“Jesus wept” - John 11:35 Most of us are familiar with this verse because it is the shortest verse the the Bible. But today, let’s talk about how pertinent and meaningful this verse is. Today, more than ever, this verse speaks to me. During this time of pandemic there are some days I need to weep. I need to mourn the loss of expectations. I’m mourning for all the students and teacher who are missing out on their school year. I am mourning for those who have lost their source of income and for those who are working too long hours right in the face of danger. I am mourning for those who have lost their lives and who will lose their lives because of this. I am mourning for the future that will not be, and the uncertainty of the future to come. And I know that Jesus is mourning too. So, if you are feeling like you need to grieve during this time, know you are not alone. Know that Christ is with you as you mourn; know that Christ is present while you grieve. My former professor Dr. Bill Greenway said recently that we are in a worldwide season of lent. We are in a time of lament. God laments with us. And God continues to love us. God is present with us in this time of grief. Take the time you need to mourn and grieve, and also take time to look for the love of God in your life. I see the love of God in the gift of spring. New life abounds and the sun still shines. I see the love of God in you all as we rally together to support one another. I love you all with the love of the Lord. Until we are together again, peace be with you, - Pastor Rebekah
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Lent is a season of penitence; a season when we come before God aware that we have sinned and fallen short; a season very near the cross. This season we will be focusing on the question: Where is God? This is a question I know I have asked before, this is a question I feel most of us, if not all of us, can relate to. Even Jesus uttered the words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” This question is a question of the ages, and it is a question of deep faith. Because of our deep faith and trust in God, we question why bad things happen, especially to good people. When things happen that seem to go against the notion of a good and loving God, our faith begs the question: Where is God? This season we will look deeper at stories that beg this same question. We will hear the words of Jesus from the cross. We will come before God with penitence knowing that we fall short, but also knowing that our loving God is there, sometimes we just have to take a different look. As we walk closer and closer to the cross, we know the story does not end there. We know, even as we ask the question, the answer is right before us. Come, let us walk this Lenten journey together. Let us know where God is. Blessings 2020 has some very exciting things in store – we have 2 family reunions to celebrate! I trust you all know that this year is our 175th anniversary as a congregation. The History Team has been hard at work planning this celebration. This is a time for current and former members and pastors to come together and celebrate the life of this part of the body of Christ. 175 years is something to celebrate indeed. I’m so excited to be a part of it. While the 175th anniversary is a time for our immediate family, we have an extended family reunion this year as well. We will be hosting the October 17th Stated Presbytery Meeting of the Presbytery of the James! As a connectional church, all PC(USA) congregations are part of our family, and we are a part of theirs. By hosting this presbytery meeting, we get to re-acquaint ourselves with these family members. We have the opportunity to come together as one body, one family to worship God, hear news from around the Presbytery, share mission experiences, and do the work of the larger church. Both of these family reunions are special events in and of themselves. How wonderful it is to have our extended family be here with us to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of our immediate family! I hope we can come together with our various gifts and abilities to make both of these family reunions wonderful, welcoming events. Blessings - Pastor Rebekah Things I am grateful for at OPC
Time shared in worship Helping one another without question Answer God’s call together Not giving up in times of trial Kindred spirits, united in Christ Serving the larger community Giving of our time and talents Inviting the Spirit in Visiting, volunteering, venturing Interpreting the scriptures through love Navigating this new season Giving ourselves to God - Pastor Rebekah “After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” Luke 2:46-47 As Christians we are called to walk in the ways of Christ throughout our lives. We are called to model Jesus’ life here on earth. One of the things Jesus had in his life was an education. When Jesus was a young child, he learned, he asked questions, he grew in wisdom and stature. A few weeks ago, we celebrated back to school by giving the students and teachers notebooks and prayed over the new school year. Education is important to the Christian life. One of the ways we can support education in the Christian life is by offering thoughtful, discussion based, Christian education courses. In fact, part of the constitution of the PC(USA) – the Book of Order, tells us that, “God calls the Church to continue the teaching ministry of Jesus Christ, guiding and nurturing one another through all the seasons and transitions of life. In particular, the church offers opportunities for education and formation as members enter the community of faith, discover Christian vocation, and assume responsibility in the world. The church’s primary standard and resource for Christian nurture is the Word of God in Scripture, bearing witness