DECEMBER 2004 Newsletter

 CHRISTIAN UNITY IN CARTERET COUNTY
Paul T. Stallsworth

One of the many joys of being the pastor of St. Peter’s United Methodist Church is participating in the Carteret County Ministerial Association.  And one of the many joys of participating in the Carteret County Ministerial Association is serving the cause of visible Christian unity.

Toward the end of his earthly ministry, our Lord Jesus Christ revealed in a prayer that Christian unity is an essential part of being Christian.  He prayed: “I do not pray for these [that is, the disciples of his day] only, but also for those who believe in me through their word [and that includes us], that they may all be one, even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:20-21, RSV, emphases added)

To demonstrate such unity, the local ministerial association planned a 2004 Community Thanksgiving Service of Worship.  Graciously hosted by Parkview Baptist Church and faithfully led by her pastor Rev. Michael Fields, the service included laity, pastors, and priests from All Saints Episcopal Church/AMiA, Faith Free Will Baptist Church, First Baptist Church, First Free Will Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, New Life Assembly of God, Open Door Baptist Church, Parkview Baptist Church, and St. Peter’s United Methodist Church.

Many other pastors and priests, and their congregations, including African-Americans, had been invited and encouraged to join the Community Thanksgiving Service.  However, because of scheduling conflicts, they were prevented from participating.

It was a particular joy to have such a strong showing from St. Peter’s Church at the community service.  Several from our Choir joined the “mass choir,” which sang beautifully and powerfully.  And many more from our church were a part of the evening’s congregation.

As the preacher of the service, your pastor offered these introductory notes: “For two reasons, this evening’s Community Worship Service is a very important, perhaps even historic, event.  First, we are gathered here, from many churches, by the Spirit and the Truth to worship God.  And second, we are gathered here, from many churches, to celebrate Holy Communion.  This could be the first time, in the history of our county, that Christians from across the churches have celebrated Holy Communion together.  For this visible Christian unity, we can and should and will give thanks to God.”

The sermon also included these statements, which might be of some interest: “Most of us can remember back to the 1960s or earlier.  We heard sermons preached, by well meaning pastors and evangelists and priests, against other Christians.  Some Protestants, believing they possessed the only true way to salvation, would preach against other Protestants.  So Methodists, on occasion, would preach against Lutherans.  And Episcopalians, every so often, would preach against Presbyterians.  And so on.  Most importantly, Protestants and Roman Catholics would preach against each other.  Roman Catholics would speak about ‘The Church,’ as if to put down the many Protestant denominations.  And we Protestants defined ourselves, first of all, by saying that we were not Roman Catholic.

“Things are dramatically different now.  Look at this sanctuary.  All Christians, from the many churches, know that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, that we are all part of the Church universal.  For this change, we can give great thanks to God!

“Remember [what John 17 teaches], God the Father and God the Son are one.  The Father and the Son bring all Christians -- Roman Catholics, Baptists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, the Orthodox, Pentecostals, and even United Methodists -- into their unity.  This evening, the fact that we are brought into the Father-Son unity is made visible.  Here we are in this one place.  All of us, from many different sanctuaries, are worshiping God in this one sanctuary...

“This evening our visible unity will be made most real and most powerful by the gift of Holy Communion.  In this Holy Communion, God will give us visible unity so that the world, or this county in the world, may believe.

“This is one reason -- one great, big reason -- for thanksgiving.

“Give thanks to God!”