Pastor's Corner: Is the term 'Christian Unity' an oxymoron?

I am pretty sure that you have all heard the saying “If you want to start an argument all you have to do is talk about religion or politics.” Perhaps you have even experienced this phenomenon. It could be that you may even know someone who has told you that they don’t want anything to do with churches or religion because the only thing they do is cause war and division. Now that I think about it, I even have one or two in my family with this perspective on church and religion. In fact, if we take time to examine the history of Christianity we can find a basis for the negative attitudes mentioned above.

What is a faith-filled person to do in the face of attitudes like this?

The historical evidence of the sinfulness and brokenness of Christianity does not find its source in God, but rather in sinful humanity trying to practice their faith without relying on the grace of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Sacred Scripture notes many such people. At the same time Sacred Scripture proclaims the grace and forgiveness of God, we all know that where sin abounds the grace of God abounds even more — if we but seek it. Speaking of the grace of God — let me tell you about how God’s grace is being expressed in Havre, Montana.

For about the last 75 plus years Christian churches in the U.S. have been designating a week in January to pray together for unity in the Christian church. In many communities this week of prayer takes the form of individual Christian churches adding special prayers or possibly holding a special service specifically for the purpose of praying for unity in the Christian church. We do a little more than that here in Havre.

We are celebrating the week of prayer for Christian unity the week of Jan. 24.

The week of prayer will begin at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24, at Community Alliance Church with an All Church Sing. At this gathering all the churches bring their choirs, musicians, and congregations to sing together and celebrate God’s grace active and present in their lives. This is followed by snacks and beverages. As you will note in the following schedule sharing food together is part of each gathering. If you feed them they will come.

On Monday morning, Jan. 25, we gather at First Lutheran Church at 7 a.m. We pray, share a meal — breakfast, go figure — together, we will sing together and listen to scripture and reflect on how we are all called by God to live in unity.

On Tuesday morning, Jan. 26, we gather at Fifth Avenue Christian Church at 7 a.m. Again we pray, share breakfast together, sing, listen to scripture and reflect on how we are all called by God to live in unity.

On Wednesday morning, Jan. 27, we gather at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church at 7 a.m. Again we pray, share breakfast together, sing, listen to scripture and reflect on how we are called by God to live in unity.

On Thursday morning, Jan. 28, we gather at St. Jude Thaddeus Church Parish Center at 7 a.m. Again we pray, share breakfast together, sing, listen to scripture and reflect on how we are all called by God to live in unity.

On Friday morning, Jan. 29, we gather at Assembly of God Church at 7 a.m. Again we pray, share breakfast together, sing listen to scripture and reflect on how we are called by God to live in unity.

On Saturday — well it is the seventh day, and God is ready to sleep in and so are we all, but God does some of His best work with us in our dreams. The dream the Greater Havre Ministerial Association has been given is this: that all Christian Churches support one another in prayer, work together to meet the needs of the less fortunate and celebrate together the Salvation made present for us through the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

Christian unity does exist — by the grace of God!

Do I hear an amen?

P.S. This is an open invitation, please try to attend one or all of these gatherings.

(Deacon Tim Maroney, St. Jude Thaddeus Church.)