Welcome
Each week one of our pastors or staff members writes a column observing what is going on in our congregation, the Church and the world, and offering reflections on the Christian life and faith. Through this series of columns, we hope to connect your and our story to the enduring story of Christ; to offer pastoral reflections on our ongoing congregational life and mission; to report on news of the Presbyterian Church and Church universal; and to invite further reflection and deeper discipleship. We welcome your comments and suggestions. In other words, our words here are an invitation to continue the conversation.
On Palm Sunday of this year, some of the wisest, most esteemed elders in the Christian Church, including such leaders as Walter Bruggeman, Tony Campolo, Bishop Curry, and Jim Wallis, released a statement reclaiming the centrality of Jesus and restating the church’s charge to change the world through the life and love of Jesus Christ.
Next week BMPC will welcome over 120 children to our church. They will be supported by more than 70 volunteers as well as many members of our staff. We will be learning about God’s good creation, about our mission partners who are working so that people have good water to drink and those who help teach people new ways of farming. We’ll be making habitats for local wildlife and even “upcycling” some worn-out shoes.
This coming Sunday, June 10, you will have opportunity to learn about a very exciting and important initiative that has been years in the making. This Time, This Place: The Campaign for Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church is being launched after worship during our annual Sundae Sunday celebration at the beginning of summer. In addition to fellowship and ice cream on the lawn after the 10:00 a.m. worship service, everyone will be invited to tour the Education Building and see an amazing video introduction of This Time, This Place.
God willing, as you read this, I’ll be on a farm in North Carolina with my friend Ben. I will have worshipped with his congregation, one of our mission partners: Farm Church. I am not a farmer; hot, hard labor has no appeal. But I love the earth and being out in nature grounds me. The ducks and the dog and the children fill me with delight. Good friends and good talk renew my spirit within me.
Nearly 26 years ago, in November 1992, a fire broke out in Queen Elizabeth’s private chapel at Windsor Castle, eventually sweeping through the state apartments and various other parts of the ancient building. When it was finally contained some 12 hours later, the flames caused extensive damage to the medieval estate. The ancient castle looked pitifully decimated.
How do we evaluate a year in educational ministry? Is it the 36 lessons covered in the three-year-old classroom? Is it found in the disciple projects presented by this year’s class of Confirmands? Is it in the artwork that hangs on the wall? Is it in the knowledge gained? Friendships formed?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s groundbreaking work, “The Cost of Discipleship,” is cherished by people of faith from across the political, ideological and cultural spectrums. Whether you identify with one political party or another, hold tightly to this or that ethical principle, you are bound to find wisdom in Bonhoeffer’s words.
