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Dear Friends,

This past Sunday as the adult Sunday School class discussed an unpronounceable German word used by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, we came across this sentence: “Christ is not a principle or a program; Christ does not teach an abstract ethic.” We paused. How true, thought we, for our­selves and for the church; for this congregation even—Christ is not a program or a principle. Christ is more than those things—and we all knew it. Jesus, it seems to me lived the ethic he presented, demonstrated his work ethic through his life and death and resurrection.

I love the soap opera dynamics of Jacob’s family in Genesis. Not only does he have issues with his family of origin, there’s a lot of drama with his father-in-law and wives, as well as his sons. Oh, those sons. He favors Joseph, the dreamer. Perhaps because of his blatant bias toward Joseph, Jacob’s other sons at first throw Joseph in a cistern, then sell him to slave traders, and tell their dad Joseph has been killed by a wild animal. The story then follows Joseph as he is accused of inappropriate behavior with his master’s wife then spends years in prison awaiting justice.

“For it is we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh….What is more I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
(Philippians 3)
Recently I found out I had melanoma—skin cancer! Aren’t I too young to have to fool with that? It hasn’t been that long that I decided I like being in my own skin, and now to find out my skin isn’t so great after all.

25 seconds left in the third quarter. We’re on the twenty yard line. It’s fourth down and ten . . .
We’ll make it. Our team, First Presbyterian, has what it takes. We have those encouraging cheerleaders. We have great fans. Excellent special teams, strong quarterback, and impenetrable defenses.

Dear Friends,

We are First Presbyterian Church. Yes, you and I together are First Presbyterian Church. Together we worship, sing, pray, praise. But then again, who are we? What are we made of, our First Presbyterian Church?