Burtchurch Rooted and Grounded (Colossians 2:7)

1. Their salvation is assured through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore:
2. God calls them for service to others.
3. They discover this calling in a disciplined study of both the Old and New Testaments.
4. This study leads them to promote and practice a life that nourishes all other life on the planet God has provided, and to work for the fullest possible sustainable life for all God’s other children, wherever they live on the planet.

Presbyterians believe that Jesus, a Jew from Nazareth, is a model of what God intended all humanity to be like. A high target to aim for? Sure. Presbyterians frequently aim higher than they reach (but more about that later).

By studying Scripture these same Presbyterians discover that Jesus followed in the long line of prophets, and that he taught the sovereignty, love and justice of the creator God that Abraham and Sarah had discovered many centuries before. Calling Jesus Lord, Presbyterians attempt to follow him–at a considerable distance, sometimes (but more on that later, too), and attempt to live their daily lives for others.

Now for the “later” promised above: Presbyterians confess that they and all God’s children fall short of what God intends. They spend a good deal of time confessing, and some of them feel that the whole crowd has a lot to confess about. They know that they too often seek to deny God, and too often draw back from fulfilling their responsibility in society. They know that instead of breaking down the walls of anger and hate and hostility, they participate in building walls and denying freedom and fullness. But in their bones they know God forgives and restores. Even renews and revitalizes. It is very important for them to know this. They believe it is equally important for you to know it, too.

The congregation is the place where Presbyterians worship this creating and forgiving God, who demonstrated a magnificent concern for the world and its people by sending a Son into it. They think of the Presbyterian Church as part of the Son’s church. Participating in baptism and the Lord’s Supper (some call it Communion and mean the same thing), they somehow understand God’s promise that they–and all believers–will never be alone or abandoned. In this extended family called the congregation they learn to heal and care for each other, and try to demonstrate that God’s wondrous love is meant for everyone.

Funny thing: Presbyterians aren’t content with that. They’re always going beyond their congregational family to act out that mind-boggling love they’ve discovered. Because, to repeat, they have learned that all the peoples of the world are God’s people and therefore are to be given healing and care.

The world that Presbyterians worry and stew about (all this, remember, traces back to the prolific writer/teacher named John Calvin) includes the political world, the economic one, and all the social structures and all the human needs. So they are rarely content to worship and study, and leave it at that. They go out into these worlds and try to make them more humane, more caring, more compassionate, more loving. More like God intended them to be.

Presbyterians are filled to the brim with hope, although some of them need to remember to act and look like it. But they are hopeful because the Spirit of the Living God is at work inside them, and bubbles out in all those activities of mission and love. These and more.

Presbyterians believe a lot more than just these things. They believe in grace, for example. And they fervently beleive in mission. But there is no way to measure how many stewpot programs, clothing banks, and food pantries come out of Presbyterian churches for street people and others in need.A large number of churches have after-school care, Meals-on-Wheels ministries, and special programs for the elderly–in addition to women’s work, Sunday school special events, youth retreats, special music programs, and all the other usual things churches do.Presbyterian churches are involved in programs with other denominations and other faiths, including those that have to do with relationships between Christians and Jews and between Christians and Muslims.Whenever you see a Habitat for Humanity project, there are probably Presbyterians among those who are involved. Wherever you see a group working to enroll more voters, you are apt to find Presbyterians among them.Churches have caring ministries with people in crisis and during life changes, such as special ministries for singles and divorced persons, and for nursing home patients.