Attendees encouraged to make ‘a difference on this side of heaven’
by Paul Seebeck | Presbyterian News Service
The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, preaching at closing worship of the 2018 APCE gathering in Louisville. (Photo by Michael Whitman)
LOUISVILLE — More than 675 educators returned home to their churches and communities with words from the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), resonating in their hearts.
Preaching at the closing worship of the 2018 national gathering of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators, Nelson urged conference attendees to practice what they had learned about the conference theme — boundless hospitality — by reaching out to those in need, in a world “where a few have a lot, and a lot have less.”
Nelson preached from Hebrews 13, which states that by showing hospitality to strangers, “some have entertained angels without knowing it” and Luke 24, the account of Jesus walking on the road to Emmaus with followers after his resurrection.
Initially, Jesus’ disciples didn’t recognize him, not understanding he had risen. Yet Jesus stayed with them in these moments, through their tears and disappointment of not knowing the way forward, giving them the possibility of life.
“We too struggle living in the uncertainty of the days ahead,” Nelson acknowledged. “All the concerns about our denomination, and frankly about Christendom all across the globe.”
Nelson spoke emotionally of “not knowing what the next day,” or even “then next minute” will bring, recounting a story from early in his ministry that profoundly shaped and transformed him. On the verge of leaving the first church he served, he traveled alone to the Presbytery meeting instead of with church elders as he usually did. He didn’t see them at the meeting either.
“It was the first time I’d gone to Presbytery meeting without saying a word to them,” he said.
Driving back to the church he received a call. One of the elders, Sister Estelle, had gone from the presbytery meeting to the church for another meeting and had died in the fellowship hall. Estelle was the one Nelson could talk to at the midnight hour, the one who prepared the baptismal certificates ready for him to sign.
For Nelson, it was a reminder that the essence of Christian education is that “God is love,” and that in the midst of doing church “we should learn how to become a vessel of healing, hope and possibility,” for the refugees and immigrants — and all those around us.
Nelson said the basis of Christian education is, “God is love” — that we are called to love God and neighbor as we love ourselves.
“To know God is to know love,” he said. “Anything oppositional to this love is oppositional to God.”
“The world does not belong to us. In living and in dying we belong to God. One day we will have to give an account for our living,” Nelson said. “Go shake up the world and make a difference on this side of heaven.”
During closing worship, APCE installed Ken McFayden, academic dean at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, as its new president.
McFayden listed three strategic priorities for APCE in the coming years:
- To increase the accessibility and availability of APCE-generated and curated resources for people serving in Christian education ministries in the church
- To increase opportunities such as the APCE conference at local and regional levels
- To develop facilitated colleague groups with mentors, coaches or guides around topics of interest
Carl Horton, of Presbyterian Mission’s Compassion, Peace and Justice ministries, was installed as APCE president-elect.
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