IN THIS CHURCH - Midweek Musing 8/31/2023

I wrote most of this several years ago. I was trying to describe the Presbyterian Church (USA) and what we did/believed In this Church.

Thanks be to God I have also been blessed to be part of a church family who, while not always succeeding, strives to live this as best we can in this church home in LaFayette, Georgia.

Blessings to all of you.

Clay

IN THIS CHURCH

In this church...

We preach grace...

We seek justice...

We pray for peace...

We ask for forgiveness...

We love mercy...

We accept all...

We do laughter... and tears...

We are imperfect... we are sinners.

We see all as children of God.

We love the outcast, the poor, the lonely,

the confused, and those who suffer and grieve.

We reject evil...racism, intolerance and hate.

We believe the gender you claim is beloved

and that all should be treated equally as children of God.

We recognize love is love. Period.

In this church we comfort the afflicted.

We praise the God who created us...

We give thanks for Christ who is Lord...

We rely on the Spirit to strengthen us...

We are claimed in the waters of baptism...

We are sustained by the bread and cup...

We are encouraged and supported by the community of faith.

In this church, we speak truth to power – often disturbing the comfortable.

In this church we pray for courage to proclaim hope, to confront injustice,

While we look forward to the promised day of God,

And work so God’s Kingdom comes on earth even as it is in heaven.

In this church, we show love with action.

We are reminded of our call to serve other.

We seek to follow our Lord’s example by the washing of feet.

In this church -

Love is

a verb.

In this church, we love God with heart, soul, mind, and body,

And we love our neighbor as ourselves.

Clay Gunter July 2017 revised August 2023