The Congregationalist June 2025 : simplebooklet.com

Editorial StatementAll content in The Congregationalist appears by the authority of the editor. We reserve freedom of expression to our authors and freedom of opinion to our readers. Except for service information clearly sponsored by the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC) or its component parts, content does not necessarily reect policies and opinions of the NACCC. Neither The Congregationalist nor the NACCC has a creed or holds positions on social or theological issues; but we recognize the authority of each local church to do so for itself, if and as it wishes, and we encourage thoughtful and respectful discussion of our agreements and dierences. Content published in The Congregationalist may be freely republished by NACCC aliates, provided proper attribution of the magazine and the content contributor is given. Individuals or organizations unaliated with the NACCC wishing to republish content originating in The Congregationalist must request permission to do so from the editor. Once permission is granted, the content may not be edited or manipulated in any way that would infringe any copyright or violate any property right of any third party.TeamEditor Maggie HelmickDesign AWCO StudioEditorial Advisory TeamRev. Dr. Gerry KruppCarol TaylorClaudia KniefelSandra Leonard Rev. Robb TarrPublisherNACCC8473 S. Howell Ave.Oak Creek, WI 53154-0288naccc@naccc.orgInquiriesEditorial and AdvertisingMaggie Helmickmhelmick@naccc.orgSubscriptionsNACCC414-856-1620naccc@naccc.org Subscription PolicyA subscription to The Congregationalist is provided free of charge to each individual requestor who is a member of a church in fellowship with the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches.A subscription to The Congregationalist is provided free of charge to each church in fellowship with the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches and to each accredited theological seminary on the magazine’s mailing list. Read The Congregationalist online for free – no subscription required – at https://www.naccc.org/thecongregationalist/.The Congregationalist is a donor-funded magazine. We seek and gratefully accept voluntary donations to help keep this magazine in print. The Congregationalist ISSN 0010-5856 is published quarterly by the National Association of Congrega-tional Christian Churches at 8473 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek, WI 53154-0288. Periodicals postage paid at Madison, WI, and additional oces. Subscribing? Moving? Canceling? Call 414-856-1620 or email us at naccc@naccc.org.PostmasterSend address changes to: The Congregationalist 8473 S. Howell Ave. Oak Creek, WI 53154-0288© 2025 The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. All rights reserved.

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Dear Reader, Every edition of The Congregationalist takes shape in its own unique way. Some themes are self-evident from the outset, clearly dening their own paths through straightforward, directly connected topics and questions. Others, like the June issue in your hands, unfold slowly, revealing themselves as they go. This edition is centered around a theme that feels both timely and timeless at once: reverence. In an age of constant motion, distraction, and noise, reverence invites us to pause, listen, and recognize the sacred that dwells not only in sanctuaries and scripture but in the everyday moments and ordinary places of our lives. We open this June issue with a heartfelt message from Rev. Dr. Gerry Krupp, the NACCC’s newly appointed Executive Director, who reects on the awe he feels at being entrusted with the present and future of our fellowship. He oers a beautiful vision of reverence as a compass – guiding us through times of uncertainty by anchoring us in Christ, in our churches, and in the covenants we share with one another. His story of astronaut Butch Wilmore attending church services from space reminds us that even in the most unfamiliar places, reverence can tether us to God and community.Reverence takes many forms throughout the pages that follow. Rev. Dr. Daniel Rodriguez Schlor writes about the idea of “wasteful worship” – costly, extravagant oerings of our time, energy, and gifts that communicate just how much we value God. Lawrence Balleine invites us to the base of the chancel steps – the sacred site of baptisms, conrmations, weddings, and farewells – as a space that silently holds the weight of some of our most reverent moments.Some authors guide us inward to spaces of quiet reection and prayer. Dr. Lisa Bircher reminds us that “silence is the language of heaven,” and Elizabeth Gasko helps us consider what a life shaped by reverence might look like. Collin Kennedy and Rev. Dr. Michael Glidden speak to the power of peace, stillness, and attentiveness to awaken our sense of God's nearness. Brendan Hunter oers a moving account of a chaplain’s reverent act of baptizing a seafarer eager to meet Christ on her own terms, in her own time.Others show us how reverence can be found amid the chaos of everyday life. In Daniel Wiita Livingston’s “Calm in the Cacophony,” reverence becomes not just a moment but a mindset – an intentional honoring of God in both quiet and celebration. David Claassen speaks to the countercultural call to live reverently in a world often lacking in awe. Rev. Dr. Richard Kurrasch dares us to meet God not only in well-tended pews but in the wild places, where reverence is born not of comfort but of mystery. And Grove Armstrong explores how reverence is expressed through our commitment to God’s directive to love one another.As you journey through this edition, I hope these voices challenge and comfort you. May they remind you that reverence isn’t conned to sacred rituals or special days – it’s a way of seeing, a way of being. It’s how we honor God in our worship, in our work, and in the way we walk through the world.With gratitude for your reverent presence among us, Maggie HMaggie HFROM THE EDITOR4 JUNE 2025 | The Congregationalist

