Charles Town Presbyterian Church

You’ve got this!

This is a phrase we’ve learned to say to others when they say or post something that sounds like they doubt something. For example, a student might post about the difficulty of an upcoming exam, an athlete may state how difficult it will be to achieve a certain level of performance, someone might say how depressed they feel and that they aren’t sure how they will make it through today.

Often, as a response, we say or type three words: You’ve got this.

On Monday I begin a three-month sabbatical. I recently shared with the elders how blessed I am and how encouraging it is to have this opportunity for extended study and rest. I am looking forward to the educational activities, family events, and the extended break I will have between July 1-October 1.

Every church that deals with any kind of pastoral transition (and a sabbatical qualifies as such an event) faces anxiety. What if something tragic happens while the pastor is gone? What if an important decision needs to be made? What if?

Since January, I have been working with the elders, deacons, and church staff to prepare for this. We have leadership teams that will do regular and emergency visitation. Worship will continue weekly under the able ministry of Pastor John Cushwa. And the usual ministries and programs of the church will carry on. And most importantly, God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, will still be there for all of us.

You’ve got this!

I have every confidence this congregation will experience wonderful guidance from its leaders, and I am looking forward to returning to an even healthier, stronger congregation in October.

If you are not traveling and you are in the area on Sunday morning, please come to worship. Following our 9:45am service we are having a short reception before Sunday School so I can wish everyone well before my sabbatical begins.

But remember, don’ t worry! You’ve got this!

Blessings,

Pastor John

P. S. SPECIAL FUN ACTIVITY Sponsored by a anonymous member: Visit our Facebook page to play and win a free copy of You’ve Got This (Because God’s Got You): 52 Devotions to Uplift and Encourage ALONG with our own Pastor John’s book of sermons Walking with Conviction: Sermons about Trouble and Grace

Most mornings, I read one of the psalms as part of my daily devotions.

Many people think of the psalms as nothing but encouragement and empathy for people who are looking for God’s help or need encouragement. That is only part of the function of this prayer book of the Old Testament. If one spent time daily, without skipping any of the psalms, one would hear the whole gospel of God communicated through these challenging and beautiful prayers.

Let me share one example of how deeply personal the psalms can be. Consider these words from Psalm 55:

If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me, I could hide.
But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend,
with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God,
as we walked about among the worshipers. (55:12-14)

I think all of us can recount friendships that used to be close and no longer are. When I first encountered this in Psalm 55, I was deeply touched. I had no clue the Psalms could get so real. And notice – the close friendship David laments is with someone with whom he worshiped.

Scripture is constantly speaking to us if we are willing to take the time to read and listen to what it is saying to us. If you do not already have a regular devotional practice, I want to encourage you to consider reading the Psalms; one psalm per day. Over the course of one year you can read the whole book two times. Along the way you will recognize psalms from hymns and songs we sing, you will hear readings from special days like Thanksgiving, Palm Sunday, Christmas and Easter. You will encounter frank prayers and generous God who is real and accessible.

May the Lord bless you as you read His Word.

Blessings,

Pastor John

Dear Church Family,

This past Thursday, we wrapped up Vacation Bible School for 2019. There have been daily posts on the CTPC Facebook page. Once again, we partnered with our sisters and brothers from St. Thomas Lutheran Church. We did something very different this time, though. We wrote our own curriculum. It was a long process which began at the end of last summer. We thought a circus theme would be a fun way to do Bible school. Then we picked some Bible stories that fit some of the things we feel and see when we go to the circus – fear, animals, trusting others, and so on.

Doing our own curriculum meant some hard work. We had to come up with everything – the Bible stories, the songs, the snacks, the schedule – everything. I am pleased to report that this was the best Vacation Bible School in years! We had so much fun, our churches worked well together, and it was a blast!!

A big reason it went well is because of the work Molly Blue put into this Vacation Bible School. She works hard every year, but when there is no “manual,” no leader book to go to when there is a question, then the leadership has to be ready to answer those questions, to be ready for contingencies. Molly wrote a great curriculum! I will be honest – I was a little nervous about writing a curriculum from scratch. The natural tendency might be to “wing it” or under prepare. I am pleased to report that my concerns are unfounded. As I just said, this was one of the best Vacation Bible Schools we’ve done in years.

When you see Molly and any of the other people who helped out in any way this past week, be sure to thank them for a job well done. Passing on our faith to our children is one of the greatest privileges we have as parents, families, and as a church. I am grateful it continues to be a high priority at CTPC.

Blessings,

Pastor John

This Sunday we will celebrate this special day in the life of the Church.

