Charles Town Presbyterian Church

Next week, we flip the calendar into June. Can you believe it?

June marks the unofficial start of summer. But already, we can see that Summer 2020, is going to be different. Many beaches and tourist destinations remain closed or have strict rules about reopening. Pools and parks all over the country have announced closures or limitations. Camps have canceled. It is going to be a vastly different summer for all of us.

But is that a bad thing? When the quarantine started, and we all stayed home, we responded to that by baking sourdough bread, making Tik Tok videos with our kids, undertaking long-ignored projects in our home, and so on. We spent more time relaxing and enjoying our families than we had in quite a while. And yes, we got stir crazy being cooped up for so long. But we also figured out ways to connect, to worship, and to just…be.

I always find seasonal changes to be great times to step back and evaluate what is happening in my life. So, as we make our way into the summer months, I want to propose a few questions to ponder:

• What was the biggest surprise in your life during the quarantine?
• What don’t you miss about your life before the pandemic?
• How do you think the pandemic has changed you?
• What do you think you will do differently now, as a result of the coronavirus?

Evaluation like this is important for one simple reason: It helps us remember our blessings. To be sure, the coronavirus has been a difficult, challenging, and frightening time. But it has been so much more than those negative things. When we look back on this one day, we will realize that though it has been hard, and there are difficult days ahead, we will be better for this.

Especially if we pause and reflect.

Blessings,
Pastor John

Dear Church Family,

As we head into this Memorial Day Weekend, I wanted to bring you up to date on some important matters in the life of the church.

Worship
We have no plans yet to return to worship in the sanctuary. The session is well aware that some of local churches have already been worshiping in-person for a couple weeks. Some churches have yet to return. We fall into the latter category. At the session meeting this week, the elders discussed the question at length, and decided that given the accommodations required to make worship happen while the coronavirus is a threat, plus the age of our congregation, that waiting is the best the option. Earlier this past week, the church office sent a brief survey to the congregation, and that input has been forwarded to the session. Please understand that we are desperate to worship together. We all miss each other. But wisdom dictates that we must not act too hastily in this matter. In a few weeks, the impact of the opening of restaurants, shopping, and other entities will be clear, and we will hopefully have a better idea of how to proceed. [This Sunday’s Virtual Worship Program and Music attached at the bottom.]

Mission
When the mission committee met this month, it was exciting to hear the sentiment that we need to continue to be focused outward, on helping people during this uncertain time. The committee recommended and the session approved a special offering to help Jefferson County Community Ministries. There is a related article [below] explaining this offering.

Giving
The congregation has been very generous throughout this ordeal. Friends, remember, our expenses continue. Salaries, utilities, mission support are ongoing. We have cut some expenses, but these have been outpaced by unplanned repairs. Already in 2020, we have paid over $12K in unplanned maintenance expenses. I encourage those who are able to continue in their
faithfulness.

Time Off
I normally don’t announce my time off. I am taking next week off. Normally, I am back after few Year’s and I take off after Easter. With the COVID-19 pandemic, so much changed – worship, meetings, keeping the congregation connected – it just felt wrong to take my regular time off. It’s been 20 weeks since I took a week off. I am really tired and need a sabbath. David Weil will
preach May 31. I have already recorded and scheduled videos to post on the church Facebook page every weekday at 11am. We will stay connected! Pray that it is a relaxing, energizing time.

Blessings,

Pastor John

“Soul Food” Special Offering
Now more than ever our community needs our help. Volunteers are needed at Jefferson County Community Ministries. How can we help?

1. By picking up food from Martins between 8:30 and 9:30 and delivering it to JCCM.
2. By delivering food and medicine to homebound clients in Jefferson County.
3. By helping in the food pantry placing donations on the shelves and filling orders.
4. By interviewing new and repeat clients.
5. By meeting the Mountaineer Food Truck the second Tuesday of each month and unloading food and taking it to JCCM.