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A Message from Your Executive Directorby REV. DR. GERRY KRUPP of the church, Jesus the Christ. Second, we honor the completeness of the local church as having all things necessary for accomplishing kingdom work in each community. Third, we respect the covenant we have with one another to journey together toward Christ. These principles – this threefold reverence – rooted in the history and theology of Congregationalism, could serve as a compass for our revitalization and may be the greatest contribution we could oer to the towns, cities, and neighborhoods where we serve.Recently, I was captivated by the story of two members of the International Space Station who returned to Earth after the better part of a year in space. Their original length of journey was only supposed to be a few days. Separated from the normalcy of life, away from family, work, and gravity on an unexpected sabbatical in space, were there moments when they wondered if they would ever return home? When screaming through space at 17,000 miles per hour, do the fears they face dier from those we encounter here on Earth? What was their lived experience? Now that they have returned to Earth’s gravity, does life look and feel dierent than before? What do they hold as honorable and precious? What might they revere? Since returning, one of those astronauts, Butch Wilmore, has given voice to the need he felt to attend worship every week through his home church while in space. This rhythm gave him a sense of normalcy and peace in his spiritual and physical journey. The practice of weekly worship is a demonstrated reverence for God, the community of faith, and the knowledge that, even in outer space, there is room for hearing God’s voice through scripture and preaching. In a world that feels increasingly untethered (not unlike hurtling through space at 17,000 miles per hour), perhaps the NACCC could lean into its Christ-centered identity as a grounding force.As the recently appointed Executive Director of the NACCC, I feel a sense of holy awe as I tread the soil of some amazing people who have held this position in the past and a sense of reverence for this precious vessel of the larger Congregational history and movement that I’ve been handed. When we hold something that is very valuable or precious, we acknowledge the fragility of it. Every institution is one generation away from extinction, and many in the NACCC feel very keenly that we are in such a perilous moment now. How do we reverse the trend? How do we tap into the genius of the Free Church Movement and the Congregational Way in this current context?I wonder if there’s a clue to our future revitalization contained in the theme of this issue of The Congregationalist – reverence. Reverence is dened as “honor or respect felt or shown.” While we love the NACCC, the reverence we should always lead with is that which we have for the great head The Congregationalist | JUNE 2025 5

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The sanctuary door stands before you, closed and still, an hour after service – its brass handle gleaming under the uorescent hallway light. The door creaks when you push it open, its voice loud against the hush of the dim hall beyond. Sunlight streams through the side windows, casting warm rays onto the outer pews, inviting you forward.Your footsteps thud dully against the wooden oor, each creak echoing softly in the vast stillness. You let them guide you to the middle rows, where the pews themselves call to you. As you ease down, the wood’s cool surface meets your warmth, drawing you into a deep, physical rest. Peace settles over you, quiet yet profound.The silence oods back into the space after the soft creaks of the pew settle. You close your eyes and lean forward, resting your elbows on the pew ahead. The wood gives slightly beneath your weight, as if to say, Welcome.You breathe in, then out slowly and steadily. With each breath, the clutter in your mind begins to clear, making space. One last inhale, lling your lungs with the sanctied air from today’s service. You exhale, releasing stress, burdens, the noise of life. And then…you pray.And as you pray in that dim, hushed space, you begin to realize that you are not alone.A presence stirs beside you, just to your left. It is not loud, not forceful, just there. Settling into your awareness the way the sunlight slowly warmed the pews before the morning’s worship. A quiet knowing spreads through you. Your lips curl into a small smile. Your heart lifts with joy.He is here.The silence, once empty, now hums blue explode into a symphony of beauty dazzling to your eye.The faint scent of incense mingles with the soft perfume of owers, placed lovingly by the ever-faithful hands of the Ladies’ Aid. The pew beneath you cradles your frame with the comfort of home. Rest. Peace. Awe. The quiet joy that lls you now spills over, stretching your small smirk into a gleaming grin.You belong here.You are welcome in His house.And just as that thought settles deep into your soul, a bird alights on the windowsill to your right. Small and white, not unlike a dove. It chirps and coos softly, contentedly, as if it, too, has found a place to rest.When you rise to leave, returning to the hurried river of life, you pause. You glance around. The space you once perceived as dim, cold, and empty is no longer so. Now, it is bright. Warm. Full. Your Father’s house has always been this way – will always be this way. And so will you be in His presence.At the door, your hand meets the brass handle, resting there for just a moment. You think of all the hundreds, perhaps thousands of people who have turned it – enough to shine and re-shine the metal – all seeking what you just found. A quiet “thank you” leaves your lips.A tear glimmers in your eye.Your smile threatens to never leave your face.with life, as rich and full as the scent of the altar candles still burning. You feel the presence gently lifting your head, drawing your eyes open. And when they rise, they meet the eastern wall, where a solitary stained- glass window glows against the pale white wall.The colors shimmer only subtly for a moment, then the light behind them gets brighter. They are more vibrant than before, radiant in a way you cannot quite explain. The hues of purple, gold, green, and Imagine This, If You Willby COLLIN KENNEDY 6 JUNE 2025 | The CongregationalistCOLLIN KENNEDY is a student in the Lay Ministry Training Program, a store manager, longtime Sunday School volunteer, and devoted youth minister. He leads a small Bible study focused on lesser-discussed spiritual topics, blending his passion for scripture with explorations of the mystical, psychological, and theological.Your Father’s house has always been this way– will always be this way. And so will you be in His presence.

