If you have considered inviting a friend to church but were concerned about the sermon topic, this would be the Sunday to invite them. We'll be transparent, gracious and honest. And most importantly, we'll seek to bear witness to our faith in a way that honors the God of all. You can read this passage in preparation.

 

Peace,

Bob Henderson's Signature

 

 P.S. I've added a blog entry related to God's work in and among us that you also may enjoy. You can find it here