wfn.org | Husted cites imperative: "Neither liberal or conservative, but

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

Note #6597 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

radical"
11-June-2001
GA01039

Husted cites imperative: "Neither liberal or conservative, but radical"

by Midge Mack

LOUISVILLE, June 11 — "Have we forgotten who we are?" the Rev. Heidi
Husted asked her congregation at Monday morning's worship service.

Her answer, summed up in the words "continue to live your lives rooted in
Christ," mirrored her text from Paul's letter to the Colossians, whom she
saw as possibly forgetting who they were: "For it is in [Christ] that the
whole fullness of deity dwells bodily and you have come to fullness in him."
 (Col. 2:6-10)

	"This is not God, Jr., but God-with-us," she continued. "Apart from Christ,
we do not know who we are. Disconnect us from our roots and there is no
life."

Explaining the original meaning of the word "radical," derived from the
Latin radix, meaning root, she commanded us not to be concerned about being
liberal or conservative, but rather to be radical."

Husted also used the example of a shallow-rooted tree, which has received
more than enough water. "If the tree is stressed, its roots will go deeper
and it will be more stable.  It is now, when we are stressed as a church,
that we need our deepened roots to sustain our life," she said.

Husted is pastor and head of staff of 1200-member Columbia Presbyterian
Church, Vancouver, Wash. When she arrived to open worship in the Cascade
Ballroom, she found that the Rev. Tony Campolo, noted author, professor, and
featured speaker for the earlier General Assembly breakfast in the same
room, was still enthusiastically exhorting his audience.  Taking her place
at podium, she quipped. "Dr. Campolo has just agreed to warm up my
congregation on Sundays."

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