No Sweeter Words for Me….

 …than the ones spoken by three-year-old Addison when she asked her grandmother:

             “Where is Mr. Ron that watered the babies?”

 Addisonwas remembering the Sunday I baptized her brother and sister, Grayson and Reese. She asked her grandmother this question on World Communion when we had two other congregations and a number of other preachers up front. She couldn’t see me and she missed me! Such words keep me going, and to the Lord who holds such little ones especially close, I give thanks!

 Pastor Ron – who watered the babies!

“It may be hard….

“It may be hard in the face of human suffering to believe in God, but dismissing God simply leaves you alone with your pain… a ghastly loneliness.”

 As our church family marked the tenth anniversary of 9-11 this past Sunday, I found encouragement in the above words. Some people were and are ready to completely dismiss God in the midst of the horror of 9-11. For me personally all of it would simply be unbearable to do so. I cling to Emmanuel – God with us as a drowning person would to a life-saver. God with us demonstrating the unfathomable truth: “Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ.” No – it does not take away the pain – it doesn’t take away the questions. It does give me the strength to go forward in a world that without God would be a place of “ghastly loneliness.”

 Grace and Peace,

Pastor Ron

Continually….

Folk hear me talk about the dramatic changes/reversals for the east Charlotte community where our church is located. I started on the same litany again this past week with a Presbyterian elder. I bemoaned the fact that there is such poverty – closed businesses – deteriorating housing all around us. AND HIS RESPONSE? “Just where Jesus would want to be!” I couldn’t argue the point – not biblically – not theologically. The hurting/needy world – just where Jesus IS and wants His church to be.

 Pray for the Albemarle Road Presbyterian Church (and all churches) that carpe diem – we seize the day!

 Grace and Peace,

 A fellow struggler – Ron

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL!

The ball in this case is Jesus Christ – the person of Jesus Christ! This point was made repeatedly in the first class of a five-week series on the life and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Our church family is blessed to have Dr. Merwyn Johnson of Union Presbyterian Seminary to lead us in this series. Hardly anyone would deny that our denomination is struggling to keep their “eye on the ball.” Personally I have to be very careful to not be distracted. There are so many who ask for your loyalty to their agendas which often seem to have more to do with cultural bias than biblical truth. Yes it is a difficult time for many in the PCUSA yet it does not begin to compare with the challenges many of those had who have gone before. For Bonhoeffer the very truth of Jesus Christ was at stake and he has left for us an example of what it means to “keep your eye on the ball.”

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Ron

An Invitation I Really Like…..

Our Church welcomes………….

“…those who are single, twice divorced, under 30, filthy rich, black and proud, poor as dirt, can’t sing, no habla ingles, married with pets, older than God, more Catholic than the Pope, workaholic, bad speller, screaming babies, three times divorced, passive-aggressive, obsessive-compulsive, doubters, bleeding hearts…..and you.”

This welcome comes from St. Pius X Catholic Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Our denomination makes a big deal out of being inclusive, and for me, this welcome makes it specific. Albemarle Road Presbyterian Church is a church that welcomes all. We have a big sign out in front of the church….

Come Sing! Pray! Eat!

Anyone – Everyone –

And we post the times we meet – it is not kept secret.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Ron

Today is February 3rd

 ….and I am preparing to celebrate the Service of Witness to the Resurrection for Polly. Polly lived to be 98 years old . A little ‘wisp’ of a woman that a puff of wind could have blown away, I will miss her!

– Every Sunday coming out of worship she would give me a hug and kiss.

– Always – ALWAYS a smile and a kind word.

– She exuded contentment of one who was at peace.

Polly lived out the truth Martin Luther spoke of for she was a woman of faith –

…faith as a vibrant and courageous confidence in God’s grace. This faith makes people joyful, bold, and happy in their relationship with God and with other people.

Thank you Polly for such a life so lived. Dear Folk, we are surrounded by “a great cloud of witnesses” such as Polly. Be of good courage!

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Ron

January 18 and I AGREE…..

      With a quote from Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church (here in Charlotte), which was shared with me over dinner with some of our church’s younger members. It is….

If you’ve fallen into the trap of church-hopping, let me encourage you: Embrace your place somewhere God can use you. At the end of your life, God is not going to be impressed or pleased that you saw what God was doing at ten different churches. God is going to be more pleased that you were a part of what God was doing at one church.

With this in mind I celebrate the many young/old and in-between who have embraced Albemarle Road Presbyterian Church as the place where God can use them for God’s glory.

Our place: A diverse church in a multi-cultural community where God is doing something new.

I Am Thankful,

Pastor Ron

It’s January 7, 2011 and………

I’M SUPPOSED TO BE DEPRESSED!

           – so I read recently on the internet in an article that described baby-boomers (of which I am one) as being typically much more stressed and depressed in the current economic/social climate. But I am not depressed and I cannot complain about the level of stress in my life. Who in any age group is not experiencing some degree of stress? I am grateful for this ability to weather the storms of life economic and otherwise. Thankful to God as the One who gives this ability to me. Not based on our own merit, it is available to all who will place simple trust in the God who created us. Let us hold on to a promise of God….

                  “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord….

                  plans to give you hope and a future.”

                                                                              Jeremiah 29:11

Tuesday, November 23

The postlude for this next Sunday, the First Sunday of Advent, will be….

                    Variations on the Christmas Classic:

                   “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer!”

That’s what our esteemed organist emailed to the church office! We at ARPC are grateful to God for an organist…

– who has a great sense of humor.

-who loves the body of Christ – the church.

-who loves the Lord!

-who brings God-given gifts to enrich our worship across a broad spectrum of music!

But not quite so broad as to include “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer!” – thank goodness!

All kidding aside – our ARPC family is grateful for our organist of 25++ years:

                                                      TIM BROWN!

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Ron

Friday, November 5 – and I am very EXCITED!

Excited over the gift that will be ours as a church as 19 Burmese children, three-years-old through 11^th grade, will become a new part of the ARPC Sunday School. It will be great to see more children in the beautiful facilities God has blessed us with.

And listen to this: The Burmese Church has already identified non-Christian Burmese families to be in mission to. Their strategy to reach them begins with bringing these non-Christian children to ARPC’s Sunday School.

Yes, it’s more than just words that we hear every Sunday. We are where we are because there is something that God in Christ wants to do through us —-

                                              WHERE WE ARE!

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Ron