I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. As it is written, “The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.”

2 Corinthians 8:13-15

I am spending much of the month of May connecting with the national church.

It started last week, as Pat Martinez-Miller and I attended a consultation with the Board of Pensions. They are grappling with the issue of rising medical costs, and a much smaller base of members (less than half of the membership from a few decades ago) pooling resources to care for those of us in the medical benefits plan of the Board of Pensions. That doesn’t mean we have fewer pastors. It seems that they have figured out the now fairly common practice of churches choosing not to install pastors in order to avoid paying for the Pastor’s Participation package of benefits. I also pointed out how many churches are changing what used to be associate pastor positions to director-level positions, again to avoid paying Board of Pensions dues. They didn’t have a plan to outline for us, but they were hoping to have something approved in the spring of 2024, to take effect January 2025. That seems a long way away, but if the change is significant, they are counting on presbyteries to help implement the changes, and helping the churches to manage benefits as a part of compensation negotiations.

I am writing you now from the Bon Secours Retreat Center in Marriottsville, Maryland. We are beginning a week of training for new presbytery leaders. The people used to hold the title Executive or General Presbyter, and some do, but many presbyteries have looked to change the titles. The training started this evening, but it was shared already that the participants in this 3-year program represent about one-third of all the presbyteries in the PC(USA), and if you go back a few years more, over the last 7 years, about half of the presbyteries have changed their executive leadership. At nine years in San Gabriel Presbytery, I am now considered one of the old-timers! Four of our seven SoCal presbyteries have leaders in the program, and Riverside is close to calling someone, so we are also seeing an influx of new leaders.

Some of this change is good, as the new presbytery leaders tend to be more diverse, in tune with the changing church, and a bit younger than in years past. And quite a few presbyteries are experimenting with new structures, including having executives also take on stated clerk roles, or employing several very part-time staff who are also pastoring churches. (One thing that hasn’t changed: there were less than a handful of ruling elders in the job, out of 50+ participants.) Actually, we in San Gabriel have made a shift with our stated clerk role, splitting the core duties between an administrative clerk and a clerk for judicial process, inspired by a similar split in New Covenant Presbytery in and around Houston. Because we work hard responding to concerns from our churches, we have been very successful in avoiding judicial cases, thank God.

I will be in Baltimore until Friday. I enjoy working in this format, which invites the participants to share their own insights. Even if I thought any of us is an “expert” in this work, the work is constantly changing, and the regional contexts are so different, that it would be difficult to try to describe the job from one person’s perspective. But I get to share some of the experiments we’ve tried at San Gabriel,

and that has been fun. One thing I have heard from the Board of Pensions consultation and this group, and that is the great challenges experienced by rural churches. You may know that there has been a steady migration from rural areas to cities, and there are many towns now that cannot sustain any church. It has become a difficult place to live, and therefore to work. Many churches feel like they have been forgotten and left to fend for themselves, sometimes by their own presbyteries.

And finally, in a couple of weeks, seven top staff from the national church are coming to SoCal, for a “listening” session. I put that in quotes because at least the first hour (out of three) will be them presenting what they are doing, then they are asking us to discuss the opportunities and challenges we see in our presbyteries. If you have something you want to make sure I say, let me know, or contact the rest of the San Gabriel contingent: Pat Martinez-Miller, Deborah Owens, Sam Bang, and Brian Gaeta-Symonds. That is May 23rd. But on May 21st, OGA staff manager Jihyun Oh will preach at Knox and at Interwoven, and on Wednesday, May 24th, Kerry Rice and Tricia Dykers-Koenig of OGA will come to West Covina and Covina to speak with the pastors there.

It is interesting to hear from the national church. In certain ways they are like the Jerusalem church of the early Christian churches who, then and now, seem to be in special need for support from the individual churches. But the most challenging issues have to do with the disparity of “have” and “have not” churches. There has been open conversation about not forgetting the “fly over” states, and acknowledging that we are a denomination of relatively few large churches, and most churches have under 100 members and many are struggling. Due to the lack of funding at the national level, there is significant work being done to merge the Presbyterian Mission Agency and the Office of the General Assembly. And you may have heard that the Stated Clerk, J. Herbert Nelson, has resigned, and will leave the position at the end of June.

While the national church is facing some new challenges, my hope is that we figure out a way to address the growing disparities between the have and have-not churches. We need not reflect the community by perpetuating these disparities within our churches, and perhaps the true test of a connectional church is our ability to support churches that are low in resources but with a significant ministry who would miss them if they went away. There are no easy answers, but perhaps we can pray for some insight—and the will to look out for each other, because the disparities are within each presbytery, including ours.

