Monday, September 30, 2013

"Found Faithful" series begins October 13



I invite you to join me, beginning on Sunday, October 13, in discovering what it means to be found faithful in giving to God. We will spend four weeks exploring together what it means to be faithful in little things, faithful with much, and faithful with all God has given us.
God can take little things in our lives, things that seem relatively insignificant, and multiply their impact beyond what we could have imagined. What gifts are we holding back because we think they are “too little”? God can multiply even our smallest gifts in ways that allow people to be restored.
We are richly blessed. How does God call us to be faithful with much—with all of our generous blessings? Allow God to show you that God will be found faithful as we increase our faithfulness and generosity. 
In what new ways is God calling our congregation to be generous? When we trust the Lord with all we have, miracles are possible. The reward of work well done is often more work, more trust, more testing, and more engagement with the Master of the universe.
I look forward to all that we will learn and experience together. We will celebrate God’s faithfulness! And we will find new ways to be found faithful in our response to God’s goodness and blessings!
Thanks be to God!
 
        Glad to be on the journey with you,
                        Pastor Randy  


Adapted with permission from:
Giving: Growing Faithful Stewards in Your Congregation Volume 15

Why I love World Communion Sunday



World Communion Sunday – celebrated the first Sunday in October – is one of the most venerable of “special Sundays.” The day has taken on new relevancy and depth of meaning in a world where globalization often has undermined peace and justice – and in a time when fear divides the peoples of God's earth.  On this day we celebrate our oneness in Christ, the Prince of Peace, in the midst of the world we are called to serve – a world ever more in need of peacemaking.

                          ~ National Council of Churches                                                  

World Communion Sunday and I have a history:


1.  1970s. I grew up, like some of you, in a tradition where communion was celebrated as few as four times a year. Two of those times were very special:  Maundy Thursday (in the spring) and World Communion Sunday (always the first Sunday in October). For me, even at a very young age—like before I was driving my ’68 Ford Galaxy 500—there was something special about World Communion Sunday and the thought that almost all the churches in town and many, many churches around the world were participating in a celebration of communion that transcended denominational lines. Of course, we partake with the whole church, the one body of Christ—transcending not only space but time—each and every time we partake in the sacrament. But growing up, World Communion Sunday was extra special.

2.  1960s. I was in elementary school and, of course, had no idea I’d be a Presbyterian someday. But I knew I was already pretty close. You see my dad was in the Army in Germany when I was too young to remember (1957-58) and, the way he tells it, no one in the Army knew what “Reformed Church in America” was. So my parents would explain by saying, “It’s like Presbyterian.” And later, they’d just skip the first step when asked about their religion… and say, “Uh, sort of Presbyterian.” The connection to World Communion Sunday? Well, the observance was begun by Presbyterians! It was first celebrated on the first Sunday in October in 1936 in Presbyterian churches in the United States and overseas.  From the beginning, the Presbyterians planned it so that other denominations could make use of the idea and, after a few years, the idea spread beyond the Presbyterian Church.
3.  1997. I was serving as chair of the Worship and Music Team at First Reformed Church in Pella when four denominations (PCUSA, RCA, UCC, and ELCA) each acted officially on “A Formula of Agreement,” an ecumenical proposal of historic importance. The timing, according to a Presbyterian news release from 1997, reflected “a doctrinal consensus which has been developing over the past thirty-two years coupled with an increasing urgency for the church to proclaim a gospel of unity in contemporary society.” Essentially, each denomination entered into or reaffirmed being in “full communion” of both table and pulpit with the other three denominations. One of my close friends, Rev. Mark Pries, was pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Pella. The chaplain of Central College in Pella at the time was a Presbyterian pastor, Rev. Tom Trinidad. The three of us planned a communion service celebrating the Formula of Agreement which was held at First Reformed Church in the evening on World Communion Sunday 1997. Tom preached. Mark officiated communion. Elders from both the Lutheran and Reformed churches passed the elements. I prepared the order of service and led parts of the service.

The special ecumenical communion service in 1997 was (at least for the three worship leaders and probably for many others too) a powerful, emotional, beautiful manifestation of the oneness of the church. Even before that, however, World Communion Sunday had an ecumenical feel for me in the 1990s. As long as I can remember in Pella on the afternoon of World Communion Sunday, the annual “CROP Hunger Walk” (Church World Service) would be held. Most years I walked and attended the potluck picnic—I can’t remember now if that was before or after the walk. Regardless, it made the day even more ecumenical and even more meaningful for me.

By the way, Mark and Tom and I remained good friends after October 1997.  They were both encouragers and mentors to me. The ecumenical communion service—four years before I would start seminary—was one early and significant event in my slow, steady journey towards pastoral ministry.  
I guess that just one man’s history of World Communion Sunday. Yes, it’s my favorite Sunday. Yes, it’s a very special day for me. For me it brings to mind the oneness of the church in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper; the intersections of traditions, styles, and themes of different denominations in mission and worship; unifying mission work like the CROP Walk where churches work together to feed the hungry; and my own journey towards pastoral ministry.   
 
But it’s not just special for me. There’s a history here for all of us. Presbyterians have been celebrating World Communion Sunday since 1936. Presbyterians planted the seeds and watered and the harvest has fed Christians around the world. 

Thanks be to God!