On Being Presbyterian: Gathered Together for…What?

I write this letter having just facilitated a training in sexual misconduct prevention, or “boundaries training” as some call it. Together in the room were 27 presbyters, both ruling and teaching elders, from Native and Anglo congregations, from rural and urban congregations, from congregations as small as 12 and as large as 1,200. We gathered together in Jesus’ name to learn how to protect our most vulnerable members.

The key truth woven into the above paragraph is that we gathered. Together. In Jesus. To do Jesus’ work. For the sake of being the blessing for which God has called us.

Our Jewish forbearers held that community was so sacred that it must extend beyond our own narrowly defined sense of family to include “the other,” especially those who in the ancient culture were diminished in their capacity to care for themselves: the widow, the orphan and the foreigner (c.f. Deuteronomy 14:29). Indeed, God’s refining fire of judgment was pointedly promised to burn against those who deprived the vulnerable of justice (c.f. Malachi 3:5).

Our Christian forbearers expressed the sacredness of being gathered together both linguistically – the Greek word for “church” is ecclesia which literally means “gathering” – and through their communal practices. Acts 4:34-35 vividly portrays their community ethic:

There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

As I reflect upon the many ways we need one another, my prayers turn toward our mission partners ministering on reservations, with immigrant communities, and with student and young adult populations. I reflect upon the ways our mission partners are changing lives for Jesus Christ through tireless effort and the grace of God expressed through Holy Spirit. They need our help! Each of our mission partners are financially fragile, and as the Israelites and earliest Christians cared for those who struggled to raise funds for self-care, so must we take the lead in providing the kind of support required for them to continue their Jesus’ work.

This stewardship season, please remember our presbytery mission partners in your congregational and personal giving. Let us join together in Jesus’ name to learn how to protect our most vulnerable members.

Grace and peace,

Brad Munroe