Rev. Peter C. de Vries, Ph.D. has served Old Union since November 1993.
To learn more about Rev. Dr. de Vries, go to FaceBook, Linked-In, or his blog.
FROM THE PASTOR
Each spring, our session reviews the church membership roles to consider possible changes in people’s membership status. Perhaps they are on the active role but haven’t been participating in our church’s life for some time. Maybe they’re on the inactive role but have started coming back. Did someone move away, or maybe has been on our inactive role for a long time that it’s time to remove them entirely? Each time we go through this exercise we’re very sensitive to the fact that church membership matters to some people, even if we never see them or hear from them. It’s important for them to be “part of Old Union,” at least in spirit.
What matters infinitely more than being a church member, however, is being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Having your name in a church register is not what changes your life. But seeking Jesus, following where he leads you, and learning more about who he is and what he desires makes all the difference in the world…and in the world to come. You don’t get to heaven because you’re a church member; you will be welcomed at the gates of glory not because you’ve been a good person or obeyed all the commandments, but because you have opened your heart to Christ.
Church membership and Christian discipleship are supposed to be synonymous, at least for us Presbyterians. If you are a member (active or inactive) of our church, you made several vows. Among other things, you promised “to be Christ's faithful disciple, to obey his word, and to show his love.” In other words, the only way you can authentically be a church member is if you are a disciple. And we Presbyterians believe that part of being a disciple of Jesus is being part of his community of believers. That is, disciples are involved in the life of a church congregation. You can’t follow Christ faithfully on your own; it is always a journey that he invites us to share with others. You can, of course, be involved in Old Union’s mission and ministry without being an official member, and several people are.
What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ? Literally, a disciple is a follower or a student. A disciple is someone seeks to learn from a master, in order to be more like them, and to live and act more like them. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, his disciples listened to his teachings, followed him where he went, witnessed his miraculous work, and shared in his efforts to spread the good news about the kingdom of God. Because we cannot physically see Jesus now, discipleship is a bit more complicated for us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, whom Christ has blessed us with, we continue to be able to experience his presence and to receive his guidance. We do so through the means by which the Spirit presents Christ to us, most notably through the gifts of Scripture, prayer, and the our shared fellowship of believers. Disciples also share in Christ’s mission of sharing the good news of the kingdom of God, by inviting others to faith and by embodying his love by caring for those in need.
Peter
Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com