September 20, 2024

Enacting the Gospel

It is good to have a guest preacher every once in a while. This past Sunday having Rev. Mae Cannon preach gave Lauren and me a nice break the day after our Staff-Council retreat. It also brought a different voice and perspective to the pulpit. Mae’s sermon reminded me of Tony Campolo’s comment that him, being a guest prophet not a pastor, can say things a pastor might not say, and let the pastor and church to figure out what to do in response to his sermon. 

I was thinking about Campolo’s comment during and after Mae’s sermon. The extravagance of the violence against innocent people in Israel and Gaza since October 7 last year is something we all would like to stop. But what can we do? And not just about this issue, but about so many. It is overwhelming to think of just how we might enact our faith in these times.

Then I heard news of Central Christian Church in Springfield, Ohio. 

As you know, Springfield is a town under siege. A rumor (with no modicum of truth behind it) of Haitian refugees eating pets has upended the town. People have come from outside Springfield to confront the “Haitian problem,” upsetting the life of this town. As of this writing, there have been 33 bomb threats in Springfield, police are protecting schools and their students from potential violence. Further, a Culture and Arts Fair celebrating the diversity of this small town has been cancelled for safety reasons. And the Haitian citizens and residents are fearing they are not safe in their hometown.

Central Christian Church is pastored by Carl Ruby, a man who has a background in refugee rights and is an advocate for immigration reform; and he mobilized his church to respond. In light of all that was unfolding in his town, Pastor Ruby invited Haitians to come and worship with them. He also invited his congregants to pass out cards printed in English and Creole stating, “I’m glad you are here. Christ loves you and so do I.” 

My response in learning about this was to offer a word of support, from myself, and from our church, with a promise that we would support him and his church in our prayers. I ran this idea past Pastor Lauren and our Church Chair Linda Carlson. They co-signed this letter with me.

We are saying a number of things by sending this letter, but one in particular is that we identify with this church as one who we would hope we would be, in the same situation. 

The letter is to the right. May you join us in praying for this situation, these people, and this church. And might it drive us all to pray for what God is calling us to do in our corner of the world to make the gospel as concrete and practical as Central Christian Church in this particular season, even if it never makes headlines.

With audacious hope,

~ Pastor Todd