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Your present and future session meet this week to follow God in the business of the church.  We had three members present and participating in the meeting.  A policy on when to receive covenant children to the communion table was approved and is available in the foyer. Seven inactive former members were removed from our membership rolls. We approved a budget for the coming year that was $16,500 less than the already reduced Deacons and the Trellis Team proposed. (Each Team reduced their budget except for the Church Growth Team, which is a new expense, and the Discipleship Team which added the expense of the Walk Thru the Bible Seminar). We spent about $35,000 more than we received last year.  Our current financial reserves are about $85,000. We have had some members retire and others transfer and this has an impact on our budget expectations. The monthly overpayment of our mortgage was stopped, General Assembly expenses were cut by $1000, and Pastor’s discretionary budget was cut by $500, and the rent from the classical schools that utilize our building was raised.  We will also continue to receive special designated giving for Debt reduction, Missions, and Mercy. We thank God for the faithful giving of our congregation. An opportunity to assist with the Afghan Resettlement was proposed by the Mission Team and will be presented to the congregation. The Fellowship Team announced some upcoming events: Easter Sunrise service and breakfast on April 17, Prime-timers Lake Day and Lunch at the Nielsen’s home on May 1o, and a church Picnic on May 21. A Welcome to Martinez welcome card with an invitation to our church will be sent to approximately 250 people each month for a three-month trial.  Pray that this invitation would bear some good fruit. A hospitality initiative was discussed – more information to come. An idea for a new church sign was floated and discussed. The Creative Team proposed an Art Show/Craft Fair at WPC for November 11 and 12. This was approved and the details will be worked out. We thanked the two elders who are rotating off for their service and also the two elders who may be voted in this week. We prayed for several needs of the church, both current and former members.

Christian social philosophers …  surveyed about three thousand teenagers asking what they believed about God. What they found is that teenagers were basically believing that there is a God and all he wants for us is to be happy and nice. You don’t need God unless anything infringes on one of those two goals. As long as you’re pursuing happiness and niceness, you’re going to go to heaven. Other than that, you don’t really need the Lord.

That philosophy of moralistic therapeutic deism evolved into this sort of believe-in-yourself-ism. The message became: You’re all you need. You don’t need the Lord for anything else as long as he’s helping you to be happy and nice. Everyone can conjure up some happiness and some niceness, so we sort of shelve God and decide we don’t really need him. We just need to believe in ourselves, to invent who we are and what we want to do, and we need to just go for it.

They are looking to God as a “pie in the sky,” thinking he exists just to make us healthy and wealthy. We may think, Because I’m a Christian, things are going to go well for me. I shouldn’t expect too much hardship or to endure too much suffering because God wants me to be happy, to believe in myself, to be nice, and to be good.

A False Gospel

This kind of gospel is not the gospel at all. This is actually a false gospel and it has really infiltrated our churches. It tells
you to believe in yourself rather than to turn your gaze upon our almighty God.

We’re looking inward, constantly self-reflecting about our gifts, skills, and abilities and thinking, What can I do? What can I make? What impact can I have? Instead, we should be asking, Who is God? Who is our good, true, and beautiful God? What is his character like?We are constantly looking at our own behavior in a legalistic way thinking, I’m going to act one way and do this so that I can produce that, rather than beholding the Lord our God.

The almighty God of the universe created you and me, and he made us for a purpose. When we neglect that just to be happy, nice Christians, we ignore the greatest truth of all time—the most beautiful, the biggest, and most profound truth that’s available to you and me as (the people) of God.

Jen Oshman

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known (1 Corinthians 13:9-12).

The best is yet to come. Our knowledge of God, while true, is incomplete. While we grow in knowing God, bit by bit, sermon by sermon, scripture by scripture; we do not know perfectly.  But one day our partial limitation will pass away.

Our maturing in Christ admits of degrees. We are to grow in our knowledge and fear of God. 2 Peter 3:18, “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”  We grow from an infant to a child, to a young adult, to a mature adult – but we never reach perfection in this life.

