wfn.org | Worshipers Hear about Central Idea of Salvation

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19-June-1998 
GA98117 
 
         Worshipers Hear about Central Idea of Salvation  
 
                          By Midge Mack 
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--Her maternal family was converted by Anglican missionaries 
100 years ago while her paternal ancestors adopted Presbyterianism in the 
Nez Perce country of northern Idaho.  
   Native American pastor  Danelle Crawford McKinney  shared her love for 
her church with the worshiping congregation Friday morning,  but confessed 
it hadn't always been so.  She grew up with the stories of the evils of 
missionary dogmatism whereby  native language and culture was violently 
destroyed, and she was angry.  She kept that anger until a wise elder 
reminded all the people:  "yes, but, remember, they brought us Christ, 
they brought us Christ!" 
   Based on the First Great End of the Church, Proclamation of the Gospel 
for the Salvation of Humankind,  Friday's worship message focused on 
forgiveness,  the central idea of salvation.  The gospel reading from 
Matthew 18 exhorted worshipers to forgiveness of  evils to "seventy times 
seven,"  and McKinney told them of the need to make this effort,  to 
increase the level of understanding of what  others can and cannot accept, 
even when they don't want to forgive. "God is the third person waiting for 
us to forgive, and God is the one who has given us the heart for 
forgiveness,"  she said. 
   Participants in the service included Randall Bryant, a Lumbee who played 
sacred melodies on  Kokopelli-type flutes, Dakota and elder commissioner 
Paula Armstrong who sang a Dakota hymn; and a trio of Native American 
vocalists; also J. William Taber, executive/stated clerk, Western North 
Carolina Presbytery; David Sanders, Grier Heights, Church, Charlotte; Rev. 
John Todd, Philadelphia Church, Mint Hill, N.C.; Marcia Brown, Matthews 
(N.C.) Church; Charlotte Hampton, Statesville Avenue Church, Charlotte; 
Jane Arant, organist, Trinity Church, Charlotte;  
   Concluding the service, McKinney called former moderator Pat Brown to 
the podium and in gratitude for Brown's recognition and validation of the 
Nez Perce nation by visiting last July, presented her with an exquisite 
satin quilt, with the traditional star motif in rose and black.  

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