October 30, 2006

Authenticity: Talking and Walking

The talk. I heard an advertisement on a local Christian radio station that got me thinking. The ad was for a “Christian” mortgage company and it featured a “Christian” rock celebrity endorsement. The ad was not the only one of its kind; there were a variety of vendors peddling “Christian” products and services. These fit in with a common theme in the programming on the station, delineating which books, music, musicians, ideas, actions and even politicians are “Christian” and which are not. I think this dichotomous thinking is dangerous: it lulls us into a false sense of security that anything that has been labeled by someone as “Christian” is safe and congruent with the Gospel. Life experience teaches me that this simply isn’t true. Some things that are labeled “Christian” do not reflect the values and tenets of our faith; some things that have not officially been labeled “Christian” are congruent with the teachings of Jesus. This kind of talking and labeling feels inauthentic. All this labeling feels to me like an attempt to turn off our brains; to escape from the world around us and to create safe “Christian” alternatives to what’s offered in the world marketplace of ideas and products. Jesus did not request that we, his followers, be removed from the world around us (John 17:15). We are called to live in the world and, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “share the suffering of God in the world”.

The walk. At what feels to me like the other end of the spectrum, there are church programs aimed at meeting people’s most basic human needs for food, shelter and clothing. Certainly, there is a tremendous Biblical basis for these actions (i.e. Matthew 25:31-46). What I feel is incomplete about some of these programs is that we don’t tell people why we have helped them. In this age of political correctness, there is a feeling that sharing our faith, talking the talk, is always imposing our faith on others, or can never be authentic. When Jesus healed people, he explained why (Mark 2:1-12; Matthew 9, various). I believe that if we help people and do not share why we are helping them that the recipients of our help could be left with the thought that we helped simply because we are “good people”. Being a good example is a start; that in and of itself can be contagious (think about the book Pay it Forward or that insurance commercial where people see good deeds and imitate them). But, I think there is a difference between being a good person and a Christian: a good person may be kind out of his or her own strength or do something because it is the “right” thing to do; a Christian helps others as a thankful response to the help God has offered to us and relies on God’s strength to help others. I think that those who are down and out and in need of our help often feel powerless; if we present a façade of self-sufficiency and do not reveal our weakness and present the reason for our hope and actions we will fail to connect people to the hope and power of the living God, a sustaining power that is available to all who seek it.

I have so much more to write about the balance of talking and walking, but do not have the space here! Maybe you are asking similar questions, and these bits stir up something in you. As we approach Reformation Day it is an appropriate time to think about how we talk and walk our faith in our churches and everyday life. There will be an opportunity to discuss missional church paradigms at an event with Alan Hirsch on November 7^th. On February 17^th you’ll have an opportunity to hear Brian McLaren again at the Big Event presenting about the Kingdom of God. Blessings on your journey towards authenticity.

Love in Christ, Janice Kominski, Coordinator of Communications

Inside this issue

Events of the week:

Nov. 3 Hou Kola Event

7:00pm – 9:00pm Govans PC

Nov. 5 Jerry Egger’s Ordination
7:30pm Brown Memorial WB PC

Take Note/Act Now

§ Series on Depression

§ Hou Kola Event

§ Alan Hirsch: Missional Church

§ Craft Festival & Crab Cakes

§ Dr. Thomas Long preaching

§ Spiritual Direction Retreat

§ Gulf Coast Funds Available

§ Urban Pumpkin Patch

§ APCE National Conference

§ National Pastors’ Sabbath 2007

§ Ecumenical Institute Open House

§ Conf. for Clergy on Addictions

Prayer Concerns

First PC of Barton
First PC of Lonaconing

People

Jerry Egger will be ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in the PC(USA) on Sunday, November 5, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. at Brown Memorial Woodbrook PC. All are welcome.

Prayer Concerns

The First Presbyterian Churches of Barton and Lonaconing

ask for prayers:

· For motivation from the Holy Spirit to engage in new ministry opportunities

Contact Information

For the Presbytery Offices

Phone:
410-433-2012 or

800-511-0087

Fax:
410-433-2066

E-mail:
office@baltimorepresbytery.org
Website: www.baltimorepresbytery.org

Take Note/Act Now

Baltimore Presbytery Items (dated items first, listed in date order)

Towson PC is offering a three-week series on Depression, Wednesday evenings November 1^st, 8^th and 15^th. The series, led by current and former staff members from Sheppard-Pratt, will cover depression throughout the lifespan (Learn more).

The Second Annual Hou Kola Presbytery-Wide Event will be on Nov. 3^rd, 7:00pm – 9:00pm at Govans PC. Come learn about the 2006 Learning Camps, service opportunities, the new web site, and enjoy Native America’s People, LLC, presenting cultural dancing of Native America (more).

Alan Hirsch will be leading a discussion on how an existing church may become a missional church at a half-day conference, “The Shaping of Things to Come” on Tuesday, November 7^th (election day) from 10:30am – 1:30pm at Catonsville PC (info and registration).

Ark & Dove will host their Holiday Craft Festival November 11^th. Available items include new books, baked goods, crafts and crab cake dinners to go for only $15 (more).

Second PC is pleased to host Dr. Thomas G. Long, one of the “Top-Ten, Most Effective Preachers in the Country” on Sunday, November 12^th. He will preach at both services, 9:00am and 11:00am (learn more).

Towson PC will be hosting Exploring Spiritual Direction: A Retreat Day, on Saturday, November 18^th from 9:30am – 3:30pm. The leader will be the Director of Training and Programs for Oasis Ministries, Rev. Glenn Mitchell. RSVP by November 8th (Learn more).

Funds available for Gulf Coast Recovery Work Teams; they are earmarked for smaller churches and members of “hands-on mission” teams PLUS: a new opportunity for mission!

There was a great article about First and Franklin Street PC’s Urban Pumpkin Patch in the October 23^rd issue of the Baltimore Sun (read story).

Synod and GA items
The Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) will be hosting a national conference in Philadelphia from January 31^st to February 3^rd, 2007 (learn more). The Eastern Region APCE is offering a scholarship for a first-time attendee.

The 2007 National Pastors’ Sabbath will be held from June 28^th through July 2^nd at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort outside Salt Lake City, Utah. Early registration opens on December 4^th, 2006. Learn more at www.pcusa.org/pastorsabbath.

Other Events

The Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary will hold an open house on November 4^th from 8:30am to 12:00pm. Theme: “Reading the Signs of the Times” (More).

"Understanding the Impact of Addiction and Supporting Recovery: Strategies and Tools for Clergy and Other Congregational Leaders" will be held on Tuesday, November 14, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm at the Loyola Graduate Center in Columbia, MD (learn more).