Pastor’s Corner 11-23-2025
Hello Church Friends!
This Sunday is the final of our church calendar year. Christians call it "Christ the King" or "Reign of Christ" Sunday. This feast Day dates back to the end of world war I. Much of the world was horrified at the spectacle of Christians killing other Christians on the scale of millions. In a lucid moment after the war, people of good faith saw that the reign of any single Nation or political leader was not enough. Instead, the church turned her prayers toward the promise of Christ's return.
This sunday's New Testament reading (Col. 1:11-20) expounds upon some of the attributes of Christ. We see that Christ is a reconciler (Col 1:20), a rescuer from darkness (Col 1:13), and creative source (Col 1:16). Of course, we can see that war is the opposite of these things. The author writes that even political power is something given by God and meant to be stewarded for the purposes of peace rather than those of gain (Col 1:16).
But sin and the systems of the world are subtle. Who among us does not turn up the heat when we are cold, or cook some meat when we are hungry? And yet, the aggregation of everyone doing "fending for themselves" (and some people doing it competitively) brings our to the place we are now. Political leaders almost never go to war without some kind of support from their people.
The Sunday I invite us all to reflect on the world that would exist with Christ as leader. What are the systems that would be undone? What are the ways that that would impact you and me personally? Let us open our hearts to the return of Christ, whatever its implications. I'll see you on Sunday to continue our reflection!
Joshua Kingsley (he/el)