|
| |
|
A pastoral letter in response to
September 11 |
The three chief officers of the Presbyterian
Church (USA) have sent a pastoral letter expressing prayers for
victims and families, acknowledging the reality of evil, and calling
for forgiveness and healing.
Here is the full text:
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
We write to you in the midst of the shock and pain of
the unspeakable tragedies that have unfolded in the United States on
this day, September 11, 2001. At this writing, we do not know all of the
details, although there is confirmation of massive loss of life and
terrible destruction of property in Washington, DC, New York, and
Pennsylvania. The three of us have been brought to our knees in prayer
to God for all who are victims of this day of violence.
First of all, our hearts go out to all who have lost
loved ones and friends. We know that the deep shock and grief we feel on
behalf of all who have perished is multiplied many fold for those whose
lives have been touched directly. May the Spirit of God be present as
you deal with the loss of loved ones or struggle to find ways to comfort
friends and colleagues who have suffered such loss.
We also know that many of us grieve on behalf of our
nation. We pray for our national leaders who have faced horrendous
decisions as the events of this morning unfolded. As they seek to find
effective and appropriate responses to this terror, it is our prayer
that these responses may be of the kind that will contribute to a future
of peace and not serve in any way to escalate the cycle of violence and
counter-violence to a higher level. Further, we call our leaders and all
people of good will to resist the stereotyping of enemies that so often
occurs in these types of situations.
Followers of Jesus Christ should not be surprised by
evidence of the real, calculating presence of evil in the world or the
power that sin can have in all our lives. Moreover, even on this day of
weeping and anger, we are commanded by our Lord to discover paths of
forgiveness for those who perpetrate evil against us. That may well
include an effort on our part to understand the pain, frustration and
sense of powerlessness that has led them to acts of violence and to ask
God to change their hearts of hatred to hearts of love.
Finally, as we all face the fragility of our lives,
and seek healing for our nation's grief, let us lift up the Church of
Jesus Christ and the Gospel that it is our privilege to proclaim. There
is no earthly power, be it the power of wealth, the power of the
military, or the power of political will, that can save us and undergird
us in the face of the events of this day. It is only in the power of the
Triune God, made known in Jesus Christ our Savior, and revealed in the
power of the Holy Spirit, that we can find hope for ourselves, our
grieving nation, and our broken world.
Let us together join in prayer and action. We urge all
Presbyterians to join in prayers with us for our nation and our world.
Also, the need for blood is urgent and massive. We urge all
Presbyterians who are able to donate blood to your local blood bank and
to organize a blood drive at your church.
Let us together bear witness to our confidence in
God's redemptive power, through the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Let us with renewed energy offer to our nation and to the world
that word of hope and peace that we have received and boldly declare.
In the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ,
Rev. Jack Rogers - Moderator of the 213th General
Assembly
Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick - Stated Clerk General Assembly
Elder John Detterick - Executive Director General Assembly Council
|
| |
| |
|
If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
growing!
Please consider making a special
contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve
this service.
Click here to send a
gift online, using your credit card, through PayPal.
Or send your check, made
out to "Presbyterian Voices for Justice" and marked "web site," to
our PVJ Treasurer:
Darcy Hawk
4007 Gibsonia Road
Gibsonia, PA 15044-8312 |
| |
|
Some blogs worth visiting |
|
PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
| |
|
Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
| |
|
John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
| |
|
John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
| |
|
Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
| |
|
