Charles Town Presbyterian Church

For the past two months, the Wednesday night Bible study has been studying the book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is really a journey, taken by the author Solomon, who sets out to discover the meaning of life. He reviews every way possible – work, religion, hedonism – you name it, Solomon tried to find meaning from it.

This week I was reminded of something Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 9: 12:

“For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.”

What Solomon is pointing out is that none of us knows what the day holds. This past week, our nation witnessed another domestic terror attack, and eight people lost their lives. None of them started their day thinking that October 31, 2017 would
be their last day alive. Most of us go one with our busy lives not realizing how short life can be.

Life is a gift from God, and we need to acknowledge the fact that every day that God gives us is a gift from God. We need to stop rushing to the next thing, the next event, the next moment, and enjoy the moment God has give us. If you are a Sirius/XM subscriber, you know that the holiday music channels were up and running November 1. I know that there really isn’t much in the way of Thanksgiving music, but why the rush? We have a major national holiday between Halloween and Christmas, so why not slow down and enjoy it?

Each day is a gift from God. We don’t know how the day will go. So rather than rush ahead and skip things, let’s make it a point to enjoy everything God gives us!

Blessings,

Pastor John

Dear Friends,

Like many of you, I have been watching with keen interest the events surrounding the scandal involving the Weinstein brothers. Harvey and Bob Weinstein own the Weinstein Company, a Hollywood production company, that has churned out such hits as The Kings’ Speech, Django Unchained, Silver Linings Playbook, and The Mist.

The scandal is focused on the pattern of predatory behavior engaged in by Harvey Weinstein (and possibly his brother, too), where he would regularly cross appropriate professional boundaries with actresses and other females working for or seeking to work for films made by the Weinstein Company. Dozens of women have shared their stories of how Harvey Weinstein sexually harassed, touched, and in at least two cases, possibly raped them.

As horrible as this scandal is, there is some good to come of it. This scandal is shedding light on how prevalent a problem this is. Women all over the country are sharing on social media that they also have been victims of this same kind of misconduct simply by posting the message, “me too.” If you’ve seen this post on your social media feed, you know that the problem is larger than anyone imagined (or admitted), and that the number is likely far higher than those brave enough to post about it. There are some real monsters in the world.

What can we do about it?

1. First, we must recognize that sexual brokenness, like all sin, is a result of the Fall. That means even in something as horrible as this, we must look for God to be our source of strength and life. For those who are victims of sexual abuse, misconduct, and rape, it is important to know that God’s heart breaks for you, and that God is walking with you through this, and God will never, ever leave you or stop loving you for any reason.
2. Second, we need to treat people better. Men, I’m speaking directly to you. Treat every female you encounter the way you wish to be treated – with respect, dignity, fairness, and kindness. Respect appropriate boundaries, and behave in a way that brings glory to God. And most importantly, we need to listen to the stories of the victims. They need to be heard. It is how the healing begins.

Of course, more than this needs to be done, but we need to get the discussion started.

Sincerely,

Pastor John

October is here, and that means one of our most important holidays will be upon us. No, not Halloween, but rather, Reformation Day!

The Reformation was kicked into high gear on October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed a list of grievances on to the door of Wittenburg Cathedral in Germany. This list came to be known as the “95 Theses,” a list of complaints Luther had about the church. He named instances of greed, immorality and corruption which compromised the witness and mission of the Church. Thus began the Reformation!

Were it not for those events in 1517, we might not even know what it means to be Presbyterian. Luther’s willingness to stand up to the leadership of the church and demand greater accountability and more fidelity to God’s Word inspired a generation of leaders like John Calvin, Jan Hus, John Wycliffe, and others. Were it not for the Reformation, we would not have seen great
advances in learning. The notion that the Word of God was for all the people of God led to more and more printing, and that made God’s Word accessible to many. The printing press – a major tool of the Reformation – has had a dramatic impact on the world ever since. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the Reformation. Thanks be to God!

This month we will give out candy, welcome trick or treaters, and maybe even have a little fun dressing up ourselves. We will also celebrate my favorite fellowship activity of the year – the fall festival (there is more about that in the newsletter). As we go through this month, don’t forget how important October 31 truly is for Christians the world round. A simple act of frustration and rebellion – a nail, a paper and a door – changed the world and brought the good news of Jesus Christ to many.

Have a Blessed Reformation Day!

Pastor John

When I was a kid, I loved reading MAD magazine. It was edgy, sometimes dirty, and always low-brow. The “spokesperson” created by the writers was a fictitious character named Alfred E. Neuman, who’s catchphrase was the grammatically mistaken phrase,  “What, me worry?”

We all worry. We worry about money, about our family, our friends, our community, politics, war, weather, our church. The end is listless, as they say. But doesn’t it seem like there is always something more to worry about?

Apparently, this is nothing new. Jesus teaches on this in the sermon on the mount, in Matthew 6:25-34. Three times he says, “Do not be anxious,” so we know that this is important. But this is not the end of his advice on this matter. Remember, in the sermon on the mount, his teaching style is to bring contrasts…”You’ve heard this, but I tell you this…” The “but” is the important part. Whatever follows is what we need to do. We find the “but” in verse 6:33, “But seek first his [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

So, when you catch yourself stressing out about something at work, about money, about someone in your family, be sure you stop and pray about the matter. Even though it won’t completely stop you from worrying, it will remind you that God has not abandoned you and he’s right there amid your situation. Prayer will calm you down and shift your perspective.

Blessings,

Pastor John

Last Saturday, I co-lead a seminar on how the Church can respond to the opioid crisis that is facing our nation. The seminar was part of the “Big Tent” event sponsored annually by our presbytery. The Big Tent is a day that begins with worship, ends with prayer, and has two modules for seminars. Over one hundred people attended this year’s event. To my surprise, our seminar attracted only six people.

We need to talk about this crisis. Our state leads the nation in opioid overdose deaths. Every one of us has been touched by the crisis – whether in our families or in the families of friends, we know people who have lost their battle with addiction. The opioid crisis is a public health crisis, and a spiritual crisis. We are quickly losing an entire generation to addiction and overdose. The crisis is exhausting our resources – real and emotional. It tears families apart, and it is exhausting our resources. Rural counties all over “small town America” are running out of money and resources because of the frequency with which emergency services is responding to overdose calls.

Twenty or thirty years ago, people thought of drug addicts as dirty, lazy and the very bottom of the social strata, hiding in the dark corners of the world, shooting up when no one could see. Addiction is very mainstream now, having conquered all parts of our society – rich and poor, every race, and so on. There are addicts holding respectable jobs, sitting in classrooms, and yes, hanging around on the streets. They are addicted to street drugs, like heroin, but they are also addicted to prescription drugs, like OxyContin.

We cannot simply watch and wait and hope this crisis ends, somehow. We need to engage with what is happening in the world. We must get involved. We are the ones bearing the image of Christ to the world, and the world needs to see him. I’m not sure what it means for us to get involved with this issue, and I’m not even sure what difference we will make. But I do know one thing we can and should do: pray.

Please pray about this – pray for addicts, for first-responders, for doctors, lawmakers, and everyone else who can help stem the tide. Pray for the families of addicts, especially those who have lost loved ones in this battle. And pray that churches will be brave enough to help those who need the comfort of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus.

Thank you,

Pastor John