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Welcome to Perspectives,
the online magazine published by the Office of the General Assembly.
Perspectives
offers an exploration of issues facing the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
and its witness in society through
- reflective and
provocative analysis of our life together as a denomination, and
- the lenses of
Scripture, Reformed theology, cultures, and a constitutional and confessional
framework.
IN THIS ISSUE:
A new school year is underway
and church programs are back in full swing. While many put an emphasis
on looking ahead this month, a significant chunk of this issue takes
a look back—way back—to such items as the Reformation and
the founding of the first presbytery. But there’s a lot more.
Here is a quick look at each
of the offerings:
 We
mark an important milestone in American Presbyterianism this year. The
first presbytery was formed three hundred years ago with an initial
membership of seven ministers—six plus Francis Makemie, who was
the moderator. They were the ones who began “to carve out a place
for Presbyterianism in the New World and shape the American tradition.”
We are introduced to those founders of the first presbytery in a brief
article that was written by staff members of the Presbyterian Historical
Society (PHS) and published in their newsletter “Presbyterian
Heritage” (Winter 2006).
The
three-hundredth anniversary of American Presbyterianism will be celebrated
on October 1, 2006, in Philadelphia, the site of the first presbytery.
To mark the occasion, hymn writer Carolyn Winfrey Gillette has written
“We Look to You, O Jesus.” We feature the hymn text in this
issue, hoping you, too, will sing it on October 1st. Carolyn is the
author of Gifts of Love: New Hymns for Today’s Worship (Geneva
Press) and co-pastor of the Limestone Presbyterian Church in Wilmington,
Delaware.
Reformation
Sunday is October 29th this year (another fitting occasion for Carolyn’s
hymn text). As Lukas Vischer writes, “The Reformation was a turbulent
period. It was characterized by harsh debates and struggles. They led
to a deep rift in Western Christianity and eventually even to violence
and military conflicts. At first sight the 16th century does not offer
much to celebrate.” His article is found in Renewing the Church:
Resources for Celebrating Reformation Sunday, a publication of the
World Alliance of Reformed Churches that contains a variety of resources
written by persons from around the world. A resident of Geneva, Lukas
is professor emeritus of ecumenical theology at the University of Berne,
Switzerland. For more information, visit the WARC
Web site.
“When
the world is at war in so many places and the forces of violence, war
and oppression seem to be increasing, praying for peace may seem to
be a futile exercise. But we Christians believe both in the power and
in the promise of peace, and we also believe in the power of prayer”
(Samuel Kobia, general secretary, World Council of Churches).
WCC member churches worldwide, of which the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
is one, are invited to participate in the International Day of Prayer
for Peace on September 21, 2006, or the closest Sunday. The observance
is one of the initiatives of the WCC’s Decade to Overcome Violence
and offers an opportunity for church communities in all places to pray
and act together to nurture lasting peace in the hearts of people and
societies. The date coincides with the United Nations International
Day of Peace. Featured here, in English and Spanish, is a prayer for
that day. Visit the Overcoming
Violence Web site for further information. In addition, the National
Council of Churches USA and Religions for Peace USA have teamed up to
develop www.seasonofprayer.org,
which is a Web site that compiles prayers, litanies, Scripture texts,
hymns, poems, and other prayer aids from many religious traditions,
appropriate to the current crisis in the Middle East.
Indeed,
oppression and violence seem to be increasing worldwide. How can they
be curtailed? For one thing, in his recent sermon, “The Hunger
Channel,” Gradye Parsons notes, “We need to be starving
to be part of God’s justice. We need to hunger to stop the oppression
and abuse of others. We need our souls to growl until we have fed the
poor, clothed the naked, and stood with those imprisoned.” Gradye
is director of operations for the Office of the General Assembly.
Finally,
what did you do on your summer vacation? Laura Atkinson did more than
a jaunt to the beach or a state park. She spent the summer—actually,
the first half of 2006—in the Himalayans at Mussoorie, India,
working as a young adult volunteer in the music department of Woodstock
School, an international school. A recent graduate of Maryville College,
Laura kept a blog during her time in India. We feature here her final
blog entry, which gives some clues as to just how significant the experience
was for her.
Do
you have suggestions for future issues or other comments to share? Drop
us a line.
Sharon
K. Youngs, Editor
.
All Rights Reserved.
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