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Reverence is not just found after ﬁts of weeping and falling to our knees or even through thunderous moments of divine revelation; it is in the hush of an empty sanctuary, in the quiet breath before prayer, in the warmth of sunlight ﬁltering through stained glass. Too often, we look for God in the extraordinary, waiting for signs and wonders, but true veneration happens when we recognize His presence in the stillness. Sitting in solitude, feeling the sacred weight of silence, knowing without ﬁreworks or spectacle that He is there – that is reverence. It is not about grandeur; it is about presence. When we pause, listen, and acknowledge the holy in the ordinary, we honor Him. You can simply revere God when you sit beside Him in the small but quiet moments of life.by COLLIN KENNEDY June 21 – 24, 2025ANNUAL MEETING AND CONFERENCE, St. Louis, MOThe 71st Annual Meeting and Conference of the NACCC will be a time for learning, worship, inspiration, and fellowship. Join us in person or online via Zoom.June 21 – 26, 2025NAPF & HOPE YOUTH CONFERENCE, St. Louis, MOAn opportunity for young people entering 9th grade through age 26 to hear from inspiring guest speakers, enjoy powerful worship, and build new friendships.June 25, 2025QUIET DAY RETREAT, Florissant, MOHosted by the Congregational Retreat Society, this transformative retreat will focus on reﬂection and renewal through periods of quiet and silence.July 1, 2025SEPTEMBER ISSUE SUBMISSION DEADLINEThe deadline for submissions to September’s restoration-themed edition of The Congregationalist. Submissions can be emailed to Editor Maggie Helmick at mhelmick@naccc.org.July 28 – 31, 2025BOSTON SEMINARThe 2025 Boston Seminar in Congregational History and Polity is an opportunity for CFTS Fellows and Cohort B of the Lay Ministry Training Program to deepen their understanding of the Congregational Way.Is your church seeking clergy, or are you a minister seeking a pastoral position?Check out our secure online Pastoral Search platform, created to connect churches that have pastoral vacancies with clergy who wish to be considered for open positions!Enjoying The Congregationalist and eager for more Congregational content?Sign up for our bimonthly e-newsletter to receive brief articles and fresh information from NACCC sta and leadership straight to your inbox on the 1st and 15th of each month. Interested in keeping up with the news and needs of our NACCC Mission Partners?Check the News, Needs, and Prayer Requests page of our website regularly to stay up to date on mission and outreach happenings.PASTORAL SEARCH STAY CONNECTED MISSION NEWS AND NEEDS CALENDAR

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The Fertile Soil of a Reverent SoulAs I reect on the true meaning of reverence, I believe it is not something that can be grasped merely through intellectual understanding or mental exertion; it must be experienced through an encounter with the living God. In my own journey, I’ve been blessed to experience the awe and wonder of God’s majesty – an awe I would call reverence. This kind of reverence serves as the passageway from the darkness of sin into God’s glorious light, where we can begin to taste the fullness of His love.I think often of the Parable of the Sower, where the fertile soil bears fruit – thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold. Reverence tills the soil of our souls, preparing our hearts and allowing the seed of God’s Word and love to be planted deep within us, bearing fruit that glories Him. Reverence cannot be taught – it is something that is birthed by an encounter with God and cultivated through our relationship with Him. Reverence and hunger for God are driving forces of a ourishing faith – a faith that is responsive and not passive. Without proper reverence for God, we cannot fully experience His steadfast love, enduring mercy, and abundant grace. A reverent soul is a ready soul, and it is a true delight when I encounter souls ready to receive God’s love in my line of work.As a chaplain with Seafarer’s Friend, I have the privilege of encountering crew members from all over the world – some who have grown up with Christ in their lives and others who come from dierent faith backgrounds or have no faith at all. My role is to go aboard ships as they dock in port, being the hands and feet of Jesus to these men and women. Sometimes, that means simply being present and oering a welcoming face in a new land. Other times, it involves providing practical services, like free transportation to local shopping centers or attractions. And every so often, it means oering spiritual counsel or assisting souls in their journey toward God.Many of the crew members I meet are away from home for nine months or more at a time, braving harsh conditions at sea and a demanding work schedule. Life at sea is challenging for anyone, but for the few female crew members I encounter, it brings an entirely dierent set of dynamics and challenges. I never know what to expect when I board a ship, so I strive to remain prayerful and present, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me so I don’t miss an opportunity to express the love of Christ. On this particular day, a typically blistering day in early January, I was accompanying my colleague to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to visit a ship at a gypsum terminal. I don’t often travel there, as my duties at our main port in Boston keep me busy. So, when the opportunity arose, it felt particularly providential.Upon arriving at the ship, the sun was already setting. When we entered the ship’s oce, I was surprised to meet a female third ocer I will call D. At rst, I sensed some trepidation from D, which I interpreted as a natural guard she maintained as a female ocer among a ship full of men. After we were directed upstairs to the crew lounge, I laid out some items we bring aboard for the crew – daily devotionals, knitted hats, and a list of services we oer. As I got familiar with the crew, my colleague arranged to take some of them ashore, while I remained behind to be available to any crew member who might want to talk.Eventually, D entered the lounge. Upon seeing the gifts I had laid out and hearing my interaction with another crew member, she realized that her initial assumption about our visit was skewed. At rst, she thought I was a businessman there to sell something. When she realized I was a Christian chaplain, her demeanor changed drastically. Her heart began to open, and she started to ask questions she had been pondering for months.She shared that she had grown up in Turkey and was on a spiritual journey, exploring dierent paths. She was eager to learn more about Jesus. We spoke for a while, and I shared my testimony of how God by BRENDAN HUNTER The Congregationalist | JUNE 2025 9