Now we see in a glass, darkly.  Picture a wavy, uneven piece of sheet metal, and use that as a mirror.  Unclear, distorted – a true image, but a less than perfect image.  That is how we see God, that is how we know Him here.  But then, we shall see face to face.  We shall see him clearly, as He is.  This is called the Beatific Vision; seeing God as He really is; knowing Him even as we are known – in perfection.

One theologian put it this way, “To become one with God in face-to-face encounter is to receive a drenching in the diving toe that nurtures unqualified loving reciprocity.” Anthony Thiselton, p. 233. Or as the Apostle John puts it, “We know that when Christ appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:3).

When this perfect knowledge comes, when the revelation of our God shall be complete; partial knowledge and incomplete prophecy shall pass away in the full experience of who God is – we shall be awash in the being and character of God, deluged in the love of God.  That is what v 8 and 13 proclaims “Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away…. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

This table points us to that reality. The love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. If you know the love of God, truly, but only partially, come to this table for greater knowledge and experience of his love and grace – knowing that the best is yet to come. Knowledge of the full depth of the Love and character of God.

If you do not know the love of God, even in part; if you do not trust him, nor have faith in God; do not come to this table.

If you come, come to experience more of the love of God, knowing full well, that the best is yet to come, when you see God face to face.

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

The Christians of Thessalonica were growing in grace and in love, but bad theology was holding them back. It was bad eschatology, wrong views of the end times.  Many thought that the Day of the Lord had already passed, and that may have led to idleness among Christians.

Paul, in our context, is encouraging them to stand firm, to grow in grace. and in service, and to have hope for the future. What Paul says to minister grace to fellow believers can equally be said of the Lord’s Supper.

What is the basis of this hope for the future?

God the Father and God the Son have loved us. The Love of God is always on display among the people of God. We have been loved from before the foundation of the earth.  Jesus has given us the full and final demonstration of his love on the cross.  “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

I love the personal pronouns in the text.  Our Lord Jesus Christ, God our Father. Jesus and God are not distant abstract concerts, they are personal realities, they are family.  They belong to us.

And they have given us eternal comfort and good hope.  I have needed comfort from others in the past and received it. But it soon fades.  But here is eternal comfort, a good hope that need not diminish. It comes to us by grace, unmerited favor.  It is the self-generated love of God that will never change.

That love now comforts us, and establishes us – strengthens us in every good work and word. We can speak and do good. Grace relieves, comforts, accepts, and motivates. His love transforms us from sinners to saints, from idle to active, from forlorn to hope-filled. From sad to eternally happy.

How does this happen? By revisiting the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord at the Communion table.  This unshakable love of God fully demonstrated on the cross, fills us with joy and peace in believing.

If that is your hope, come to the table. If you have no faith, no love from God or for God, do not come to this table. Instead, Come to Christ, by faith and repentance.

Prayer

We ask, O Lord our God, that others would know, that all would know, the blessings of this table.  That they would know Christ and the power of his resurrection.  May even your people be renewed in the marvelous love of God in Christ Jesus. Speak to us through this meal. Speak peace and hope to us.  Comfort our hearts and strengthen us in every good word and work.  We ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Remember this as we come to the table together.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us – for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” – so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles.” Galatians 3:13-14

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Come for all things are now ready.

Teacher Ed Payne led us in a discussion of the many implications of the Cross Work of Jesus Christ.  Our next meeting will be on January 24, 2022.  We discussed our method of serving communion both at the church also bringing a communion service to elderly members.  Changes may be coming in the next year.  We began to discuss next year’s budget which will begin in April of 2022. We did approve refiling our complaint against an action of our presbytery requiring our session to rescind a prior decision to the Standing Judicial Commission. Our previous complaint, it was ruled, was filed too soon. It was shared that all nine ministry teams have leaders and that a training session was completed. We received a summary of the work of the Deacons, the Trellis, and the Fellowship Teams.  Next month the session will meet with the leaders of the Missions Team.  Our church has successfully changed banks from Fifth Third to Queensborough.  The Trellis Team will oversee a review of all past church policy positions in the next year. We prayed for several needs in the congregation.  We left encouraged by the fellowship at the last fellowship meal and the attendance and joy at the Christmas Cantata.  We also discussed officer nominations for the coming year.

