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Pastor’s Ponderings – The Eagle and the Cross

Pastor's Ponderings

Dear Glen Mar friends,

Early voting starts this week for this year’s election and I know, no matter your politics, you are probably viewing this event with some anxious feelings. Our Bishop shared an eloquent email about this that I wanted to share with you. It can be found here.

I join her in encouraging all voters who are eligible to vote to do so, and to get educated from reputable sources about all the races on the ballot—school boards and other local races may not get a lot of press, but they are vitally important. I join her in denouncing violence in any form directed toward our electoral process or the results of that process.

I also wanted to offer that, as Christians, we are members of a purple church, and a purple kingdom of God, which means that we have people in our church and in our ministries—in our Bible studies, choirs, and small groups, that vote differently from one another. As United Methodist Christians, we are united in our desire to love God and our neighbor, and in our allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We are committed as United Methodist Christians to “resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves,” and serving “Christ as our Lord in union with the Church which is open to…all…”as it says in our baptismal vows. We are committed to showing a polarized world an alternative community that is in the shape of a cross. While we share a love of country, our primary allegiance is to God, and in that way, the church is always a sort of “embassy” in a foreign land—a place where love and justice meet, and a place where all can find Jesus’ welcome. We are all on a journey together, and approach one another with humility and care. We are ambassadors for Christ our Lord before and above any other loyalty. (“The Eagle doesn’t fly higher than the Cross.”).

We are not red people or blue people—we are God’s people. We are called to do our part for the common good. So, vote early, well, and often (grin). But also, I firmly believe that our God is fully capable of working God’s purposes out regardless of the outcome of any election. God will still be God, and we will still be praising, growing and serving on Nov. 6. And we’ll be doing it together.

See you in church,

Pastor Mandy

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