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BRENDAN HUNTER is the Boston Port Chaplain for the Christian non-proﬁt Seafarer’s Friend – an organization founded nearly 200 years ago and supported by many Congregational churches. Brendan has a passion for sharing the love of Jesus, the love that transformed his life. power was. Without the strictness of a dened faith, she was free to seek answers for herself. Over the past year, she had begun asking deeper questions about life and God. As we talked, she shared her desire to be baptized.I will never forget how she knelt on the ground in that lounge, childlike in her posture, without concern for how she might be perceived by others. Her spiritual hunger and childlike wonder stripped away the guarded persona many crew members maintain in their professional roles. At that moment, she didn’t care about anything except her desire to know more about Jesus.As we discussed the meaning of baptism, I asked her some questions to assess her seriousness about dedicating her life to Christ, revealing to her the reality that following Jesus can be dicult, requiring us to deny ourselves, but it is always worth it. In her responses, it was clear that she held a deep reverence for Jesus – a reverence that was palpable in the way she engaged with me, her questions, and her willingness to take the next step in her spiritual journey.There's nothing more beautiful than the shimmering spark of a soul set ablaze with the awe and wonder of God – besides, of course, the beauty of our beloved Lord Himself. Though it was frigid outside, the light and warmth of Christ lled the room and our hearts. Her countenance as she asked questions reminded me of a child on the Fourth of July looking up in bewildered and joyful amazement while the glow of the reworks lights their bashful face. That’s the picture I see when I think of someone beholding the beauty of Jesus. Yet it is so much deeper and more powerful than a momentary burst in the sky – it’s an innite and eternal burst in the heart of man that quakes the very core of our being as one recognizes their Creator and has the longing of their soul satised through relation to Him. It is an awe and wonder lled with love but also a trembling reverence that Isaiah and John the Revelator experienced. That’s the reverence I saw in her soul – fertile soil to receive the gospel and surrender her life to Jesus. True reverence requires a response – a response of worship had brought me through many challenges, how I had searched for meaning in dierent faiths and spiritual practices, only to nd that other paths lacked the humility, grace, and lasting love, joy, and peace that my soul was desperately seeking. It wasn’t until I committed myself to follow Jesus that my world – and more importantly, my heart – began to transform.When I asked if she had grown up Muslim, she explained that her parents were intellectual deists who believed in a higher power but were not specic about what or who that 10 JUNE 2025 | The Congregationalist

