RECTOR’S NEWSLETTER COLUMN

Summer 2008

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me…; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple – truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”   Matthew 10.40-42

This is a very busy season at St. E’s given that it is summer and many folks are traveling. We are working on the new pictorial directory, planning for our 50th anniversary celebration in the Fall, transitioning to new Church School and Music Leadership, and learning more about the Millennium Development Goals and ministry in the Developing World (see articles in printed newsletter). Did you know that St. E’s members, friends, and Endowment Board have contributed over $22,000 in special donations and gifts towards Third World ministries over the past 4 years? And did you also know that we have agreed to let some folks who are trying to start a new church use our space on Sunday nights in July and August? At this moment, I am not sure whether they will accept our offer but offering our space, being truly welcoming, is the main thing. As the Masons and Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church let us use their buildings 50 years ago when we were starting out, we mean to be hospitable to those God sends us. By God’s grace, we are figuring how to be more open, inviting, and hospitable to those near and far. We are slowly building a congregation that looks more like the city we serve and the world in which we live. It would be easier to not extend ourselves to anyone else, be "spiritual but not religious," stay at home on Sunday mornings, worship in front of the television or on the golf course and avoid the challenges of building a community but then we would all be the poorer and there would be no community of welcome to do God’s work. The surprising thing is that doing God’s work and making a place for “others” often brings with it its own reward as Jesus says above.

Jenny and I have seen two remarkable movies recently that speak to this point. Though you don’t know it at first, “The Girl in the Café” is about the G8 Summit and the Millennium Development Goals. A love story starring Bill Nighy and Kelly Macdonald, it sneaks up on you and draws you in. It is one of the best presentations of the MDG’s I have ever seen and gives viewers a clear sense of what’s at stake and why we need to support them. “The Visitor,” starring Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira, and Hiam Abbass is equally powerful and disarming, speaking first about hospitality and compassion but then indirectly about the United States immigration policy. In this movie a disillusioned professor who has closed himself off following his wife’s death finds himself reawakened when he invites an immigrant couple living in his New York City apartment to stay. Over the course of the movie, the principle characters create a community that nurtures each of them and brings the educator back to life. By the end of the film, one wonders whether the title “The Visitor” belongs to the professor who has come in from the cold or the illegal immigrants he comes upon by surprise. Both of these are films well worth seeing. Rent “The Girl in the Café,” and see “The Visitor” at the Grandin and then join our Theology discussion group for our monthly lunch and discussion at 12:30 pm on July 27th at the K&W Cafeteria in the Tanglewood Mall.

Enjoy your summer. Get away when you have the chance. Give God the chance to re-create you. But join us when you are in town. We are blessed to partner with you and our Lord in this sacred ministry. We cannot do what we do without you.

God bless you.

Affectionately,

Richard+