A Last Word

This is my last blog in the moderator's spot. I want to thank all those folks who have attended our meetings of the Presbytery of the Cascades over the past year, and give my best wishes to Robert Bulkley, who was elected our moderator at the meeting on Saturday. It was my privilege to serve, and to feel the warm fellowship and good wishes of our gathered people of God.

It is difficult to negotiate a meeting of nearly 120 congregations, representing over 22,500 members. We are a diverse bunch. And we have those times when some folks feel the way to build up Christ's Church is to tear down and defeat other faithful members, many of whom are volunteers and just trying to serve Christ as best we can. As moderator, I had the luxury of approaching meetings from the perspective of process, trusting God's will to win out, rather than taking on the promotion of positions. But then, was it luxury or grace? Perhaps we should all try a more moderatorial position in all of church life: respecting the faith of others, honoring the established processes of our Presbyterian heritage and the collective wisdom they convey, trusting the power of the Holy Spirit to open our eyes and reveal truth in order to goodness. If we ever think political maneuvering or our own tactics will bring about God's realm, or even hasten it, we are dishonoring Christ's call to humility. We are called to love, privileged to serve, and blessed when we can appreciate, those people who see things differently than we do.

Or, in the words of a bumper sticker I saw on the way to the meeting, “Bark less; wag more.”

I continue to pray for our Presbytery staff and the people they represent, pray for our denomination that we may be ever more faithful and bold in proclamation of the Gospel, pray for this world that needs to hear the Gospel in the unique voice that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) offers. Let anyone with ears, listen. Let those who do not, find eventual blessing, as God's own will inevitably be found.

Posted by Chris Grewe, moderator 2008-2009