Pentecost is typically thought of as the birthday of the Church. Acts 2 recounts how the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, came upon Jesus’ disciples while they were gathered in Jerusalem, waiting for such a move of the Spirit. Jesus told them to wait for the Spirit, and the Spirit came.

Pentecost is not new to the New Testament. Neither is the Holy Spirit. The feast of Pentecost is actually given to the Jewish people in Exodus 34, and was known as one of the migratory feasts – In the case of Pentecost, Jewish males were required to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the heat harvest. It occurred fifty days after Passover.

The powerful presence of the Holy Spirit is not unique to the New Testament, either. One of my first seminary classes was a very difficult Old Testament course, the final project for which was a paper explaining the appearance of the word ruach (spirit, breath), as a manifestation of God. If memory serves, there are nearly 150 appearances of the Spirit in connection with God’s work. Through the Spirit, God’s servants in the Old Testament perform miracles, give testimony, provide prophecy and even change natural events, like weather! Sounds familiar, right?

When the Holy Spirit comes on Christ’s disciples and enables them to speak in other languages, people celebrating Passover from all over the known world hear the gospel in their language. Peter, the disciple most likely to say the wrong thing, gives a powerful sermon. And the net result is that thousands come to faith in Christ and are saved!

As we prepare to celebrate Pentecost, let us pray that God will unleash his Spirit and spark revival among us, and that God would so equip us to share his gospel!

Blessings,

Pastor John

The other day I stumbled across a quote about worship music.

The music must not turn the church into an audience
enjoying the music, but into a congregation singing the Lord’s
praises in his presence.

What a great way to think about worship. Because our culture is so fixated on entertainment, we easily fall into the trap that when someone starts performing music, we tend to think that our job is to sit back and let it wash over us, to enjoy it, to be entertained by it. Even in worship.

You might be surprised to learn that the author of that quote is none other than John Calvin. Even 500 years ago, the Church struggled with some of the same worship issues the Church struggles with today. It’s no mistake some of the fastest-growing churches are often the most entertaining. Entertainment is for us, we are the center of it, but in worship, we are emptied, we are less, and God is at the center, God is more.

The antidote to entertainment-driven worship (what some even call, “worshiptainment,”) is not to point the fingers at all the people we think are doing it wrong, but to make sure that we are doing it right. And by, “we” I mean each of us, individually. We must make the effort to come to worship prepared. We come seeking to sing praises to Christ our Lord. We come wanting more of him, wanting to see ourselves emptied and him glorified. And so that means that we begin with prayer, long before we even come through the door of the sanctuary.

I have no doubt that the many musicians who are part of our music ministry understand that it is just that – ministry. That we are not the ones to be remembered. The job of every person involved with worship, lay readers, preachers, musicians, greeters, etc., is to serve all who are present and point them to Jesus. If we continue to make Him the main point, we will truly become an authentic alternative to everything else.

He is the one to be remembered.

Our schedule change starts this Sunday June 2, we will be meeting on Sundays according to the schedule below:

• Worship – 9:45AM
• Children’s Sunday School – 11:00AM
• Adult Sunday School – 8:30AM (Yokefellows) & 11:00AM

This weekend, we celebrate one of the most important holidays in the United States – Memorial Day.

Memorial Day was begun after the Civil War, when wreaths were placed on graves in a celebration known as “Decoration Day” at Arlington Cemetery on May 30, 1868. Shortly after, numerous American cities held parades and many laid claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day.

People often confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Veterans Day acknowledges the service of all veterans, living and dead. The holiday we celebrate this weekend is a celebration of those who gave their lives in service to this country.

I don’t often like to conflate patriotism and faith, because that can lead to some unintended confusion. But in the case of Memorial Day, we are faced with the very sacrifice that our Lord Jesus gave for us. In John 15:13, Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” What is remarkable about Memorial Day is that most men and women who gave their lives didn’t know most of the people for whom they give their lives.
And while it may be fun to kick off summer with picnics and pool parties, while it might be useful to have an “extra day” this weekend to catch up on the house, remember why we have this day – to remember the sacrifice of those who gave everything for their country. And may that remembrance cause each one of us to give thanks for the greatest sacrifice, that of our Lord Jesus, who loved us and gave his life for us.

Happy Memorial Day,

Pastor John

Exciting News! There are still copies available of Pastor John Bethard’s Walking with Conviction: Sermons about Trouble and Grace. Signed copies are available from the church office for $18, with all proceeds dedicated to the Save the Steeple fund. Please contact the church office if you are interested in purchasing a copy.

Reminder, our schedule change is fast approaching! Beginning June 2, we will be meeting on Sundays according to the schedule below:
Worship – 9:45AM
Children’s Sunday School – 11:00AM
Adult Sunday School – 8:30AM (Yokefellows)
& 11:00AM