Bruce Reyes-Chow, the moderator of the last PC(USA) General Assembly asks on his blog: “Why are you Presbyterian?” He’s just written a church wide letter on the topic, and is asking members far and near to chime in as well.
Here is PC(USA) Blogger Adam Copeland's response.
I love Adam's response because I feel like I could have written the same thing about myself, with the exception of the ordination stuff. And the addition of the fact that I feel at home in worship with the rituals and services that have been a part of my faith journey since I was a child. There are times to stretch outside of one's comfort zone, and times to rejoice and feel at home within it.
Why are you Presbyterian?
I need to think more about why I'm Presbyterian to fully express it, but perhaps there are really two questions here. One is why would I go to any church at all. Then the second is, assuming I choose to expend the energy to become involved in any church, why would it be a Presbyterian one. As for me, I'm not sure the familiarity, the connectional part, is enough to make it worthwhile to get out of bed early on a Sunday morning, forgo my espresso with NY Times, and go sit in a hard Sunday School chair. I can be connected in any club, like say a Rotary club. There needs to be something more that motivates me. I do get out of bed, but I need to think a bit more about what rouses the passion that makes me do so, and what inspires the commitment that keeps me coming back .... I think the answer has to do with the joy and excitement of being part of something much bigger not only than myself, my nation, or my present world, but a dynamic, responsive, and malleable force for good that is larger not only than my geographic location but also larger than the timespan of my lifetime. And yet at the same time so small and focused and individual that it would inspire my fellow congregants to bring me a meal were I to be sick. Yes, very connectional in the largest, smallest, and best senses, but also visionary and prophetic. That's what I love about the Presbyterian Church.
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