God’s New Thing

I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

Isaiah 43:19a

Tomorrow night we will meet on Zoom as a Presbytery. Please remember to pre-register so you can get the Zoom link. While we are able to hear from International Peacemaker Rev. Dr. Hiheon Kim for just a few minutes during the meeting, there will be a separate Zoom meeting at 5 pm tomorrow, when Rev. Kim can give his full presentation on social justice and peace. You don’t need to pre-register for the 5 pm session, just go to the link below to join in. The meeting will end by 6:30 at the latest, so there’s plenty of time to hear Rev. Kim and then get ready for the Presbytery meeting. Here’s the Zoom link for Rev. Kim’s 5 pm presentation only:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85324614355?pwd=xKfoj8v3JAKe1IEXkc5IGh3hzSgyFz.1

 Meeting ID: 853 2461 4355
Passcode: 251837

And speaking of getting ready for Presbytery, you are invited—urged—to participate more fully in the meeting by having your own version of bread and wine for our online communion, and going to https://sangabpres.org/donate/ to give your offering. You may give now, and through September 30. In the meeting we will hear from John Williams, the Executive Director of the Center for Restorative Justice, the recipient for this meeting’s offering. Be sure to look around their website, https://www.cfrjustice.org/. They have already done some very impactful history tours, and they are planning some great new explorations in 2025.

The Center for Restorative Justice is a relatively new organization, established in its current form in 2016. Two new ministries of San Gabriel Presbytery will also be reviewed tomorrow, as we will hear highlights from this last year of growth and learning at Interwoven, now in Eagle Rock, and Live Oak Community Church, in Temple City. What an amazing blessing for us to support and walk alongside these exciting new ministries!

While the Bible speaks of God’s new thing, God’s people are reminded of the on-going covenants that God has made with us. We cannot forget all that God has done for us in the past, nor are we to throw out the Bible in search for a new word. We are not to resist God’s new thing, but I believe that we are able to celebrate new things because we know that God has proven to be faithful in the past, and we have seen how God’s wisdom and mercy far exceed our worries. And the fact is, there are treasures in the traditions of the church that can inform and inspire new generations in the faith. The key is to give our new worshiping communities—and all our churches—the freedom to try new things as God guides them, and not constrain them by requiring that they follow the path that has worked for us.

In both new ministries—Live Oak and Interwoven—this is evident. Their leaders are young, but they have great respect for elders and history. Both have many young members and families, but they also have older folks who participate regularly in the ministry. Their worship music sounds fresh, but at times they will sing classic hymns in their styles. Hearing the hymns that formed my faith (and the faith of countless others), but with a new beat, demonstrates this revival of the past in a beautiful way that moves me almost to tears. The new ministries are also connecting with the Presbytery. As an example, Interwoven sent the most people to participate in our June Day of Service of any congregation, and this coming Sunday they will hear from International Peacemaker Frances Namoumou. And Live Oak will host our November Presbytery meeting!

There are some wonderful new things that God is doing in San Gabriel Presbytery. There are, of course, challenges, and even the new things are vulnerable. We are trying to respond to new things like the new Board of Pensions program. And we continue to face new challenges in our congregations and in the life of San Gabriel Presbytery.

So I hope you can join us tomorrow and witness some of the new things God has put in our midst, and give encouragement to those breaking new ground, and join our hearts in prayer for God’s continuing care and guidance for all the ministries we have committed to Christ’s mission in this little corner of the world, at this moment in time.

God is certainly doing a new thing in San Gabriel Presbytery. May we give thanks to God, and continue to be a support to all who are seeking God’s new thing in our Presbytery family. See you tomorrow.

With gratitude and wonder,

Wendy