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and surrender, as she demonstrated that day. Being able to witness that spark inside another and be a part of the response of reverence like the one I saw in her has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. It makes the sacrice of ministry well worth it.Over the next few days while her ship was in port, we were able to arrange a way for me to come back up and baptize her. After reaching out to the local YMCA, they were more than willing to assist and allow us to use their pool for free for the baptism. The woman at the front desk was delighted to be a part of this proclamation and outward expression of faith. That day was a blur of joy as I had the privilege of baptizing D and spending time answering more of her questions and sharing more about my walk with Jesus. Although it wasn’t the very same day we met that I baptized her, there was a semblance of Philip baptizing the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts after Philip explained how the passages in Isaiah spoke of Jesus. Acknowledging the reality that I more than likely would not see her in person again after her ship left, we have since stayed in touch, and, even despite loss and diculty in her life since that day, her reverence and love for God continue to grow. It is such a beautiful assurance and reminder that God’s work in a person’s heart is not dependent on man, so her walk does not depend on me being present with her because He always is. Yet how wonderful it is that He loves to use us as instruments to participate in masterful work in the lives of those He died for – something that lls me with awe and a deep, lasting reverence.ecroloecroloRev. Gregory Perry, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and faithful servant of the Lord, passed away suddenly in January 2025. A passionate preacher and shepherd of Greenville Congregational Church in Norwich, Connecticut, Gregory lived to glorify God through service, compassion, and justice. Rooted in faith from his early days at Grace Baptist Church, he earned two master’s degrees from Yale Divinity School and ministered faithfully in chaplaincy and the wider community. His life reected Christ’s love through word, action, and unwavering dedication to peace, unity, and spiritual guidance.Rev. Charles Sagay, beloved founder and leader of the Mission School of Hope in Cameroon, Africa, where he was aectionately known as Papa Charles, passed away in January 2025. A tireless servant of Christ, Charles touched countless lives through his eorts to provide education, healthcare, and practical training. He ensured his 600 students were nourished, equipped, and deeply loved. His eorts helped establish the Nile and Edna Memorial Clinic and Maternity, expanding care in his community. Known for his radiant smile and boundless energy, Charles was a global friend and inspiration.William “Bill” Barnes passed away in March 2025 at his home in Plaineld, Illinois, where he was a longtime resident. Born in Joliet, Illinois, in 1931, Bill was a U.S. Army veteran and 60-year member of the Plaineld Fire Department - beginning his service as a volunteer reghter in 1955 and going on to hold numerous positions within the department, including serving on the Board of Trustees as a board member and as board president. Bill was a charter member of Plymouth Congregational Church in Plaineld and was actively involved in the NACCC’s Finance Committee.Deborah Fillebrown passed away after a short illness on February 19th, 2025, surrounded by her family. Alongside her husband Bill of 44 years, she served churches in Massachusetts, California, and New Jersey and was involved in Congregational Christian organizations on regional, national, and international levels. Deborah had a passion for classical ballet and loved to travel to see friends and family worldwide. She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, parents Richard and Mary B., and siblings Ricky and Sharon. She is survived by her four sons, seven grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.Pastor Victor Hardy of Chandler, Arizona, passed away in March 2025. Victor was a devoted husband, loving father, inspiring pastor, trusted leader, and cherished friend. His unwavering faith and commitment to service left an indelible mark on his community. Beyond being a pillar of the Congregational Church of the Valley in Chandler, Victor was also a strong supporter of local law enforcement and community outreach. Known for his kind heart, wise counsel, and passion for unity, he often worked alongside city leaders to bring people together, encourage youth, and strengthen the bonds between citizens and police.The Congregationalist | JUNE 2025 11

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At the Base of theChancel StepsA few months ago, I recalled a Sunday School lesson from my early adolescence. The session focused on the temple described in the Old Testament. Our teacher handed each class member a sheet of paper containing a sketched rendering of the temple's oor plan and immediate surroundings. She then pointed out the various sections of the temple, including the outer courtyard, the inner courtyard, and the Holy of Holies. Each section served a purpose. The consensus of our Sunday School class was that the Holy of Holies was the most intriguing part of the temple. We learned that the Holy of Holies was a place that only the High Priest could enter and could only do so on one day of the year – the day of atonement. At all other times, it was considered "o limits." We were told that the Holy of Holies was the place where the presence of God was most fully concentrated. It is no wonder that this location was called "the Holy of Holies.”As I recalled this lesson from my childhood, I wondered: "What would be considered the most holy part or location in the sanctuaries of our church buildings?" It did not take me long to discover an answer.The answer came to me during the closing moments of Bill’s memorial service. I had just completed the meditation and was standing adjacent to the pulpit, preparing to join the congregation for the closing hymn: "I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry." From this vantage point, I could easily see the small table at the base of the chancel steps. On the table was a brass urn containing Bill's cremains. I thought how appropriate it was that Bill's cremains had been brought to this location – at the base of the chancel steps – for it was where many of Bill's life passages had occurred.As the congregation stood and joined in singing the hymn, reminding us of God's continual presence with us, I considered the song's opening lyrics: "I was there to hear your borning cry; I'll be there when you are old; I rejoiced the day you were baptized to see your life unfold." I thought about how nearly eighty years earlier, Bill's parents had brought him to this very place – at the base of the chancel steps – where his parents joined with Bill's godparents and promised to raise William Thomas in such a way that he would be led by their teaching and example to confess his faith in Jesus and to arm his desire to be a follower of Jesus Christ.As the song continued, "I was there when you were but a child with a faith to suit you well," I recalled the day Bill had told me about the pageants and plays he and his Sunday School class had presented. The location of these presentations? Again, at the base of the chancel steps. "When you heard the wonder of the word, I was there to cheer you on. You were raised to praise the living Lord to whom you by LAWRENCE BALLEINE 12 JUNE 2025 | The Congregationalist

