Charles Town Presbyterian Church

What a blessing – this position has been filled as of November 1, 2021.

Do you have a calling for ministry? CTPC is investing in our youth and their families! CTPC’s Mission is Knowing in Christ, Growing in God’s Love and SERVING as the Holy Spirit Leads.

This is a paid position. CTPC re-opened this search in July 2021. If you are interested in SERVING, please search your heart, read the description below to determine if you’re qualified, and then please submit your resume to jobs@ctpres.org

On Worship

For the season of Lent, I am going to use my newsletter space to give deeper explanations of the different elements of our worship service. Sometimes, we forget why we do certain activities in worship, or we simply don’t know. Today I want to focus on scripture. Scripture is central to worship for one reason: It contains the very revelation of God. It is from scripture we learn the gospel, that God loves us. It is through scripture we experience the grace and mercy of Jesus.

There are several places in worship where we hear scripture, and sometimes, we are unaware that’s what we are hearing. Obviously, when the pastor reads from the Bible and then expounds upon what is read, we know that we are hearing God’s Word. We also use scripture as part of the opening moments in worship. For the Call to Worship we use selections from the psalms, usually three to five verses. The call is almost always responsive, meaning the leader reads a sentence or phrase, then the congregation reads. This may seem like an “old school” or old-fashioned way of doing worship.

However, this kind of format allows us to read and speak the words of scripture. By using two senses, vision and speaking, and allowing our brain to process what we are reading, we reinforce the message of the Call to Worship.

There are other places we hear scripture. In the assurance of pardon, which I will address next week, we always seek assurance from scripture. Many of the anthems sung by the choir are based on scripture. Many of our hymns and songs come right out of the Bible. The sung responses after the offering and assurance of pardon are also from the pages of scripture.

Scripture is so important. As I said, it shows us the very revelation of God. But more than that, it serves as an important tool in our spiritual growth. Writing to his young friend, Timothy, the Apostle Paul says,

“All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16).

In other words, we can’t have too much scripture in worship. And if you really want to enhance your own worship experience, be sure to read the Bible regularly. You will be surprised how frequently you hear the Word of God in worship!

Blessings,

Pastor John

In a couple of weeks, Lent begins, and with it, a sermon series I am very excited about. frequently, it seems like Christians have an easy answer for some of life’s more difficult issues. That is due, in part, to our discomfort with particular subjects, and also the fact that some of life’s challenges are hard, and we hate the idea of people struggling.

There are plenty of topics I could have picked and narrowing it down was not easy. I chose issues that are important to us now, issues that affect the majority of us in some way. The series is called “Facing Faithing Our Fears,” and I will address addiction, suicide/mental health, intimacy, disease, and grief. That will take us to Palm Sunday, where will focus on the Passion of Christ.

I’m still praying about how to address these topics. There are several things I don’t want to do. I want my messages those Sundays to be based on Scripture, but I don’t want to simply throw verses at these issues. I don’t want to explain away the problems, nor do I wish to over-simplify these matters. I am not interested in blame-shifting, shaming people, or demeaning those for whom these issues are significant and challenging.

Some thirty years ago or so I spent spring break in Chicago on a mission trip to an urban ministry setting. One night, a group of us collected homeless people and got them into shelters. It was sub zero weather, and the people we helped would have likely died from exposure. In the van, I got into a conversation with one of the gentlemen. I told him why I was in Chicago and how the trip connected to my faith in Christ. He asked me what I thought he should do, and I told him (very naively, I might add), to “turn it over to Jesus.” His response was pointed and angry, “Turn it over and then what? THEN WHAT?” Since that day I have tried to be genuine about my faith. The good times are good, the hard times are hard, and we must learn to find Christ in the midst of them.

I hope you are excited about this series. I invite you to pray for me and all who are connected with planning worship. This series feels important and special. I am hoping we are able to reach people with the gospel in a way that is meaningful and helpful.

I hope we are able to answer the question, “Then what?”

Blessings,

Pastor John

One of the best things that happened for our congregation while I was on sabbatical had nothing to do with me. We sent out a mission team to Webster Springs, WV. What a great moment for our congregation, that significant ministry did not come to standstill during that time! It says so much about what’s important in our congregation.

