Deus Misereatur

  Recently, I wrote in a weekly letter to my congregation how we are in moment in American history that divides and isolates. Several news sources are picking up on this reality, and so are plenty of smart, accredited people. Unfortunately, the divide and isolate pressure has been with us since the Fall (Genesis 3) and Cain murdering his brother, Abel (Genesis 4). But thankfully, Jesus comes as the remedy to divide and isolate (Ephesians 2:11-22). Therefore, by the grace of God, we have been empowered to push back hard against a divisive, isolating culture that is pushing hard against us. And I would say that Justin Whitmel Earley’s 256-page softback, “Made for People: Why We Drift into Loneliness and How to Fight for a Life of Friendship,” is a big help in pushing back. It’s a straightforward read, easy to digest, and practical as can be. Earley gets right to his point in the opening pages, “chronic loneliness is more dangerous to your health than smoking fifteen cigarettes a day…it’

(This is from my letter to my congregation today, 3 January 2024) You may recall that late last year I made available an article I ran across from The Atlantic titled “ Your Friends Don’t All Have to Be the Same Age ”. It caught my attention because of trends that I have been seeing in the larger church, and even in our own denomination. It’s that we’re circling the wagons, limiting our relationships to those who are within our age group. “Most Americans don’t seem to have much age diversity in their friendships. A 2023 study found that, for a group of young adults ages 21 to 30, more than 80 percent of the people in their social circles, not counting relatives, were born within five years of them. Even looking at a broader age range, nearly 63 percent of adults don’t have any close friends who are at least 15 years older or younger than them…” One of the results is a growing social segregation and an ever-increasing isolation. Then, on 20 December 2023, I was listening to The Econo

  We add our voices to the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders who worship you, saying: “ Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come! … “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created ” (Revelation 4:8b, 11). Glory to you, Lord God, Most High! Lord Jesus, who loves your church, and cherishes each local, particular congregation; we pray for your church in all places, including this fellowship, and all of our sister churches in Oklahoma: Redeemer-Edmond, City Pres., King’s Cross, Christ the King, 1 st Reformed in Minco, Grace in Stillwater, Shawnee Pres., Christ Presbyterian in Tulsa and Claremore, Grace and Peace, Three Rivers, RiverOaks, and Trinity-Owasso. Bring us ever closer to you, draw us ever upward that we may always reach outward. Through us bring to light what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in you who created all things; and may your