wfn.org | Ted Wardlaw Explores the Bubbling, Fizzing,

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

GA99122 
25-June-1999 
 
           Ted Wardlaw Explores the Bubbling, Fizzing,  
             Changing Nature of the Kingdom of Heaven 
 
FORT WORTH--"The church, as I experience it at least more often than not, 
is hardly a finished thing at all," claimed the Rev. Ted Wardlaw as he 
reflected on the sixth "Great End of the Church" in worship Friday morning. 
Recalling a recent trip to Jerusalem, Wardlaw described the Church of the 
Holy Sepulchre where visitors go expecting to find the exhibition of the 
Kingdom of God "on steroids," but instead discover a "place where even the 
mysteries are embattled and have an unresolved quality about them."  
    According to Wardlaw, in Jerusalem and Northern Ireland and, indeed, 
throughout the world, the church of Jesus Christ struggles with the issue 
of boundaries. "Part of what the church ought to exhibit, without apology," 
he stated, "is a certain very important collection of boundaries." 
    "And yet, just to keep us honest," he continued, "the church is also 
called to exhibit a careful attentiveness to the voice of God whispering in 
our ear, from time to time    pushing us beyond our boundaries, and urging 
us to discern whether they are in fact our boundaries or God's boundaries." 
    Using the parable of the leavened bread from Luke's gospel, Wardlaw 
explored the ways in which the Kingdom of God can be compared to that which 
is somehow unlikely, unexpected and even inappropriate, "taking 
conventional definitions of clean and unclean and turning them upside down; 
taking our logic about what makes sense and what does not make sense and 
turning it upside down." 
    The congregation responded to the sermon with an affirmation of faith 
which claimed, in part: "With an urgency born of this hope, the church 
applies itself to present tasks and strives for a better world. It does not 
identify limited progress with the kingdom of God on earth, nor does it 
despair in the face of disappointment and defeat" (The Book of Confessions, 
9.45-.55). 
     Elder Cathy Zeek and the Rev. Juan Trevino participated in the 
liturgy.  A choir composed of members from First, Grace, Westminster, and 
West Fork Presbyterian churches in Arlington, Texas, and directed by Todd 
Prickett, offered a rousing anthem entitled, "Witness," by Jack Halloran. 
 
Sue Boardman 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  This note sent by Office of News Services, 
  Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
  to the World Faith News list <wfn-news@wfn.org>.
  For additional information about this news story,
  call 502-569-5493 or send e-mail to PCUSA.News@pcusa.org

  On the web:  http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/

  If you have a question about this mailing list, 
  send queries to wfn@wfn.org