The Missions and Outreach committee met this past week, and one of the questions they have for the coming year is this: Do we want to do another mission trip? I certainly hope the answer is yes, because I am hoping to go!

Mission trips fall into two basic categories: work trips, and outreach trips.

Outreach trips tend to focus on program – worship services, Vacation Bible School, other ministry events, etc., and they are usually done in places where churches lack the resources to do such ministry ventures.

Work trips are different. When Jesus shares the parable of the sheep and the goats, he says this about those who do God’s work,

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ -Matthew 25:37

This is why we do work trips – to help those who need help, and in so doing, we model the love of Christ to them.

If you are interested in a mission trip this summer, please let me know. At the March mission and outreach committee meeting we will decide if we are able to do a trip this year. We will likely go back to Webster Springs. A few years ago, that area was inundated with heavy rainfall that resulted in massive flooding that caused extensive damage. The need for repair is still great. If you are interested in a trip like this, please email me.

It’s very exciting to see this kind of ministry in the life of our church, and I am eager for it to continue. I look forward to hearing from you!

Blessings,

Pastor John

“…they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:11b).

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, …You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house…”
(Deuteronomy 11:18,19).

Do you accept the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be, by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ in the Church universal, and God’s Word to you? (Book of Order W-4.04b; Ordination Question 2)

This past Wednesday, I restarted my Wednesday Night Bible Study. We began to review Hebrews, a book written to Christians and Jewish converts to Christianity in the mid-first century. It was a great beginning to this study. Hebrews is an inspiring, wonderful part of the scriptures! For over a decade now, I have been leading a Bible Study on Wednesday nights. It is scheduled then because it is the only night each week where no committee meetings are ever scheduled. For over a decade, many of the same handful of people have attended Bible Study.
I am grateful for the people who attend, but I’m surprised at the number of people who could attend but do not. Learning the scriptures is an integral part of who we are as Christians. And so, I’d like to answer some of the common objections for missing Bible Study:

• “I can’t come every week.” No one at Bible Study is there every single week. Even if your attendance is sporadic, time spent at Bible Study is never wasted, even if you weren’t there the week before.
• “I’m already so busy.” We are all busy. There will always be something competing for every moment of your day. Put Bible Study on your calendar and make it a priority. You will be glad you did.
• “Everyone there knows more about the Bible…I don’t want to look stupid!” Even if you know nothing about the Bible, you can’t change that by skipping Bible Study. If you start attending, you will learn.
• “I already do so much at church.” Believe me, I am grateful for this, but every Christian needs two things in addition to worship – a place to serve, and a place to be built up. Bible study is a great tool for growing in your faith.

Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 7:15pm, for about an hour, in the church parlor. I hope you will consider attending!

Blessings,

-Pastor John

Why I am a Chaplain

For the better part of ten years, I have served as a chaplain to first responders in Jefferson County. I talk about this very informally and very frequently, but I’ve never really explained what I do in that role. I thought I’d take my column this week to explain what I do as a chaplain.

A chaplain is very different from a pastor, but there are some similarities. Chaplains, like pastors, often find themselves in the role of counselor. We offer prayers, both informally and formally. Occasionally, we officiate weddings, and sadly, we perform funerals.

But there is much more to this work. When there is a critical call, chaplains may be called to the scene simply to be present. We are there in case some-one needs to talk to us, and very often, simply being on scene gives the first responders the confidence they need to continue to perform their duties well. Chaplaincy can simply be a ministry of comfort.

Sometimes, a chaplain will have to provide pastoral care to the victims of the trauma. In those cases, the work of the chaplain is to eventually hand off the pastoral care to the victims’ pastor. For people with no church connection, that pastoral care can be ongoing.

After a critical incident, chaplains will often follow up by providing stress management tools to the first responders. This is done through individual and group follow up. Sometimes, the chaplain will recommend that a first responder seek additional counseling.

I came into this ministry after a phone call in 2010 from one of the local fire departments. They needed a new chaplain. Not knowing what I was getting into, I said yes. A decade later, I count it a major blessing to have served so many men and women who give themselves for others. This ministry has opened my eyes to some of the horrors that fill our world. I have gained an amazing amount of respect of what it takes to be on the front lines helping people in life and death moments.

I have seen tragedy and death; I have witnessed miracles and life. It has been a privilege to be part of all of it.

Blessings,

Pastor John