First Presbyterian Church of Roanoke Rapids, NC
16 East Fifth Street, Roanoke Rapids, NC   27870
252-537-4018,  252-537-9041(Fax),  office@fpcrr.com

In Touch -- October 2006

In March of 1998, the call of God brought us together as pastor and congregation. Eight and one half years later, God is taking us on different paths. I have preached 414 times during my years here. I have also conducted: 49 Funerals, 18 Weddings and 33 Baptisms

Those are merely statistics, however. They can never adequately describe the pastoral relationships that we have had and so many of which I shall always cherish.

Qoholeth (The preacher of Ecclesiastes – often thought to be King Solomon) reminds us that there is a time and a season for everything under the sun. Every change in life precipitates a crisis. Every person, every nation, every faith community will experience crises. Life is full of them. I believe it was the noted theologian, Walter Bruggemann who said that every crisis in a faith community, whether in the days of Abraham, or the Kings of Israel, or in the days of the prophets, or in the days of the Apostles walking with Jesus, or in the days of the early church, or in the church today is first and foremost a spiritual crisis. In any situation in which the family of faith is faced with change the great questions of Faith must be raised and are often raised with great intensity and full of poignant emotions:

In my experience, Spiritual Development often begins with the simple realization that there is a need to listen to God. In the days immediately after my battle with bacterial endocarditis in 2002, I was not at all sure why God allowed me to live. It was not at all clear to me of what use I was to anyone, much less God. However, commitments made to officiate at several weddings, including that of my son began to shape a sense of purpose. Shortly thereafter, in a meeting of that year’s Officer Nominating Committee in the parlor, I had a phone call that seemed to come from completely out of the blue. It was a Pulpit Nominating Committee inquiring if I would be interested in talking with them. I made a hasty comment that I needed to return to my committee meeting and that I would call them back. I did, was not immediately impressed, took a look at their Church Information Form, talked with my wife, prayed, and decided the timing was wrong. The decision was made rather quickly. In all that has happened since I have sometimes felt that I just wasn’t paying attention to God and sometimes I have felt that I did indeed hear Him correctly and God was teaching me lessons in patience and steadfastness. The words of Paul in his letter to the Philippians are easy to read, but so hard to accept:

“The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Sometimes God just seems too slow for the circumstances. Yet, I firmly believe that Ecclesiastes is right:

“For everythingthere is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:”Not so long ago, I was contacted by a very large church in our denomination, some 7-8 times the size of this congregation, and I thought, “Hot dog, patience has paid off.” I exchanged some information with them. I read their PIF with great interest trying to find all the good points. They had been looking for 5 years so they must be anxious to call someone. During those 5 years they had developed a great number of lay lead programs. Then the reality came to light. Their past senior pastor had left due to sexual misconduct, Their beloved Associate Pastor in charge of Pastoral Care programs had died, and a trusted lay leader the Church Treasurer was indicted on embezzlement charges. When I heard nothing further for several weeks, I knew that God’s wisdom was best and I did not belong in that position.

One of the consistent threads through most of the recent research into church development and redevelopment is that one of the keys to successful church redevelopment is a willingness to take risks, venture where logic may not lead. Indeed, such a faith position may be the best faith response for congregations and pastors seeking to renew the viability of faith communities. This summer I had occasion at the Massanetta Springs Bible Conference to spend some time with our General Assembly Moderator, Joan Gray. I cannot ever recall in all my years as a Presbyterian a General Assembly Moderator who had spent a career working as an Interim pastor with small to medium size churches who were in crisis for one reason or another. Joan Gray has done just that. She has a deep and abiding conviction that the Spirit works in the midst of crisis among those people of faith who are people of prayer, people of patience, and people of courage, who are willing to take a risk that God is calling them into ministry in difficult places in difficult times and that they may be absolutely wrong in what they think they think they hear God calling them to do. Spiritual Development takes prayer, reflection, patience, persistence, and certainly courage.

Also, speaking at the Massanetta Springs Bible Conference, was the Rev. J. Herbert Nelson II, an African-American pastor who deeply impressed me by his courage and faithfulness in leaving a 600 member congregation in Salem Presbytery to undertake a church development project in Memphis. Things didn’t develop according to projections in the first year. By the end of the year it didn’t look like the congregation would be able to pay his salary. He had just bought a home and moved his family. So what to do? He gathered the elders together, they talked about the reality of their situation and how different their dream looked then from what it had been. . Then they made a pledge to walk by faith and tend to their spiritual development. Great things have happened, not because of any one person, but because they became a family of God.

So, my prayers for this congregation will be that you will see this moment as an opportunity to:

Pray together
Reflect upon the whole of scripture together
Allow time for God’s Will to be heard
Be patient with one another
Respond to each others needs and the needs of your neighbors
Invite all people with whom you have contact to seek faith and understanding
Build bridges where God may cross the abysses that so often divide us from God and one another.

In this epistle of Paul's to the Philippians, Paul is bringing the letter to a conclusion with these nine verses that comprise the morning lesson. Paul is in prison and may not be released. He is writing to his beloved congregation with a hope that regardless of what the future may hold for him or them; they and he will remain faithful to their calling. He has worshipped with them, he has taught them, he has been a shepherd to them, and they have cared for him. He asks for their prayers and he offers his in return. He also is aware of some personality clashes that have occurred in that community especially between Euodia and Syntyche and he asks for their best efforts to reconcile these differences. Further, it is the conclusion of many scholars that these verses contain a benediction of Paul dating to the early days of the Christian Church.

It is one of the peculiarities of the Greek language that the word for A FAREWELL in the sense of a parting Blessing (Chairoo) and the word for REJOICE (Chairis) are related. Hence, in this passage we could easily substitute the word FAREWELL wherever REJOICE occurs and it would make a perfectly good translation in the Greek. Paul may well have intended that double meaning as he offers his blessing and benediction upon the Philippians community that he may never visit again. I do not know where the future will take you or me. . I close with my paraphrase of the words of Paul to the Philippians.

4 Farewell and blessings in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in the teachings of Christ, and the God of peace will be with you.

Amen!

Dr. David D. McDonald

If you have any questions or suggestions for our Pioneer group please contact Fred & Karen Silva at 410-0007 or Susan Ferguson at 535-4735.