Dear Friends in Christ,

This upcoming Sunday, we’ll begin a new Fall and Pentecost Season worship and sermon series. It’s entitled, On Earth as in Heaven: Jesus’ Parables About God’s Empire (or what He called the Kingdom of God).  

New Testament scholar, Marcus Borg, used to say, “Jesus’ passion was the Kingdom of God.” He meant that what fueled Jesus’ loving compassion and courage was a vision and desire to bring God’s intended order of Shalom – with its lasting well-being for all – down to earth.  

So, it was, Jesus taught parables about this heavenly realm to contrast it with everyday life on earth under Roman rule. In doing so, he hoped to give his followers a sense of how to live and build a bridge into this new order and way of being. 

It was this redemptive purpose that Jesus passed onto his disciples and those of us who would be members of his church today.   Thus, we can learn much regarding our calling and mission from reading and reflecting on Jesus’ parables.  

It’s especially important we do so today given what’s been happening in our nation during the last decade.  The direction in which we appear to be headed under the leadership of today’s political leaders who are proponents and exploiters of the MAGA movement is ominous.  It so threatens the quality of life for God’s most vulnerable people, those poor in resources or spirit, that it’s incumbent on us to become stronger “salt” for the earth and brighter “light” for the world.  And, we shall only accomplish this by practicing more Christ-like, divine values that will lead us into a new realm and order of life for tomorrow’s world.     

To the degree we do so, to the degree we address issues of abuses of authority and power in our society and their resultant, cruel injustices, we shall grow as Christ’s church.  And, perhaps, we’ll also grow in ways supportive of the aims and goals of our Church Vitality Team – as well as all our own longstanding hopes and dreams for this church. 

Let’s hope – and pray so – with Christ-like compassion, courage, and peace in our hearts,
Pastor Ed