A Community Reforming

Presbyterian Church in Penningtonville, PA
(http://www.penningtonvillechurch.org/)
no copyright infringement intended

The Presbyterian Church from Penningtonville, PA introduces itself as the church on the corner, which describes a family-like community, place of tolerance and inclusiveness. I didn't have the occasion to pay a visit there, but I know well another Presbyterian community, in Clarendon (Arlington), VA, also a church on the corner, where I have been always welcome, though my religious beliefs differ from theirs in many points. Not only my beliefs, also my doubts. Or maybe all these differences are just on our human scale, there are many ways, in belief, also in doubt, toward what's beyond.

I have just read a message from David Ensign, the minister from Clarendon, and a wonderful man, who is referring to the reforming spirit of his church. Says he,  Presbyterians are part of the Reformed theological tradition whose watchword for almost 500 years has been the church reformed and always reforming. In other words, we believe that God is not finished with us yet, as individuals and as church.

By the way, the Clarendon community will celebrate the Pentecost a week later than the rest of the Western Churches (but on the same Sunday when we will celebrate it in Romania, together with our Eastern Orthodox Church). They moved this year the date of celebration because it is then that most of the parishioners are in town (so it goes, would maybe say Kurt Vonnegut - just kidding). Whatever the reason, it's great that we will live the spirit of the Pentecost together, I in Bucharest, they in Clarendon, in the same day!


(Church in America)