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now belong." These lyrics allowed me to consider how Bill, at his conrmation, had armed his baptism that had occurred nearly fourteen years earlier. It was during his conrmation service that he said "Yes" to the promise found in the answer to the opening question of the Heidelberg Catechism – that rst question asks: "What is your only comfort in life and in death?" Bill and his fellow conrmands would answer: "That I belong, body and soul, in life and in death not to myself but to my faithful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Along with this proclamation indicating that they belonged to Jesus Christ, each conrmand promised to follow Jesus and to serve him all the days of their lives. Again, I recalled that one by one Bill and his fellow conrmands would have knelt at the base of the chancel steps. And while kneeling, the pastor had placed his hand upon the head of each youth and proclaimed the words of conrmation.I ceased singing for a moment to listen to the congregation as they continued: "If you nd someone to share your time and you join your hearts as one; I'll be there to make your verses rhyme from dusk to rising sun." I recalled a very recent conversation with Bill. He told me that after dating for two years, he proposed. He related that the wedding day was perfect, that he felt himself speechless as he watched Louise, escorted by her father, walk down the center aisle of the church to meet Bill at the base of the chancel steps. There, the opening words of their wedding ceremony occurred. Thirty years later Bill would retrace those same steps as he walked his own daughter, Emily, to the very spot he and Louise had taken their vows."In the middle ages of your life, not too old no longer young; I'll be there to guide you through the night, complete what I have done," As these words of song penetrated every corner of the sanctuary, I recalled that throughout much of his adulthood, Bill served in various leadership roles in the church, including deacon, trustee, and chairperson of the church council. Just prior to assuming the responsibilities of each of these oces, he had stood at the base of the chancel steps as he promised to fulll the various duties of these oces “to the best of my ability, God being my helper." Moreover, as a church ocer, Bill often found himself at the base of the chancel steps as he held either the bread or the cup for his fellow worshipers while assisting in the numerous celebrations of the sacrament of Holy Communion.The song continued with its most touching lyrics: "When the evening gently closes in and you shut your weary eyes, I'll be there as I have always been with just one more surprise." The words were an armation of God's promise to be with us not only throughout our lives but also at the time of our deaths and into eternity. This is a promise that I would be announcing moments later as I oered the prayer of commendation: “Unto you, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Bill. Acknowledge we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own ock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of your saints in light" (Book of Common Prayer).“Where is the holiest place in our sanctuaries?" I had asked. Many would consider the altar to be that place. They would certainly not be mistaken, for our oerings are often placed upon the altar, and in numerous sanctuaries, the communion elements are located on the altar prior to their distribution.But I would contend that the space at the base of the chancel steps not only rivals but surpasses the altar as the most sacred or holiest place.I am not implying that other places both inside and outside our church buildings cannot be "holy" for us. I know of many for whom some outdoor location is their holy place. My exploration into the question has intentionally been limited to discerning a place in our sanctuaries. The words to the song "I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry" and my remembrances of Bill and his faithful life have given me the answer to my inquiry: The holiest place in our sanctuaries may well be the space at the base of the chancel steps, for this location marks the place where many of our life's rites of passage occur, including baptisms, conrmations, weddings, and funerals. It is the place where we make promises to God and sometimes to each other, and where we are reminded of God's promises to us.LAWRENCE BALLEINE is a graduate of Lakeland College (now University), Vanderbilt University Divinity School, and the Congregational Foundation for Theological Studies. Prior to retirement, he served Congregational and UCC churches in Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The Congregationalist | JUNE 2025 13

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In a bustling city, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle, where daydreams are drowned out by the roar of diesel engines and the endless chatter of people consumed by agendas and deadlines. There's no time to smell a ower or sing melodies under a tree. Time is always pulling us forward, with or without our will. Then, a child throws a rock into the water. It splashes, and the ripples roll outward. For a moment, everything stands still. As you look at the spot where the rock broke the water's surface, the water calms, and you can see to the bottom again, with curious sh looking upward to see what had come crashing into their world. Slowly, the sounds of the city become noticeable again, and life returns to the familiar calamity.As a young adult, I gave little thought to the word "reverence" until I overheard a question during a local church debate: "Does applauding in church break reverence during a worship service?" It took me twenty years to realize that my theological answer lies in making a joyful noise for the Lord (Psalms 47:1). However, I believe this debate will continue until the end of time, long after my body has turned to dust.For me, reverence transcends mere applause or the various noises I nd myself making at church services. It is a profound, soul-stirring connection. I vividly recall my time at the Schoolcraft Fire Academy, where my platoon sergeant and drill instructor would bellow at me to "Go to your happy place." as I pushed my body to its absolute limits during grueling physical training. My happy place was a sanctuary with God on Isle Royale, overlooking the majestic expanse of Lake Superior. As the sun dipped behind the towering pine trees of the boreal forest, the scene was graced by the presence of moose in the background and the hauntingly beautiful calls of loons echoing in the evening air. It was in these moments that I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and reverence, a deep connection to Christ that went far beyond the physical world.My life is shaped by my deep respect for God, as the pure denition of reverence would suggest. I am blessed to work at one of the largest art institutes in the world, where a 16th-century chapel was brought stone-by-stone and reconstructed right after World War I, having escaped bombings and air raids. While walking past this chapel, I often take a moment to say a prayer or simply take a knee for God. This breaks up whatever thoughts might be running through my head and makes room for our Heavenly Father. Does this make my prayers more special? Not to the Divine, or at least I don’t think so. It is a little special place where I can go and give respect to God, who continuously Calm in the Cacophonyby DANIEL WIITA LIVINGSTON 14 JUNE 2025 | The CongregationalistDANIEL WIITA LIVINGSTON's journey into Congregationalism began in 2001, marking a signiﬁcant step in his spiritual and professional life. His dedication to the Mount Hope Congregational Church in Livonia, Michigan, reﬂects his unwavering commitment to faith and community. In 2020, he earned a degree in Fire Science from Schoolcraft College, and in 2025, he graduated from the NACCC's Lay Ministry Training Program.

