M o n t h l y N e w s f r o m F P C Ty l e r • Vo l u m e 1 0 , I s s u e 1 1 : N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 5
Who Is God Calling Us To Be? By Rev. Dr. Stuart Baskin In October, I preached a series of four sermons on one of the big questions of faith: who are we and what are we called to do? It is so easy to fall into comfortable habits as a congregation without ever reflecting on why we do what we do. Don’t get me wrong: habits are important; they are a vital means of turning ideas into long-term practices. But unless we reexamine our habits occasionally, they can become a prison that keeps us from doing what God is calling us to do. My first sermon centered on the question, “who are we?” Using the story of Jesus casting out the unclean spirit in Mark 3:7-19, I suggested that our fundamental identity in life is that we are children of God. This identity marks us more deeply than our race, our socio-economic class, our national origin, or even our family. And if we are children of God, if the image of God in us is clear, the powers of darkness should be able to recognize it and
shout at us, even as the unclean spirit shouted at Jesus: “You are the son of God!” How will the powers of darkness recognize us? They will recognize us by our way of life, that we treat others the way God has treated us: not with hatred, but with love; not with judgment, but with mercy; not with punishment, but with forgiveness; acting not out of fear, but out of hope. My second sermon centered on the question, “what are we trying to do?” Using the beloved verse, Micah 6:8—“The Lord has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”—I suggested that the shape of our life should include three elements. First, we need to be about the work of social justice. It is not enough to speak words of compassion and sympathy, and not enough to pray for the poor. Surely prayer and words of sympathy are important, but we are called to seek to set things right for Continued on page 2.
i n t h i s i s s u e | H I G H L I G H T S & F E AT U R E S Blue Christmas Service | pg 2
Jazz Brunch | pg 3
Haiti Mission Trip a Success! | pg 5
Learn more about this service of rememberance and hope.
Smooth Jazz and good eats sponsored by Fine Arts @ FPC.
Read about the team’s establishment of a water purification system in Lavallee. First Presbyterian Church of Tyler, Texas 230 West Rusk Street, Tyler, Texas 75701-1696 (903) 597-6317 | www.fpctyler.com