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.
My name is Jack Liskey. This past May I graduated from Concordia University Chicago after studying psychology and theology. I am thrilled to start working in Youth Ministry at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church!
The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. Growing up on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, the day was set aside for cooking out, boating and fireworks. Family and friends got together to pick crabs, swim, and enjoy the nice weather. I always went to bed exhausted, often after chasing fireflies into the night. It was a celebration full of life, which I think explains why it became one of my favorite holidays.
I am preaching this Sunday about a pair of healing stories. But one thing I don’t fully extrapolate in the sermon is the earthiness of the second healing. In Mark 5, after Jesus has raised a little girl, seemingly from death, he tells her parents and the disciples present to “give her something to eat.” It’s cursory, from the outset. But food is never cursory in our family.
My office is always messy — projects, donated bottle caps, piles of books, a case of hand sanitizer — the mixture of “stuff” often stymies my best attempts at organization. This time of year, the chaos seems to multiply! Now, in addition to everything else, there are piles of rocks, a box of compasses, a kaleidoscope kit, several attempts to make a God’s Eye, a case of Band-Aids®, and a bag of birdseed.
On Sunday, June 20, I will welcome my third class of new members who have joined our congregation since the pandemic began. To be honest, I don't blame folks who prefer not to join in the middle of a global health crisis. Too many of us were worried about finding toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and antacids to have found much time for joining another organization.
Many of you have met my dear sister Julie. She was born with a congenital heart problem, and as a toddler, was electrocuted in a terrible accident. As a result, Julie has lived her life under the care of my parents. She is sheer joy, always looking at life with the most positive of attitudes and a delicious sense of humor. She loves visiting us in Philadelphia and especially enjoys attending BMPC services during those visits!
I graduated from Confirmation in 2001. My strongest memory is of my friend Jeff's mom (who found her calling as a competitive ballroom dancer) doing a rap of the verse Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans that I have you-oo-ooh, declares the Lord. Not for calamity-ee-ee, to give you a future - and a hope! Jeremiah, twenty-ninah, verse 11." While I rolled my eyes in class and vividly remember watching Jeff's growing mortification at his parents, I never forgot that verse. I don't know how much PCUSA theology and polity I learned in the class, but I still remember those parents' engagement, attention and care.