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watches over me and protects me from things that I don’t even know. No matter what I am doing or how ragged I am feeling, I can always take that moment to be with Him. “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalms 1:2).Reverence is not merely about silence or the absence of noise; it is about the posture of our hearts and the depth of our respect for God. Throughout the Bible, we see profound moments of reverence that illustrate this truth, even in times of turmoil. For instance, in 1 Kings 19, Elijah experiences God's presence not in the powerful wind, earthquake, or re, but in a gentle whisper. This moment teaches us that reverence often comes in quiet, humble recognition of God's presence (1 Kings 19:12-13).We nd the prophet Elijah in a moment of deep despair and exhaustion. After a dramatic confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah ees for his life and ends up in a cave on Mount Horeb. It is here that God speaks to him in a profound way (1 Kings 19:4-8). God instructs Elijah to stand on the mountain as He passes by. Elijah experiences a powerful wind, an earthquake, and a re, but God is not in any of these dramatic events. Instead, God’s voice comes to Elijah in the "sound of a low whisper" (1 Kings 19:12b).God's voice can be found in a gentle whisper instead of a robust and fearful tone. In our noisy and busy lives, nding moments of stillness can help us become more attuned to God's presence. This gentle whisper indicates a personal and intimate form of communication. God speaks to Elijah in a way that is calming and reassuring, showing His care and understanding of Elijah's state of mind. In speaking to Elijah, God provides him with specic instructions and reassures him of His continued presence and support, illustrating that listening to God's voice can bring clarity, direction, and comfort in times of uncertainty, even when His voice is so soft that we hardly hear it.Whether we nd ourselves in moments of quiet reection or amid a joyful celebration, true reverence is about recognizing God's presence and honoring Him in all we do. As we navigate our daily lives, let us strive to cultivate a spirit of reverence, allowing it to shape our actions, our thoughts, and our interactions with others. In doing so, we not only honor God but also enrich our own spiritual journey. I encourage you to nd someone you normally would not talk to and oer to pray, reect, have a moment of quiet, or simply strike up a conversation with them. We have a world that is curious to know the grace of God, and our presence with others in our community can bring that reverence to someone who may have never experienced it before. Be the one to throw the rock in the water for someone and may the ripples of Christ ow.The Congregationalist | JUNE 2025 15It was in these moments that I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and reverence, a deep connection to Christ that went far beyond the physical world.

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A Quiet Day Retreat is a reverent spiritual journey that invites us to slow down, listen, and reconnect with God’s presence in our lives. As president of the Congregational Retreat Society, I am wholly committed to regular retreats as part and parcel of my spiritual discipline. Carving out substantive time to be alone and quiet with the Lord seems a daunting task, but when you do it, I truly believe you will experience blessings in ways beyond comprehension. As I share my thoughts and insights on my experience, I pray you nd encouragement, inspiration, and a deeper reverence for the divine.On this path of reverent self-discovery and spiritual growth, we must ask ourselves some dicult questions: Do we really want to be alone? For in the quiet, we can really hear our thoughts, and we wonder, do we really want to hear so much? We almost wish our minds were a blank slate upon which we could paint dandelions and tulips with a bright blue sky lled with puy white clouds – clouds that do not threaten rain or snow or any other such thing that could ruin our mental picnic. Read Isaiah 48:12-13 and/or Psalm 104. What does this mean to you about God the Creator and His works? How can you connect with God the Creator today?We often nd our minds are a morass of regrets and longings for things we cannot have and for things we do not want but still must contend with. We feel the pull of responsibility, the challenge of meeting the next task and being t for the work. Why do we need to worry about any of this? We are simply a single dot of existence in this great big world. Perhaps we need to think of ourselves as children without any responsibility. We may nd this hard to do. As we long to break free from the burdens of our minds, we’re reminded of the example Jesus set for us. He often retreated to be alone, and His teaching emphasized the importance of childlike faith. Living in the moment is what we are designed for. All our needs are met. There is time on this day to be at play in the most spontaneous of ways. We want to feel free to be us, not burdened with the weight of the world or invisible problems, both fact and ction. Read Matthew 19: 13-15 and John 6:15. What do these scriptures tell us about the children and their place in heaven? Why did Jesus often retreat to be alone? How can we reconnect with Jesus Christ, our Savior, today with the mind of a child? For adults, living in the present moment is perhaps the hardest thing to do. Our world is built on memories, present troubles, and future concerns. We cannot necessarily locate our minds fully in the present. To be truly reverent toward God seems a eeting goal. There is simply too Silence is the Language of Heaven: Try a Quiet Day Retreatby DR. LISA BIRCHER 16 JUNE 2025 | The Congregationalist

