Charles Town Presbyterian Church

Dear Friends,

I know I’m a little late on this, but I still wish to highlight the amazing music ministry of Charles Town Presbyterian Church. Two weeks ago, a season of music reached its apex in an evening of hymnody. Several aspects of our music ministry shared contributions: the vocal choir, the bell choirs, the children’s choir, some duets and a trio of wind instruments.

For almost a year, now, our music ministry has been in a state of transition. To be able to handle the regular and seasonal music requirements of the past nine months has been a testimony of God’s goodness to CTPC!

I look forward to what our growing music ministry will offer in the coming months.

Blessings,

Pastor John

[This is a picture during our night of music.]

Profession, not Possession

Like many of you, I sat in horror and watch flames engulfing Notre Dame Cathedral this past Monday. This venerable masterpiece of Gothic architecture was in danger of burning to the ground. Notre Dame is home to some venerated artifacts, including an alleged piece of Jesus’ cross, and the sup-posed crown of thorns worn by Jesus during his trial and crucifixion. The church is also home to some wonderful art and gorgeous stained-glass windows.

When the dust started clearing on Tuesday morning, we were relieved to learn that there was very little loss to the contents of the cathedral. The magnificent spire and the roof were gone, there was damage in only part of the building, and the most treasured of the artifacts survived the blaze. The most profound image is that of the sanctuary cross. In spite of the heartache and destruction, the cross still stands! (Editor’s note: You can find many copyrighted photos of the surviving cross on the web. An original image is featured here.)

As beautiful as Notre Dame is, as horrible a tragedy that this might be, the most important thing to remember is this: The Notre Dame Cathedral is a building. It is a mere possession of the Church, and it is far, far inferior to the profession of the Church. This is what the cross of that beautiful cathedral reminded me of on Tuesday morning. Things come and go, but Christ is forever.

“Jesus … asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” Matthew 16:13-18.

As we gather to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Sunday, remember, church is about being the people of God who profess faith in the Son of God, the one died and yet lives. Against such a profession, nothing can stand; not fire, not destruction, not death, nothing.

Happy Easter,

Pastor John

(Featured Images and Licensing Courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cathedrale_Notre-Dame_de_Paris_maitre-autel.jpg)

Once again, we come to Holy Week.

There is a wonderful rhythm to the liturgical calendar. Advent prepares us for Christmas, Lent prepares us for Holy Week. And in between those seasons we celebrate special days like Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, and Christ the King Sunday.

This weekend Lent comes to end, and Holy Week begins and there is a particular rhythm to Holy Week. Palm Sunday celebrates the coming of Jesus to Jerusalem. It is celebratory; Jesus is rightfully worshiped as a king, though the people worshiping are not completely clear on why Jesus is to be worshiped. On this side of the cross, we also know he is going to Jerusalem to make atonement for our sins. This we also celebrate.

A few days pass and then it’s Maundy Thursday. This is a challenging and dark day. On this day we remember that Jesus is going to be betrayed by one of his disciples. When he is arrested, his friends will scatter. One of his best friends will deny he even knows Jesus, just to save his own skin. Jesus is utterly alone.

Between Thursday and Friday, Jesus is tried and questioned, and eventually he is brought before the people. The people, incited by their leaders, call for Jesus’ crucifixion. Pilate orders Jesus’ punishment and execution, and soon our Lord is hung between two thieves on Golgotha. His death comes but a few hours later.

Holy Week ends with the Great Easter Vigil, which many traditions make more of than Presbyterians typically do. The Vigil is a time for reflecting on the death of Jesus and his promise of Resurrection.

Holy Week can be an amazingly meaningful time. I encourage all who read this to make diligent effort to make the week more meaningful. This might mean attending special worship services. It could mean engaging in spiritual disciplines like prayer and fasting. Holy Week is a great time to become reacquainted with the gospels, especially the events of the week Jesus gave his life.

There are many ways to honor Christ’s sacrifice in the week ahead. Don’t let the rhythm of the coming days go so quickly that you miss out on a greater and deeper experience of Christ and his sufferings.

Blessings,

Pastor John

I’m exhausted.

Last weekend was an awesome time in the life of the church. The day started with a church work day. Church members began showing up at 8:00am. All told, we had about twenty people show up to help with a variety of activities. We were able to trim trees, weed the flower beds in front of the sanctuary, trim the bushes along Mildred Street, and we put down mulch.

