Grace Presbyterian Church, Montclair, New Jersey

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Pastor's Pulse

by Paul Leggett, Pastor

Thoughts on Haiti

February 2010

“… and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places” – Matthew 24:7

As I write this we have just received the devastating word about the earthquake in Haiti.  We have one family in the church who have close relatives there and of course they are very anxious and are depending on us for prayer and support.  This event reminds us how fragile our lives really are.  James writes, “What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).  How can we explain such devastation?  Jesus simply tells us that earthquakes are but one example of the beginning of birth pangs.  We need to be reminded of what are the priorities of life.  This world is not ultimate, nor permanent.  The apostle Paul says that all of creation is “groaning in labor pains” (Romans 8:22).  God is in the process of transforming our world.  The world in its present form is broken but the world will not remain forever broken.  God through Christ is preparing a new heaven and new earth (Isaiah 65:17, Revelation 21:1).

It is well and good for us to speak of a coming “new heaven and new earth” but for those caught up in the destruction in Haiti such words have little meaning.  Confronted with this tragedy we are faced with the words of John:  “How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help?” – I John 3:17

A tragedy such as Haiti should drive us to our knees and to ask ourselves, what can we do to help?  Elsewhere in this issue you can find some suggested web sites for making donations to Haiti relief.  As a church we will also be planning additional ways we can assist.

We continue to live in transition as a congregation.  At our Annual Congregational Meeting we will be electing members of an associate pastoral nominating committee.  We trust the Lord to guide us soon to our next Associate Pastor.  At the same time, Tim Osborne has completed all his preparations for ordination as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament and he is now open to receive a call to be ordained to the gospel ministry.

We are now in the second decade of the twenty-first century.  We are adapting to a new world.  I have begun to do pastoral calls on Facebook, for example.  Yet Christ’s call to “Go therefore and make disciples” remains eternal.

February is Black History month.  Among other things, we will focus on the life of Marian Anderson and show the film, The Express.