AT THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL week 1

by Mary Susan Gast

"Of this gospel I have become a servant,

according to the gift of God’s grace

that was given to me…"

                                                                                                                 Ephesians 3: 7

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

 For nearly 20 years I’ve been articulating my three hopes for the UCC: 

●that we make clear the connection between our Biblical faith and

            any public actions we take;

●that we never abandon our commitment to justice;

●that we love one another in the midst of everything.

In the months following our Annual Gathering I  received two very different comments on the administrative action that was taken by the Annual Meeting in response to the ruling of the California Supreme Court on Proposition 8.

A minister, who was disturbed by the emphasis placed on Proposition 8 during the gathering, said, "This is not the heart of the Gospel."  A layperson, who opposed Proposition 8, remarked, "The statement we issued could have been made by any socially progressive organization; we need to hear it in church words; that’s where our power is."

These comments and conversations pointed me back to those hopes of mine, and pointed out to me  that if we do not act from the heart of the gospel our deeds and our witness are tinny. If we do not make clear that our deeds and our witness are rooted in the heart of the gospel, we become vapid messengers of a pale truth.

"There’s the light," as Shimon Peres declared,   "where’s the tunnel?"

Where’s the tunnel?  How do we reach—and reach into—the heart of the Gospel?

My own resolve is to begin during Epiphany, this season of light and enlightenment, to burrow through any layers of detritus and indifference, to dig away to the heart of the Gospel.   I will send you my weekly reflections on this quest, expressed through the language of the Epiphany scriptures, inviting you to "dig in" also; to offer your accounts, your charts and maps, to be shared. (To be added to the Constant Contact email list, send your request to office@ncncucc.org)

How do you find the heart of the Gospel?  How have you found it?  How do you recognize it?  Who are your guides?  What tools do you employ?

To join in this conversation of exploration, start a group at your church; or set up an email conversation with 4 or 5 others; post an invitation on your Facebook page; or post a comment here.

"Although I am the very least of all the saints,

this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles

the news of the boundless riches of Christ…

so that through the church

the wisdom of God in its rich variety

might now be made known

to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

This was in accordance with the eternal purpose

that the Holy One has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

in whom we have access to God

in boldness and confidence…"

                                                                                                                                Ephesians 3: 8, 10-12 

May we be graced by Epiphany,

Photo courtesy of Hilary Marckx