Mulching was the largest job. We put down about twenty yards of mulch, the bulk of it going to the playground. We were also able to dress the Mildred Street beds, and many of the beds in front of and around the sanctuary. Many thanks to the property committee, led by David Weil and Gary Scott for coordinating this important work day.

After all that hard work, it was time for fun! In the evening, Marsha Dibbern and Diane Mayhew hosted a “Bible Challenge Game Night.” Using Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune formats, the two-dozen people who showed up were challenged by categories such as OT, NT, Hymns, Names, Who Said It, Who Is It, and Places. We even learned who pays attention on Sunday mornings in the “Recent Sermons” category!

We worked together and we played together. This exactly what it means to be the Church. When we are functioning well, we are able to do both of those things. As you can see from the pictures located later in the newsletter, the hard work was worth it, and it was great fun! What a blessing to be able do both work and play together!

As this Lenten season begins to wind down and our sights turn to Holy Week, I am so thankful for this congregation, and their commitment to one another and to Christ. 2019 is shaping up to be an exciting and busy time for Charles Town Presbyterian Church.

There are two things coming up in the immediate future. This Sunday, April 7, there is a mission trip informational meeting for anyone interested in the mission trip. The meeting is not mandatory, but if you are interested in participating, this is an important meeting to be part of.

Also, next Saturday, April 13, is Paint Nite, and this is going to also be a fun night that will be a combination outreach event and Save the Steeple fundraiser. Please see the additional information in the newsletter about this event.

Blessings,

Pastor John

Dear Church Family,

This past Tuesday evening, at the stated session meeting, the elders made an important decision that impacts the whole congregation. We are moving to one service beginning June 2. We will worship at 9:45am and have Sunday School at 11am. The session realizes this is big change for everyone. This change is not “summer only.”

This decision might seem out of the blue, but we’ve been discussing this for some time. Every summer when we combine services, many in the congregation enjoy that people from both services are together, and there is genuine disappointment expressed when the two-service schedule is resumed. “Why can’t we do one service year-round?” was a common refrain every fall. In addition, attendance at the early service reached a point where, on aver-age, between 15-20 people were in attendance. That’s a hard sell for a new person. Every time a first-time visitor comes to the early service it’s usually the last time we see them.

There are a number of other reasons which are explained in the letter, which was sent out this week. Those persons with concerns about this change are encouraged to review the letter and to share their concerns with session members.

The driving reason for this change is mission and outreach. The session is well aware that, as much as none of us likes it, the world is much different in 2019, and older paradigms for ministry don’t work like they used to. We all agree that we’d like to see our church grow, and for that to happen, we need to change. You can’t change without change.

The session recognizes that this is going to create some anxiety. We will have some bumps in the road. We will survive this change. When this congregation comes together – whether it’s for a capital campaign, learning new music in worship, or taking on a new mission endeavor, we always manage to rise to the challenge and end up working well together.

Before we decide that this change won’t work, let’s give it a chance. Let’s pray for one another, be patient with one another, and most of all, seek to be a strong witness to the world for Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Pastor John

Mission always excites me!

At the February session meeting, the elders approved a recommendation from the mission committee to hold a mission trip August 10-17. We will be organizing a group to head to Webster Springs, WV, in Webster County. Two years ago, we sent two teams to that area – a youth trip and an adult trip. Webster County was hard hit two years ago by horrible storms that flooded the rivers very dramatically and devastated the communities of that region. Recovery work will be ongoing for years to come.

Mission is important in the life of a church. When we do mission trips, we are engaging in something unfamiliar, usually in an area of the world we aren’t normally a part of. By design, it causes us to rely on Christ. And then there is the work – serving others and helping people who would be unable to have the work done were it not for Christians heeding God’s call. It allows us an opportunity to share the love of Christ by helping others, people who are often total strangers. And most of the time, mission trips are lifechanging, not only for those who are served, but for those who are serving.

In the coming weeks, the Mission and Outreach committee will be sharing more about the upcoming trip. I want to encourage you to be in prayer about this. Perhaps the Lord is leading you to participate. That might be a scary proposition but remember – answering Christ’s call always requires faith and trust in him, and it can be challenging. Just because he calls us to something new and different doesn’t mean we should be quick to say, “No!” Even if going on the mission trip is the farthest thing from your mind, please be in prayer for those who are going and for the planning of the trip.

This is an exciting time for our church. The leaders of the church believe God is calling us to help others and go into the world. Please continue to pray for the church as we follow where Christ is leading!

Blessings, Pastor John