Communion Meditation 

I have heard it said; that from the time we exit the womb, we are searching for another one.

The womb; a place of safety, shelter.  A place of belonging, security.  The womb, a place of unity and community – mother and child are physically united.

In a fallen world we are looking for that place of security, community, belonging.

We are looking to return to Eden.  The place where we belong. We are looking for home.  The place where we can walk with God in the cool of the day.  But because of our sin, the way home has been barred to us by the flaming sword of the angels.

The blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ has opened the way home.  We can return to Eden, the place where we belong.  We can know security, community, belonging, safety. 

We can return home; home to the family dinner table.

Communion means many things; but it at least means this.  We, as prodigal sons and daughters, are welcomed home. 

We are washed, we are cleansed, we are forgiven.  But also, we are united to Christ and so we are united to one another.  We are all one in Christ Jesus.  We belong and are accepted.  We have found our community; our people; our friends and companions in Christ.

We come to this table in faith, and we come together as the people of God.

If these are not your people if you do not see Jesus and love him.  If you do not believe in the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ, this table is not for you.  I warn you to stay away. Do not despise holy things for there will be a heavy price to pay.

If these are your people, and Jesus is your savior and friend.  Come to the table. Find the womb that you have been looking for. Come, and welcome to Jesus Christ.

September 21, 2021

We began our meeting together with a meal in celebration of Ted Kuhn’s birthday.  We passed around a Westminster Photo Directory from 30 years ago. Three of our elders were in that book.  They are elders!!  Carla and Sharon attended our meeting and gave their input. Bryan led a devotion one the 3 R’s – Ruin, Redemption, and Restoration. We approved a new and improved Ministry Team Structure.  We are now recruiting Ministry Team Leaders and will eventually search for Ministry Team Members and other helpers.  Look for more information in the next few months.  Five special offerings were approved for the next year.  Two each for Debt Reduction and Missions, and one for Mercy.  We approved 5 elders and men from our church to fill the pulpit in the next year.  The Network of Prayer was discussed and commitments to prayer for our homes and neighborhoods were made.  A prayer map of the Augusta area will be up soon. On October 31, Laura Dekle will visit us from Engaging Disabilities Ministry.  We will also have a Reformation Day Celebration at the church that night.  No fellowship meal or prayer meeting that day.  Home Groups were discussed and preparations will be made to launch them in the next 3 or 4 months.  Our library Room is nearing completion.  A separate AV room is also in the works.  New pamphlets are available in the Narthex. The respect that our elders have for the church and for each other and the joy that they have in serving the bride of Christ is very evident and it is truly a blessing.

Ted Kuhn opened our meeting with a devotion from Acts 20 and Paul’s meeting at Miletus with the elders from Ephesus.  We have scheduled our next meeting for June 15 at 5:30pm. An update our our Walk Thru the Bible Seminar on July 24 was given by Pastor Mark. Fellowship Team has scheduled a Church Picnic, a baby shower, and a Game night and will continue to arraign future luncheons, dinners, service projects, topical studies, and testimonies. We will expand the responsibilities of the Administration Team to include staff communication, and new ministry development.  They may even change their name to the Trellis Team.  Ask them why.  On June 10 the elders will gather to discuss a vision for stewardship and missions for Westminster.  The “Awakened, not Woke” conference was discussed as well as a possible discussion group on current issues from a Christian Worldview and what we can practically do about impacting our communities. We would like to begin our Home Group ministry again.  We debated when and how to begin them.  More information will follow.  Our new website is up and running (wpcmartinez.org). We are in the process of changing banks from Fifth Third to Queensborough.  The process should be completed by July. We have 3 facility use agreements for the fall.  We will be hosting a Classical Conversations chapter through Followers in Fellowship, Veritas Academy for the 28th year, and the American Academy for the English Martial Arts.  We are looking forward to a post-Covid expansion of fellowship and ministry.  May God bless us and we trust in Him.