Charles Town Presbyterian Church

I have some exciting news to share this week. Tuesday, the session met for their March stated meeting, and I want to share the highlights.

** Revised Guidance May 19, 2021 ** This post was revised to reflect the latest guidance.

• Masks. Per the revised CDC guidelines, fully vaccinated persons do not need to wear masks. So, if you are fully vaccinated, masks are optional in worship. Those who are not vaccinated or have health concerns are encouraged to continue masking. We trust that as brothers and sisters in Christ, we will honor each person’s decision on this matter.
• No singing…yet. The virus is still out there, and it is spread via aerosol, meaning the water droplets that come from our noses, mouths, etc. Even with masks, singing remains a spreader activity. For now, we encourage attendees to speak the words of the songs and hymns we sing. The first moment we can sing without fear of spread, sing we shall! So hang in there, that time is hope-fully coming soon!
• Seating and social distancing. We are still requesting that worshipers sit at least every other pew. When we serve communion, we will be bringing the bread and the cup to each person, not passing it down the pew. We will access by way of the pew in front.
• Offering. We will have offering plates available at the doors, and we ask that everyone drop their gifts into the plates as they enter. This is to limit contact.
• Virtual worship will still stream. We will continue to stream worship services live over Facebook. If you don’t feel well or don’t yet feel safe, worship with us virtually!

** Original CTPress Article resumes below, but In-Worship Guidance information above is more current.

In-Person Worship. The session decided to TENTATIVELY plan for resuming in-person worship on Sunday, May 9. Masks are required, and we will practice social distancing. Advance sign-ups are NOT required. The service will be streamed on Facebook, so that folks who are unable to come or are not comfortable with large-group gatherings can still worship with us.

Sunday School for all ages is set to TENTATIVELY resume Sunday, June 6. Like worship, masks are required, and social distancing will be practiced.

These decisions are dependent on good trends with the vaccine and the virus. Currently, in Jefferson County, the trend is going in the wrong direction. We are “in the red,” according to the state. Hopefully, this is temporary. If this turns out to be a long-term trend, the session may have to reconsider this decision, but we hope that is not the case.

Millie Bush Legacy. We are so blessed to receive this unexpected gift! The session decided that for now, those funds will be placed with the rest of our investments. Ten percent, a tithe, of this gift will be given to community, mission, and benevolence needs. The session created a task force of four elders and the pastor to explore how that ten percent will be used, and they will report back to the session. Kathy Donadio, Diane Mayhew, David Weil, and Patsy White make up that task force, and would love to hear your input. By the end of the year, hopefully, we will have a long-range plan for how we will steward that legacy.

The larger takeaway from these decisions is this: After more than a year of being “on hold” due to the pandemic, we are beginning to move forward. I am so excited for what the future holds for all of us. I doubt we will go completely back to normal. I prefer using the term, “moving forward.” I am reminded of this passage of scripture:

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.
Psalm 40:1-3

And speaking of moving forward, we are about to begin Holy Week. Even though most of the services are virtual, Holy Week provides a great time to consider all that Christ suffered on our behalf, and to reconnect with God’s matchless grace. I pray this Holy Week is time of great renewal for all of us!

Moving Forward,
Pastor John

On Sunday, I am preaching on Matthew 11, when John the Baptist sends his disciples to Jesus to ask if he is the Messiah Israel has been waiting for. Jesus doesn’t answer this question with a simple yes or no, rather, he refers to an important prophecy that describes the kind of transformation the Messiah will bring.

In essence, Jesus is proving he is the Messiah by pointing to the miracles he’s done. His reference to the prophecy is important; it’s not like a fortune-teller making a lucky guess, Jesus has performed some amazing, inexplicable miracles that can only be attributed to God.

It was not only the Pharisees who misunderstand who Jesus was, but so did those who knew him. These questions are a direct result of how the scriptures were being taught. Israel had long been a subjugated nation, and that was read into the prophecies. Promises of deliverance were understood from a political perspective, that the Messiah would come and lead a defeat of the Roman Empire.

It is quite easy to read our own wants, desires, and situations into the scriptures. For example, if I were hungry, and the pantry was empty, it would be easy to read, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35), and then think that Jesus was going to provide my lunch. Now, while it is true that everything we have (including lunch) comes from God, what Jesus is actually talking about is eternal life, and he is doing it through a very clever reference to both the manna the Israelites were given by God during the exodus, as well as to the bread of presence that was in the temple.

When we come to the Word, we do well to ask some basic questions:

• Who is this about (God, me, someone else)?
• When and Where did this take place and what was going on at the time?
• Why is this important?
• What is the principle this passage is teaching?
• How do I apply this passage to my life today?

Finally, one of the most important things we must realize is that we are finite people. How we understand a particular passage might not be accurate, or even wrong. And there is always the possibility that God will answer his Word in ways we haven’t even thought of.

May God bless all of us as we study his Word and grow in our knowledge and understanding of our faith and our God!

Blessings,
Pastor John

Two weeks ago, I received a phone call from an investment firm, and I was surprised to learn that woman named Mildred Bush, who was part of our church in the 1940’s and 1950’s, passed away and left Charles Town Presbyterian Church a gift of over $500,000! Mrs. Bush moved to Martinsburg after graduating high school, got married, and spent her career working for the federal government. Upon retirement, she and her husband moved back to Charles Town.
When I heard the news, I could not believe it! I immediately shared this with the elders and trustees in anticipation of the upcoming session meeting last week. I want to share with you how the church leadership is approaching this exciting news.

It is a blessing and affirmation. God promises to always provide for us, and this gift is evidence of his providence. It is an affirmation that our congregation is moving in the right direction.