As our siblings in the United Church of Christ say, “We pray for the day when sharing by all will mean scarcity for none.” May we see the day when all will be shared, all will be cared for, all will be fed.

Peace,
Wendy

“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37b-38

This last weekend I attended two joyous and intriguing events.

On Saturday, Praise Community Church celebrated their 50th anniversary. The worship service included their founding pastor, Rev. Dr. Prachuab Dechawan, as well as their current pastor, Rev. Dr. Peter Tan- Gatue. Prachuab remembered the beginnings of the church, and their initial vision of a church that worships in their own Thai language, and responds to the needs of the Thai immigrant community. For most of their 50 years, the church has been a cultural as well as religious center for the Thai community. Peter honored the past 50 years of ministry, but also reminded the church of God’s call to leave the past behind in order to follow Christ’s mission today, because “God isn’t done with us yet.” In the service, it was beautifully evident how the church has embraced all of what both pastors said. Long-time members in traditional Thai dress graciously welcomed all, as only Thai people can. Many of them were in the choir, which now includes a young adult in jeans, a couple of Caucasian worship leaders, and a Hispanic leader. Praise’s sister church, GKI-LA, was also there, bringing their prayers, food, and music. Watching this mix of cultures and gifts praise God together, it struck me how they did not forget their past, but clearly they chose to move beyond the past for the sake of the gospel.

GKI-LA is making good progress towards becoming our first Indonesian chartered church in San Gabriel Presbytery. They are blessed to have a dedicated group of younger leaders, and they will be celebrating their 10th anniversary this November. I love this photo from Saturday, including Prachuab and the future session of GKI-LA, showing how the past and future can make for a joyous and colorful present.

On Sunday, I attended a celebration of Vigilant Love, a group of Muslims and Japanese-Americans who joined together when Muslims were being threatened with exclusion, by rumored incarceration or a ban from allowing Muslims to even enter the US. A few Japanese-Americans have spoken out when the government talks about banning people because of their religion, or detaining and separating family members because they are seeking asylum from Central America’s violence. Some Japanese-Americans have not forgotten the past, leading to work so a painful and unjust history is not repeated against others.

Tomorrow we will have a very full Presbytery meeting. We do know that God isn’t done with us yet, and we will celebrate new ministries, new friends, even as we say farewell to beloved current friends. For instance, we will be examining Charlene Jin Lee for ordination, though we will have to release her to serve in Dallas, Texas. We will receive two potential new minister members, Duane Bidwell and Kevin Haah, both of whom have already contributed to the presbytery from their rich experiences in ministry. We will also conclude the very diligent and caring work of the Grace LA Administrative Commission, now that their hoped-for entry of Latin Grace members into Iglesia de la Comunidad has been accomplished.
Sadly, this will be the last San Gabriel Presbytery meeting for Ally Lee, at least for a while. In her touching reflection in last week’s Monday Update, she shared the impact we had on her ministry, and we know the impact she has had on ours. But thank God, we are a connectional church, and I expect we will see Ally again, even if she doesn’t make her way back to San Gabriel.

The will of God is like living water—fresh and flowing, bringing new friends and energy, even as we must allow others to go on to new phases of ministry themselves. Thank God that we all stay connected in the Holy Spirit, and we will always carry each other in our hearts and our life work.

Thanking God for the connections,

Wendy

Death has been swallowed up in victory.
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?

1 Corinthians 15:54b-55

The Resurrection is real!

This Easter weekend, the joy of Christ’s resurrection has lifted my heart in unexpected ways.

For Good Friday, I attended the annual service of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus, Southern California chapter, which has been a great tradition. During COVID, it went to Zoom, of course, and this year, for the first time, they had a hybrid service, which allowed some to gather in person in Los Angeles, while also welcoming siblings from the Bay Area, thanks to the coordinating efforts of our friend Rev. Kamal Hassan, pastor of Sojourner Truth Presbyterian Church in Richmond. NBPC does a traditional “Seven Last Words of Christ” service, with seven different preachers, and there were some powerful sermons that lifted my soul even as they were true to the suffering of Christ.

I also happened upon some sermons given by a pastor of a church of multiple races and classes in downtown LA. And as I prepared to preach at Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church on Easter morning,

I found encouragement in a recent gospel song, “Jireh,” which starts with the words “I’ll never be more loved than I am right now,” and shares the message that because God’s love is enough, so we are enough, and we have enough. As it happens, the apartment of one of the song’s writers—and co-lead singer—was destroyed by fire a few days before he was scheduled to record the song. He shared that he lost 98% of his material possessions in that fire, so there was even more power in the message when he sang it. The song has been a lifeline of hope for many people who were in despair due to homelessness, grief, or addiction. Both the pastor’s preaching and this song emphasize the life-giving grace and love of Jesus Christ, especially for people who have been burdened with shame, or despair, or lack of hope in themselves and the world. They remind me that Jesus’ sacrifice was most radically redemptive for those who have good reason to give up—and yet, who are able to look up from the pit to glimpse what great thing God has done in Jesus Christ.

