Grace That Is Greater

I invite you to attend a recap of the 221^st General Assembly of the PC(USA) after the 10:50am worship service on July 6^th. I will provide a brief overview of the General Assembly’s actions, and as time allows, I will address the hot topics. The two most divisive issues are regarding same-sex marriage and divesting from three U.S. companies whose products are used in non-peaceful pursuits in Israel/Palestine.

I know that there are people within this church who disagree with these decisions and also those who agree with them. It is important to me as your pastor that we handle our disagreements in a healthy and graceful way. Just because someone views homosexuality different than you do does not mean they are not Christian or that their church is not really a church. People on opposing sides of the issues are both trying to be faithful and take their faith and the Bible seriously. As our new national moderator Dr. Heath Rada said during the assembly: “We must disagree, for that is what Presbyterians do, but let us never stop loving each other.”

I believe if you read the actual language of these actions you will see how carefully worded they are. I encourage you to be informed—read reports directly from our denomination, rather than someone’s opinion. The denomination has also created helpful FAQ sheets that are online or available from me.

If you have concerns which you would like to express you may either talk to me or to the session about them. There are also people who may simply want more information; if enough interest exists, I can also facilitate additional small group discussions. Let me know how I can be your pastor around these issues. My door is open.

The session and I recognize that while these issues are of concern, they should not distract us from our mission. God has placed us here together to worship, disciple and serve. And God’s sovereign grace is more important that our opinions. And that is good news indeed.

David