God’s Ownership

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

Psalm 24:1

I’m reminded by this verse of an important truth and implication: God owns the world and this includes everything contained within its boundaries. The world belongs to God. We are called to live in light of the truth of God’s ownership of everything.

I am grateful for this opportunity to live out this truth through this new ministry call as Associate Executive Presbyter with its focus on being the Presbytery’s business manager. It is a half-time staff position with responsibilities that include overseeing Presbytery finances, helping manage Presbytery

property, and also being of support to sessions who need assistance in managing their own financial and property resources. This role is not exactly new in the sense that I am simply taking part of the responsibilities that Sam Bang carried out quite recently when he used to be on staff. It is my hope that I can do my part, through God’s grace, in furthering the mission of Jesus Christ in our Presbytery through, as the ministry description puts it: “facilitating effective management of presbytery resources and supporting congregations in doing the same.” I am currently in the process of finishing my stint as

Moderator of the Presbytery and I didn’t anticipate that God will put me in this new role. For the past 10 years I have been serving as full-time solo pastor of Praise Community Church with prior experience also in the area of hospital and hospice chaplaincy before that. Prior to God’s call in my life to full-time pastoral ministry, my career and education was in the field of business and finance for corporations. It is interesting how God has placed me back into a business role where I can use my business and finance gifts for the Presbyterian Church instead of the general corporate marketplace. I welcome your wisdom, support and prayers as I aim to serve using all the gifts (pastoral and business) that God has given or developed in me throughout the years.

My other call as Pastor of Praise Community Church in Covina continues in a revised half-time role. I am grateful for my church for supporting me in obtaining this new half-time call in the Presbytery. I am closely working together with the Praise Community Church Session and members so we can continue doing our best with God’s help in being the Presbyterian (USA) church serving the communities of Covina, Glendora, San Dimas, other surrounding communities of the San Gabriel Valley.

Meeting you all as Moderator has been quite a blessing, especially since I have not really been with the San Gabriel Presbytery or the Presbyterian Church (USA) that long compared to others among you who have the honor of being lifetime Presbyterian Christians. I look forward to being further blessed and hopefully returning the blessing back as I work with you and our great staff if you have issues that pertain to the areas served by this new ministry. May we all together, as the body of Christ, live in light of God’s overall ownership and sovereignty in all things!

Blessings,

Rev. Dr. Peter Tan-Gatue

Pastor, Praise Community Church
Associate Executive Presbyter, San Gabriel Presbytery