As far as I can tell, I personally have no reason to give up, and my pride or privilege keeps me from fully recognizing my own need for God’s grace. I have been wondering, however, why so many people ask me with grave expressions, “How are you doing?” I am aware of the troubles of the world, and now that the weather has FINALLY become warmer and sunnier, I realize how much the cold and rain really did throw a shadow over my sense of well-being. But generally, I have always felt that God has given me more health and comfort than I deserve. The only response I have is to live a life of gratitude, and to pray and work for more people to know security and comfort in this broken world.

For this Easter, my soul is lightened as I feel just a smidgen of the deep love and grace that Jesus has, especially for those who need it the most. I am committed to share in the joy that is felt when God floods us with more healing, more hope, more life than we ever thought possible. I pray that I can keep my eyes open for those who are most hungry for the new life that Christ brings, without dwelling in the despair that seems so prevalent and paralyzing. I am aware of some of the ways that I fall short of my desire to be a better channel of God’s grace due to my impatience and general insensitivity, and hope to do better in this Easter season and beyond.

I have a favorite Easter poem, written by Korean Christian poet Ku Sang, that expresses the hope that Easter brings.

On an old plum tree stump,
seemingly dead and rotten,
like a garland of victory
flowers gleam, dazzling.

Rooted in you, even in death all things remain alive;
we see them reborn, transfigured.
How then could we doubt our own Resurrection since
by your own you gave us proof?

Since there is your Resurrection and ours,
Truth exists;
since there is your Resurrection and ours,
Justice triumphs;
since there is your Resurrection and ours,
suffering accepted has value;
since there is your Resurrection and ours,
our faith, hope, love, are not in vain;
since there is your Resurrection and ours,
our lives are not an empty abyss.

I pray that you felt the joy of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, and that you feel it every day. We are blessed to know God’s power of love over hatred and fear, of hope over despair, of life over death. May we be bearers of this good news to all around us, in word, in attitude, and in deed.

With Resurrection joy,

Wendy

Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Matthew 21:5 (quoting Zechariah 9.9)

When I was in Jerusalem in January, there was frequent mention that the holy seasons of Ramadan, Passover, and Easter would happen concurrently this year. According to our calendar, the 2023 dates of these holy days are:

Ramadan: March 22-April 21
Passover: April 5-13
Easter (Western): April 9
Easter (Orthodox): April 16.

Easter, of course, is the defining day of the Christian faith: the day when Jesus Christ was raised from the tomb, proving God’s power of life over death, love over hatred, redemption over sin. The events of Holy Week, leading up to Easter, happened during the Passover festival, as Jesus and his followers were observant Jews. Passover remembers God’s protection of the Hebrews when the angel of death is sent to kill all the firstborn sons of Egypt, the tenth and last plague which compelled the Pharaoh to release the Hebrew slaves. Ramadan commemorates Muhammad receiving the Quran, the holy text of Islam. There are similarities between Ramadan and Lent, especially the practices of prayer, Scripture, fasting, and charity.

All three holidays are among the most important in their respective faith traditions, and all three call believers to a time of deep gratitude for the grace of God, and commitment to compassion and obedience to Scripture, much of which is shared by all three Abrahamic faiths. And yet, when people would talk about these three most holy seasons coinciding, they did so with worry in their hearts, and memories of violence in their heads. I ask for prayers that the violence that has already erupted in Israel and Palestine would be turned into bold actions of peacemaking and reconciliation—or at least that people be protected through this time of anxiety.

I’m sure that I am not the only person to see the sad irony that the peoples who consider themselves chosen by God, all descendants of God’s special blessing and calling of Abraham and Sarah, cannot seem to live together. I often think that God’s reign on earth will occur only when these three faiths— all related, all believing in the saving, grace-filled, merciful will of God—come to follow God’s way of peace. And yet, the relationships between us are more frequently marked by domination, revenge, and brutality, as we attempt to assert our righteousness and religious superiority.

