wfn.org | GAC issues pastoral letter to PC(USA)

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

Note #6876 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

29-September-2001
01358

GAC issues pastoral letter to PC(USA) 

by Jerry Van Marter

TEMPE, AZ - The General Assembly Council (GAC) sent a pastoral letter to the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Saturday thanking Presbyterians all around the
country for their countless acts of compassion and assistance in the wake of
the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C.

"Our first response to our people and to God is gratitude and foremost we
want to thank Presbyterians for their profound prayers and actions after the
attacks," said GAC vice-moderator Adelia Kelso, who chaired the writing team
for the letter.

The letter also encourages Presbyterians to continue to pray for victims and
their families, for governmental leaders and for the armed forces, who will
most likely be called to combat. It also asks Presbyterians to avoid
inflammatory language and scapegoating of individuals and groups, to seek
greater understanding by learning about other faiths and traditions, and to
continue to work for peace.

The Council asked stated clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick to write to President
Bush, the U.S. Congress and to the PC(USA)'s ecumenical and interfaith
partners, including the pastoral letter with his missive.

The full text of the pastoral letter:

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Thank you . . . Thank you for prayers, worship services and remembrances;
for acts of compassion, giving blood, helping in the search and rescue; for
generous donations and countless other deeds of caring in response to the
tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001. Thank you for embodying the living Christ.

Thank God for our Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) governing bodies and national
staff, for their prompt response to the needs of pastoral care, worship
resources, disaster assistance and background information on interfaith
understanding.

We thank God that:

*  our grief has united us rather than divided us;

*  we have received messages expressing prayer and support form our partner
churches around the world;

*  emergency responders, construction workers and caregivers continue to
give of their time and efforts;

*  the President, his administration and Congress are seeking international
collaboration in fashioning a measured response;

*  alternative strategies to the use of lethal force are being used.

What are we to do next if we understand that we are to "do justice, love
mercy and walk humbly with your God"?

Let us:

*  pray for our men and women in the armed forces and their families;

*  pray for leaders of our nation and of the world;

*  pray for people living in the shadow of grief and in fear of violence;

*  pray for one another and do not forget the children;

*  pray for humility;

*  pray for those we understand to be our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Let us also:

*  act to ensure basic civil liberties for all;

*  resolve not to use inflammatory language or scapegoat individuals and
groups;

*  learn about other faith traditions and cultures as well as from our
Christian brothers and sisters who live in those cultures;

*  continue acts of care and compassion;

* seek the things that inspire peace and hope.

In our deeds of service, in our words of comfort, in our silent and public
prayers, we attest to the reality that "in life and death, we belong to
God." (Heidelberg Catechism and Brief Statement of Faith)

"God of grace and God of glory, . . . grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for
the facing of this hour."
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