A Trip to California for Presbytery
I just returned today from a 2 1/2 day swing through California. Although I had a quick visit to see my sister and mother in the San Francisco area the real reason for my trip was a Presbytery meeting in Los Angeles.
The meeting was held at the Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church located at the rather tony address of Santa Monica Blvd. and Rodeo Drive. The congregation were great hosts providing a wonderful meal and warm hospitality.
The meeting was also better then average. The business of the evening was divided up within the overarching structure of a Sunday morning worship service. Whenever the tedium of administrative business got to the breaking point we would suddenly be refreshed with readings from the Bible, 5-part renaissance motets by the wonderful church choir, unison prayers of confession, the singing of great hymns (Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my savior.....). I tell you, Presbyterian ministers love to sing. Even the Elders joined in with more gusto than they normally would have on a Sunday morning!
The high point for me came in several extended discussions concerning how to encourage, empower and integrate Reformed Protestant immigrant churches into our Presbytery. Throughout the Los Angeles basin are hundreds of small congregations rising spontaneously within a wide variety of immigrant communities. In earlier years we saw it with Japanese, Chinese and Welsh groups. More recently we have seen it with Korean, Filipino, Latin American, Iranian, Sudanese, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Taiwanese and many others.
Presbyterian and other Reformed churches have had a tremendous influence in overseas missions over the past two centuries. Their are many nations that have independent national "Presbyterian" type denominations. When members of these churches immigrate to America they seek out other immigrants with similar Christian backgrounds to worship with in the context of their native language and cultural identity.
Some of these churches either "nest" or integrate with an "American" congregation. Most, however, remain both autonomous and isolated from the wider Body of Christ. There is often a yearning to become more "connected" to American churches.
Many attempts are now being made across the United States by PCUSA Presbyteries to extend friendship and support to these immigrant churches. Offering leadership training and linking them to the larger Church through welcoming them in some way into a presbytery are among these attempts. Two overtures from last year's General Assembly concerning these matters were presented, discussed, debated and voted on. One approach was narrowly rejected by our presbytery while the other was narrowly approved.
What was apparent in all of this discussion was the genuine desire to encourage and support as many of these groups as possible with the aim of helping them grow in strength and in numbers as part of our PCUSA denomination.
Although we may be divided on the particular "means" to the "end" there appeared to be near unanimity on the value of the "ends."
In my own congregation here in Hawaii we "nest" a Korean congregation (PCUSA), a Samoan (independent congregational) church and a Micronesian (primarily from Chuuk...formerly known as Truk) fellowship. Whether Reformed Protestant or not, it is a joy to be able to provide a place for these expatriate Christians to gather together for worship and fellowship each week. They are grateful for our prayers and support (they use our facilities gratis) and we, in turn, are grateful to be able to count them as our friends and family in Jesus.
Sure, of course I would like to build up and increase our denomination by by "making" them Presbyterian. But I am more interested in simply building up the Body of Christ in any way possible.
Jesus did not come to create denominations, but to call faithful followers who know the voice of their Shepherd and claim him as their Lord and Savior. Being Presbyterian is a very good thing. But, if you are not a Christian first, it doesn't really matter, does it!
The meeting was held at the Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church located at the rather tony address of Santa Monica Blvd. and Rodeo Drive. The congregation were great hosts providing a wonderful meal and warm hospitality.
The meeting was also better then average. The business of the evening was divided up within the overarching structure of a Sunday morning worship service. Whenever the tedium of administrative business got to the breaking point we would suddenly be refreshed with readings from the Bible, 5-part renaissance motets by the wonderful church choir, unison prayers of confession, the singing of great hymns (Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my savior.....). I tell you, Presbyterian ministers love to sing. Even the Elders joined in with more gusto than they normally would have on a Sunday morning!
The high point for me came in several extended discussions concerning how to encourage, empower and integrate Reformed Protestant immigrant churches into our Presbytery. Throughout the Los Angeles basin are hundreds of small congregations rising spontaneously within a wide variety of immigrant communities. In earlier years we saw it with Japanese, Chinese and Welsh groups. More recently we have seen it with Korean, Filipino, Latin American, Iranian, Sudanese, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Taiwanese and many others.
Presbyterian and other Reformed churches have had a tremendous influence in overseas missions over the past two centuries. Their are many nations that have independent national "Presbyterian" type denominations. When members of these churches immigrate to America they seek out other immigrants with similar Christian backgrounds to worship with in the context of their native language and cultural identity.
Some of these churches either "nest" or integrate with an "American" congregation. Most, however, remain both autonomous and isolated from the wider Body of Christ. There is often a yearning to become more "connected" to American churches.
Many attempts are now being made across the United States by PCUSA Presbyteries to extend friendship and support to these immigrant churches. Offering leadership training and linking them to the larger Church through welcoming them in some way into a presbytery are among these attempts. Two overtures from last year's General Assembly concerning these matters were presented, discussed, debated and voted on. One approach was narrowly rejected by our presbytery while the other was narrowly approved.
What was apparent in all of this discussion was the genuine desire to encourage and support as many of these groups as possible with the aim of helping them grow in strength and in numbers as part of our PCUSA denomination.
Although we may be divided on the particular "means" to the "end" there appeared to be near unanimity on the value of the "ends."
In my own congregation here in Hawaii we "nest" a Korean congregation (PCUSA), a Samoan (independent congregational) church and a Micronesian (primarily from Chuuk...formerly known as Truk) fellowship. Whether Reformed Protestant or not, it is a joy to be able to provide a place for these expatriate Christians to gather together for worship and fellowship each week. They are grateful for our prayers and support (they use our facilities gratis) and we, in turn, are grateful to be able to count them as our friends and family in Jesus.
Sure, of course I would like to build up and increase our denomination by by "making" them Presbyterian. But I am more interested in simply building up the Body of Christ in any way possible.
Jesus did not come to create denominations, but to call faithful followers who know the voice of their Shepherd and claim him as their Lord and Savior. Being Presbyterian is a very good thing. But, if you are not a Christian first, it doesn't really matter, does it!
posted by Bird of Paradise at 10:15 PM
<< Home