I cannot speak for Jews or Muslims, but I do confess that Christians have inflicted the most pain around the world over the centuries, including against Jews and Muslims. Much of this pain came when Western imperialism used Christianity to justify the conquering of lands of non-Christian people, or to seek vengeance on Jews especially. Even today, white Christian nationalists attack synagogues and mosques, and spread hate-filled rhetoric about Jews secretly controlling the world, and Muslims (usually Arabic) being barbaric and violent. When I think of people who claim to be spreading this violent hatred in the name of Jesus Christ, when usually they are acting out of greed, vengeance, and/or racism, I believe they are violating God’s commandment that we not take the Lord’s name in vain.

As we follow Jesus’ footsteps through this Holy Week, may we remember that our savior Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem on a donkey, riding not with triumph but humility. It is the cheering and fickle crowds who first praise and then condemn Jesus, but the saving power of Jesus came not from might, or wealth, or celebrity, but from obedience to God’s will, and the willingness to sacrifice himself for the sake of sinners like you and me. Even in John’s revelation of Christ’s ultimate triumph, all the throngs of faithful, the armies, the divine and fantastical creatures, all worshiped the Lamb,

for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.                                    Revelation 5:9b-10

If we are to witness to the saving power of the risen Christ, if we are to live with the triumph of God’s will, we cannot do this through might, or vengeance, or violence, or striving to prove our superiority— we are called to follow Jesus Christ, the One who humbled himself and gave his mortal life for the sake of the unworthy, the people he loves—us. As we consider the life-giving love of Christ, as we are filled with gratitude and faith in God’s power of life over death, may we offer ourselves to Christ’s mission of grace, even for the least of us. And may we know and share the eternal joy of our Lord, emanating through our lives into the world around us.

With Resurrection hope,

Wendy

In Christ Jesus the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.

Ephesians 2:21-22

This last week, I’ve been able to witness the connectional church, embodied in two current leaders: Ruth Santana-Grace, Co-Moderator of the 225^th GA (2022-2024), and Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator of the 218^th GA (2008-2010).

Ruth is dear to us as my immediate predecessor as Executive Presbyter of San Gabriel Presbytery, having served here for 9 years until she moved to be EP of Philadelphia Presbytery in 2014. Ruth has been with us for the weekend, visiting with the residents of Pilgrim Place, and speaking at an open house for her at San Marino Community Church on Friday evening and yesterday at Claremont Presbyterian Church. Her focus as Co-Moderator is to be an ambassador of hope for the church, and she was full of optimism and joy in her service, even as she acknowledges the challenges we are facing in the world around us and in the church. As we are in the liminal space of significant change (but not clear what the final destination looks like), it may feel like we are in the wilderness. But the wilderness journey gives us the opportunity to try new things, and to realize that God walks with us even as we go through unknown spaces, with no guarantee that things will go the way we expect. I was able to have lunch with Ruth and Bruce on Friday, and Ruth is so full of love for you all, asking for updates on everyone!

Bruce has been with us for almost two months. He’s been having a blast as bridge pastor of Filipino Community United Presbyterian Church in Azusa, working with their great session on a ministry plan for their Filipino roots and the multiracial community of Azusa. He’s also been meeting with different folks, including some of our pastors and the presbytery staff. He’s a master networker, and has been introducing me to folks with creative leadership potential, because he has said (more than a few times) that we are his new favorite presbytery, and he thinks we are a great home for leaders with vision.

Bruce has become a well-respected author; when he was our keynote speaker for the 2021 WinterFest, he had just published “In Defense of Kindness.” While he has been with us, he completed his first draft of a comprehensive primer on faith that would be accessible to folks who are discerning spiritually, but not sure about the relevance of the Christian church in this post-Christendom world. He is always on the leading edge for the church, starting a new church before the 1001 New Worshiping Communities movement, and active in social media and worship technology before the rest of us. I’ve noticed how informed he is as a child of the PC(USA), including his critique of the institution. When meeting with the presbytery staff, we talked about how we describe the Presbyterian tradition as a strength rather than a burden. For instance, is the Book of Order a set of restrictive rules, or a challenge to be more faithful, and reconsider outdated practices? Bruce suggested that “if we really followed the PC(USA) Constitution, we would be a very different church.”

It is a blessing to hear the perspectives and love these national church leaders have for our little presbytery, and to get a sense of the larger church in different contexts, and into the future. As we look ahead to Holy Week, and we consider the life-giving love of Jesus Christ, we have much to be thankful for, including the body of Christ that is the Presbyterian Church (USA)—and the leaders who represent the future hopes for the church. And, as I see San Gabriel Presbytery through the eyes of people who have experienced many a presbytery, I am reminded of the blessing you are to me, but more importantly, to Christ’s mission in San Gabriel Valley. May you know the blessings of Christ during this Lenten season.

In Christ,
Wendy