It is an opportunity. The overwhelming sense of the leadership is that God is giving us the resources with which to do something significant and exciting! Anyone with thoughts or ideas related to this opportunity is welcome to share them with any of the elders.

It is a call to prayer. The elders are spending the next several weeks before the March session meeting praying about this gift because of the reasons mentioned above. The congregation is most welcome to pray for the church leadership as we consider where the Lord is leading regarding this blessing and opportunity.

It is a reminder. While this gift certainly helps the church, we all must continue to give and serve faithfully. Historically, our congregation tends to pull back our giving after receiving a large gift like this. It’s tempting to think the church has plenty of money. We must remember that stewardship is about our faithfulness to God and our relationship with him, and when God blesses his people with large gifts like this, the appropriate response is to continue in our faithfulness.

Anyone with questions is welcome to contact me or any elder; we are happy to answer your questions. All of us should give thanks and praise to God for this amazing, unexpected blessing! And above all, we must be faithful in prayer for and stewardship of the ministries to which Christ has called us.

Blessings,
Pastor John

Greetings!

Before I get into more important matters, I want to offer a personal update. Most of you are aware that the virus hit our household. One of the kids tested positive and had a very mild case; the rest of the family has tested negative and remained asymptomatic. I appreciate the prayers many of you have offered on our behalf. We have quarantined closely for the last two weeks, and barring no surprises, we will be out and about after this Friday.

It is hard to believe that Lent is already upon us. This is significant – it was the middle of Lent last year when the pandemic forced shut down of large gatherings, and that affected worship. For the most part, we’ve been virtual, using Facebook live for worship services, and Zoom for meetings. I know it’s not ideal, because the whole congregation doesn’t use internet technology, but it’s the best we have. The good news is that Covid-19 cases are dropping, though they are still extremely high, and the virus is still a very real threat.

Lent is always a special season in the life of Christ’s followers. It allows us the chance to look inward and consider how are spiritual journey is going. It provides a time to consider how we are far from Christ and what we can do to draw near to Him. Many people choose to “give up” something during Lent, a practice derived from the ancient Christian practice of fasting and prayer during the forty days that lead up to the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Lent begins after Ash Wednesday, which is this coming Wednesday. We typically have a worship service that includes the imposition of ashes, and this is a very meaningful moment for those who look forward to this service.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, we are doing Ash Wednesday a little differently this year. First, weather permitting, there will be a Do-it-Yourself ashes station at the walkway near the main sidewalk on Washington Street. It will be “open” 7am-6pm, and I will be responsible for it, checking on it throughout the day. Again, if it’s raining, snowing, or very windy (wipes and paper towels will go everywhere) we won’t have it this way. In the evening, we will have a short worship service focusing on prayers and music at 7pm via Facebook live.

My hope and prayer is that these two accommodations will make this Ash Wednesday as meaningful as possible. Lent is a great season to renew our commitment to Christ and to experience God in some deep, intimate ways. May God bless us as we enter this special season!

Blessings,
Pastor John

One of the most misunderstood verses in all of scripture is Philippians 4:13, which reads,

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Many Christians, including me, love this verse. And many Christians, including me, have misapplied this verse to our lives.

If we were to add whatever difficult thing is before us into this verse, it sounds really affirming and encouraging. For example, “I can take this Algebra test through Christ who strengthens me.” “I can do well on this job interview through Christ who strengthens me.” “I can shovel this snow, through Christ who strengthens me.” There is nothing wrong with asking God for clarity while taking a test, calmness while interviewing for a job, or strength for a hard task. But those are not the kinds of things Paul was refer-ring to.

Let’s look at the greater context of Philippians 4:

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (4:10-13)

Paul is speaking of his ministry, and how, throughout his ministry, he has known ease and hardship, hunger and plenty, peace, and anxiety. He expands on some of those experiences in 2 Corinthians, where he describes beatings, imprisonments, and other hardships as regular experiences in his work for Christ.

We do well to rely on Christ in all things, especially when our confidence is lacking. We should pray for clarity, confidence, strength, etc. We must also be careful to rightly apply scripture to our lives. If we are talking about doing the work God has called us to do in uncertain and/or changing circumstances, then yes, Philippians 4:13 is the verse to go to! And for other occasions when we need encouragement, there are many other scriptures we can turn to, such as Matthew 28:20,

“Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Regular reading and studying of God’s Word is important for every Christian, because it trains us to understand the importance of context to help determine meaning and application. I hope and pray that each of us will know the Lord more deeply through his Word and will depend on Him in every difficult circumstance.

Blessings,
Pastor John

A couple weeks ago, in my sermon, I highlighted verses that I tend to land on frequently in my messages.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you… So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthian 4:7-12, 16-18)

These verses first spoke to me when I was newly active in my faith. I had progressed from being super-excited about my faith in Christ to a place where I seemed to be hitting all kinds of roadblocks. I was wondering if I was the problem, if I had done something to make God mad. I felt like I was moving backward in my faith journey, not forward. It never dawned on me that life is simply hard. Then I came across these verses in 2 Corinthians 4.

Later in 2 Corinthians 11, Paul explains his sufferings in greater depth:

Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from rob-bers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. (11:23-27)

Paul writes about this because there was an attack on his ministry with people saying that he really wasn’t an apostle. Paul shows what his apostleship is all about – suffering for Jesus. Few of us have suffered the same as Paul, but all of us understand how hard life can be. It is important that we not lose sight of Christ or give up on our faith when we are feeling hard-pressed to follow him.

Each day that God gives us, not matter what we are facing, is an opportunity to grow in our faith and serve Christ. Whatever we may be facing, we must fix our eyes on the unseen glories of Christ, for it is the grace of Christ that will guide us through this messy life and into the glorious life to come.

In Christ,
Pastor John