Of course, monetary donations are always appreciated. The Mission and Outreach Committee is beginning a “Soul Food” campaign on June 1st through June 15th. We have set a goal of $1,250. Since most of us are not eating out why not donate [online: Presbyterian Foundation or Facebook] the money you would spend dining out to JCCM? What a wonderful way to make a difference for those in need! Make your donation out to CTPC and note in memo line “Soul Food” and the church will send one check at the end of the campaign. Let’s make this another Mission Possible!

Do not neglect to do good and share what you have,
for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. –Hebrews 13:16

Charles Town Presbyterian Church PO Box 89, Charles Town, WV, 25414
Jefferson County Community Ministries 238 West Washington Street. Charles Town, WV, 25414
(304) 725-3186

[Virtual Worship continues as our governing board reviews plans this coming week.]

This past week at Bible Study, we studied Hebrews 10. When I was preparing, I came across these verses below, and they kind of caught me off guard:

But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treat-ed. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is prom-ised.
(Hebrews 10:32-36)

Social media have recently been filled with posts lamenting the way certain states are reopening. There is talk about personal liberty, rights, etc., and some people have even made statements indicating that the government is compromising the God-given rights of the people to have personal liberty.

I say this with absolute certainty: No person born in this country truly knows or has experienced persecution and oppression. There are places in the world where people live in constant fear of the state, and often not even for religious reasons. Our government, though far from perfect, is trying its best to keep as many of us alive and healthy as possible.

What Christians must remember is that this life is not our permanent destination. To be certain, many people have had their lives absolutely wrecked by the pandemic. But even if that is the case, no person, no event can ever remove us from Jesus. Not even death. This was the author’s point in Hebrews 10. The Christians that received Hebrews had previously endured persecution, ridicule, property confiscation, and still held on to their faith. That is what is at the heart of the verse 36,

“Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God
you may receive what is promised.”

Never lose sight of these two truths: Nothing can separate us from our salvation, and nothing can separate us from the love of God. No matter what comes next, no matter how well or how badly it goes, if we are in Christ, then we are in Christ – period.

We are not without hope.

Blessings,

Pastor John

Virtual Worship Program and Songs for Sunday May 17th:

“When are we going to get back to normal?”

I am sure we have all heard this question. I bet most of us have asked this question. If I were to wager a guess, that question comes from fear – fear of the virus, fear of the economic impact, fear that life might be forever changed. If we go back to doing some or all of the activities we were doing six weeks ago, we will feel like we beat the virus. We will feel like we won.

I want to pose a different question: What was so great about the way it was? This is an important question that I do not hear asked much, if at all. It is critical that we spend some time thinking about this, or we are going to go right back to the hamster wheel, as it were.

I am not suggesting we do not put the country back to work, or that we don’t resume worshiping in person. What I am suggesting is that the time of self-quarantine might help us to reevaluate our priorities. When is the last time you spent so much time with the people you’re “stuck” with? Many people post on social media about family game time, books they’ve read, and so on. If we go back to “normal” are those things we want to lose? I hardly think so.

But the most important question, in my opinion, has hardly been asked. So, before we sprint to the finish of our quarantine, let me encourage you with some words from Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount:

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or
drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food,
and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not
sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by
worrying add a single hour to your life? … But seek first his kingdom and
his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as
well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry
about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:26ff)

If we genuinely want to learn something from this, if we want to come out of this part of our history better than we started, then we need to humble ourselves before the Lord. Ask the Lord to help you put him first in all things, to teach you during this time, to help you learn what is most important. And then when we are tempted to return to “normal,” let us, instead, return to
God.

Blessings,
Pastor John

Happy Easter, 2020!

I came to faith in Christ in the fall of 1984. Holy Week of 1985 was one of the most profound experiences of my life. I went to the Maundy Thursday foot washing service at the church where I was a member. It was incredibly moving. The following afternoon, I spent time at the Good Friday prayer vigil. I went to my friend’s church that evening for another worship service. On Easter Sunday I went to both services to celebrate the risen Christ! I was excited about my faith, and I took in every opportunity I could to make that first Holy Week as meaningful as possible. Most Holy Weeks were like that, even in college. Later, when I knew the Lord was calling me into full-time ministry, Holy Week took on a more vocational (but no less personal) aspect – now I was part of helping other Christians participate in meaningful experiences during that most profound time of the year. And in both cases, as a layperson and as a pastor, there was a powerful sense of congregational connection for all of those services.
Until this year.

The Coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible to worship the way we would like during Holy Week, 2020. And though we have been blessed to be able to stream our services, it’s just not the same preaching to a room full of the same three or four people service after service. That connection simply isn’t there. 2020 will be the year we remember how different Holy Week was for all of us.

However, it is vitally important to remember that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not about how many times we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, it’s not about which hymns we sing and when, it’s not about the Sunrise Service or the breakfast at church. Those things are important ways in which we celebrate the day, but they are not the day itself.
We read these words in 1 John 4:9,10:

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

That is the Good news: God loves us, God saves us, and God offers us eternal life through his risen Son! We may not be celebrating the way we want to, but we must absolutely celebrate, for this is the eternal gospel of God, the good news in which we place our hope!
He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Blessings, Pastor John

Our traditional Maundy Thursday service uses low-lighting to symbolize the decent into darkness, representing Jesus’ death – the darkness before the light….In anticipation of Jesus’ resurrection in the following days… in anticipation of Easter Day.

Below, please find this virtual service’s program and all are welcome to share in a virtual communion with your bread and cup.

Charles Town Presbyterian Church
Maundy Thursday, April 9, 2020

Welcome and Opening Prayer

Scripture Reading                            Exodus 12:1-7, 12-14

Song                                                        “Lamb of God”                                                       No.518

Your only Son, no sin to hide, but you have sent him from your side
to walk upon this guilty sod, and to become the Lamb of God.
(Refrain) O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God, I love the holy Lamb of God!
O wash me in his precious blood, my Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
Your gift of love, we crucified; we laughed and scorned him as he died;
The humble King we named a fraud and sacrificed the Lamb of God.
(Refrain) I was so lost, I should have died, but you have brought me to your side
To be led by your staff and rod, and to be called a lamb of God. (Refrain)

Scripture Reading                                John 13:1-16

Hymn                                   “Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love”                       No. 203

Scripture                                            Matthew 26:17-30

Message                                               “At the Table”

Prayer of Confession (in unison)

Holy and gracious God, our sin is too heavy to bear.
Trusting in your mercy, we lay before you the truth of who we are.
We confess our failure to love as Christ loved…
We confess our covetousness and greed…
We confess our weakness before temptation…
We confess our frailty before the challenges of this world…
Merciful God, forgive us. Heal us, and make us whole, for the sake of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, in whose name we humbly pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

            Friends, hear the good news of the gospel.
            In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

*Hymn                             “Longing For Light, We Wait in Darkness”                        No. 314

Longing for light, we wait in darkness. Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people, light for the world to see.

(Refrain) Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.

Longing for peace, our world is troubled. Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word a lone has power to save us. Make us your living voice. (Refrain)

Longing for food, many are hungry. Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others, shared until all are fed. (Refrain)

Longing for shelter, many are homeless, longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others, walls made of living stone. (Refrain)

Many the gifts, many the people, many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another, making your kingdom come. (Refrain)

Presentation of Gifts with Prayer of Thanksgiving

Celebration of the Lord’s Supper

            Great Prayer of Thanksgiving…
              The Lord be with you;
              And also with you.
              Lift up your hearts.
              We lift them up to the Lord.
              Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
              It is right to give our thanks and praise…

Scripture Reading                                 Revelation 21:1-4

*Hymn                                                   “Were You There”                                               No. 228

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?

Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?

Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?

*Benediction

Online Giving. For several months we have made available online giving as a tool to help people bring their offering before God.  This past week, we set up our online giving through the Presbyterian Foundation.  The exciting part about working with the foundation is that they have mobile app connected to our account.  The app is called Give Plus and you can find it at the Google Play Store or Apple app store.  The great part about the Give Plus app is that you can set up for weekly, monthly or one time giving!  If you have any questions, please contact the church office.

On Good Friday, people are welcome to check out this video, produced by members of the presbytery.