November SeaPres Update from Co-Executive Presbyters

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; 
those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them a light has shined.” 
Isaiah 9:2 

Dear friends, 

Shorter days bring night earlier and earlier. The world’s insatiable drive for war and violence continues despite the horrific pictures from places like Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, and Venezuela. 

And in our own nation, many wait anxiously to see what the new year with a new administration will bring. It can seem as though the darkness of uncertainty can overcome us. 

But as we enter this Advent season, it is good to be reminded that these times – which may seem unending and interminable – do not have the final word. We wait, with anticipation and hope, for the shalom that comes initially in the form of a baby in a manger. We remember that we are not a people of despair, but rather a people who believe the promise of abundant life and a kingdom not of this world that has no end. 

We are also called to be a people of action. We love kindness, we walk humbly with our God, but we must also be a people ready to do justice. 

With that in mind, I invite you to register for an upcoming Town Hall “What Now?” sponsored by the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Office of Public Witness, and the Office of Immigration Issues of the PCUSA that will be addressing the church’s call to protect immigration rights. This town hall will address issues around sanctuary and expected changes to immigration policies under the new presidential administration next year. 

Jim Wallis recently referred to Psalm 137 “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” Indeed, many of God’s beloved, already living precarious and marginalized lives among us find themselves in a stranger land than before. You and I, as the church, must find ways to create places of faith, hope, and peace in this strange land which is bound to only get stranger. Wallis went on to write, ““Perhaps our vocation now, more than ever, is to sing the Lord’s song more clearly, than ever… our public discipleship must always be informed by Jesus' teachings.”  

Seattle Presbytery will continue to seek ways to partner with our churches and other community leaders to live our discipleship publicly, aching for Christ’s kingdom here on earth, determined to act as God has called us. I invite you to join us; stay connected, let us know what is on your congregation’s hearts, invest in relationships that affirm God’s beloved creation. 

We are grateful to serve a presbytery committed to living out its identity and mission in Christ. 

May your Thanksgiving table be filled with dear ones and the time to enjoy each of them. We wish you great joy and give God thanks for each and every one of you! 

In Christ, 

Revs. Eliana Maxim & Scott Lumsden