to Christ’s way of truth and life.” (W-5.0203) Starting on September 22, OPC will once again offer thoughtful, discussion based, Christian Education courses. There is more information about what those courses will look like in this newsletter. I encourage you to participate in these offerings. It is important for the life of this worshiping body to come together and dig deeper into what we think about these difficult, theological questions we all have. The point of this is not to come out all thinking the same thing in utter agreement - what a boring class that would be! The point of coming together for educational opportunities is that iron sharpens iron. When we challenge each other and have civil discourse we are all growing and learning together. We might all leave with a different understanding than we had before. So, again, dear friends, I encourage you to attend these new educational offerings. It might be difficult to wake up and get to church earlier, but if we all come together with open hearts and open minds, we will be better for it. In Christ, Pastor Rebekah “On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was.” Mark 4:35-36a The temperature is rising, and the days are long. We are in the dog days of summer. People have been coming and going on vacation. I am so glad for that because vacation is so important for mental, physical, and spiritual health. Getting away from the routine helps us step away and get a look at the big picture – what really matters. Even Jesus took time to get away from the ever-present crowds. And we all know God rested on the seventh day! If you have not done so yet this summer, I encourage you to take some guilt-free time for yourself. That’s what I will be doing this weekend. On Thursday I will be going to Baltimore, MD to attend the PC(USA) Big Tent event. This is an opportunity for Presbyterians to come together for worship, continuing education, social justice issues, and more, all under one big tent. This is a great chance for me to get to know the larger connectional church and bring back what I learned to our church family. Stay tuned for that! But of course, that is continuing education, not vacation. I do have plans for the latter. On Saturday, Cameron and the boys will be joining me in Baltimore for some time to play. I always look forward to spending quality time with my family and making good, lasting memories. Of course we cannot stay in the place of rest forever, there is still work to be done, and plenty of opportunities to work. One thing I am looking forward to is the Rise Against Hunger event. Like in previous years, OPC will be partnering with our neighboring churches for this event. What a wonderful way to serve our neighbors near and far. I am thankful for time to rest, and to be renewed. I am thankful that God knows that we are limited creatures and calls us to times of rest. And I am also thankful that after a good rest, I can come back to the vast mission field God has called me to and continue on. So, dear friends, take the time to rest and enjoy these dog days of summer. Take a deep breath in so that we can go forth in the name of God. In Christ, Pastor Rebekah On Saturday, July 20, Rev. Rebekah Tucker-Motley was officially installed as pastor of Orange
Presbyterian Church. A commission of 6 people from the Presbytery of the James were here, as well as some elders from surrounding churches. Included in the commission were our own Rev. Lynne Clements (Westminster PC) and Rev. Liz Hulme Adam (Tabor PC). Leading the installation was Rev. Diane Prevary of Tuckahoe Presbyterian Church. Joining her were Rev. Walter Canter (Blue Ridge PC), Elder Steve Hicks (Mitchells PC), Elder Bucky Hill (Culpeper PC), and Elder May Saxton (Orange PC). Rev. Charles Tucker (Kirkwood PC), Rebekah’s father, gave an emotional sermon during the service. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 New beginnings! This month has been a time of new beginnings for all of us. And what a month it has been! During my first month as your new pastor, I have attended my first committee meetings, moderated my first session meeting, and was welcomed for the first time into the Presbytery of the James at the presbytery meeting. And on top of that I have been meeting and getting to know all of you. Phew! This is a time of new beginnings and a time for God to lead us into a new chapter. For better or for worse, the old life has gone and a new life has begun here at Orange Presbyterian Church. And I am thrilled to be a part of it. Cameron, the boys and I already feel the love that surrounds us. While there will be times of growing pains, I trust that God will lead us to be stronger together. As Christians we are called to reconciliation. We have been reconciled with God through Christ and therefore need to seek reconciliation with one another. Because of this I want to encourage all of us to be open and honest in communion. It is important that we hear one another while we figure out this new life. Let us be open to changes while respecting traditions. Let us be loving in times of disagreement. Let us seek to give each other the benefit of the doubt. When trouble does arise, let us seek reconciliation. This is a new life that we are living together as the body of Christ. I trust you have all seen my office hours and hope you will make use of them. I will be in the office on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons. My Mondays are dedicated visiting Dogwood Village and shut-ins. Fridays are my dedicated days off. It is important for me to have this day for self-care so that I can come back the next week renewed and prepared. I will be available on Fridays for pastoral emergencies. Please know that I am also available by appointment. Yours in Christ Pastor Rebekah |
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