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much baggage and too much care. Whether we feel regret for the past or worry about doing what is before us or what will come, we nd it dicult to center our minds. Why? It is a learned experience to locate ourselves too often in dierent time zones: past, present, and future. Today, there is only the now and here. We often consider all we have behind us and all we have ahead of us, but not what is here and now. It is ironic to think that our existence is built on so much, but really, only the present matters. As we struggle to stay present, we’re reminded that the Holy Spirit is always with us, guiding us toward a more mindful existence. This realization leads us to explore what scripture says about the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives. Read Ephesians 4: 1-6 and 2 Corinthians 4: 7-15. What do these scriptures say about the Holy Spirit? How can you feel the power of the spirit in your life today? We can free our minds from the mire of thoughts – it is something that can be achieved. We need to believe we can do it, and we need to learn how. We need to learn how to be childlike again. What can we do to facilitate the process? Do we pray and wait for guidance? Do we simply clear our minds, say a prayer, and move on? Do we look for guidance beyond what we have learned? Praying like a child is the goal, and releasing anxiety is the prize, but how do we get there? As we seek to recapture the simplicity and wonder of childhood, we’re reminded of the beauty of God’s creation and His example of rest. Just as God rested after creating the world, we, too, can nd peace in stillness and quiet contemplation. The Bible says God the Creator rested after He called forth His creation from nothing (Genesis 2: 2-3). Today is our golden day of rest. For in this quest, we can feel the Holy Spirit growing inside of us, making us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). We can also connect with Jesus by reading His teachings and seeking His guidance (John 1: 14-18). A quiet day is just the thing to center our beings. We can ponder. We can dream without worry. We can be in the here and now – even if the situation is not ideal. Even if we have cares that weigh us down, we can release them all and just be still (Psalm 46:10). As we strive to embrace the present moment, we realize that our tendency may be to dwell on the past or worry about the future. We have taught ourselves to work in the context of past, present, and future all simultaneously. However, entering a space that is purely here and now is a gift beyond compare. We may enter the Kingdom of God as reverent children. We will embrace it! As we seek to deepen our relationships with God and live in the present moment, we want to remember to ask ourselves some important questions throughout this day:How can I sense the Holy Spirit? How do I pray and listen for answers? How am I guided by Jesus Christ and welcome His invitation to be in a personal relationship with Him? How do I recognize God’s still, small voice in His creation? LISA BIRCHER, Ph.D., is a member of Grace Church of Columbiana and Anamesa Christian Church. She is a retired public school teacher holding a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Kent State University. Lisa is currently a fellow in the Congregational Foundation for Theological Studies (CFTS) and is attending Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. The Congregationalist | JUNE 2025 17

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The air at Bethany is thick with anticipation, not to mention the rich, almost overwhelming fragrance of nard. Mary kneels at Jesus’ feet, jar in hand, as the disciples and others in the room shue uncomfortably, whispering to one another. The ointment she pours out is not just expensive; it’s extravagant, worth the equivalent of a year’s wages, according to the NIV translation of John 12. This nard drips, glistens, and ows until it soaks His feet. Her hair becomes the towel as she wipes them clean…and then, Judas breaks the moment with his question, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?”At rst glance, Judas' objection might seem reasonable. Feeding the poor is a noble cause, no? It’s practical, measurable, even righteous. By contrast, Mary’s act of pouring nard from the jar is, well, jarring. But therein lies the problem. Judas missed the point.Extravagant Worship in an Unlikely MomentHere’s the striking thing about this passage in John 12. It’s not that taking care of the poor is unimportant. Jesus consistently taught compassion, generosity, and standing up for the least. His words and actions throughout His ministry leave no room for doubt about how He feels about aiding those in need. Yet, in this moment, just days before His crucixion, He celebrates an entirely dierent lesson. Mary’s act is one of awe-inspiring, sacricial reverence. It’s personal. It’s deeply spiritual. And, as Jesus Himself said, “She intended it for the day of my burial.”Mary understood something that Judas and perhaps many others Jarring Reverence:The Importance of"Wasteful Worship"by REV. DR. DANIEL RODRIGUEZ SCHLORFF 18 JUNE 2025 | The CongregationalistREV. DR. DANIEL RODRIGUEZ SCHLORFF serves Third Congregational Church of Middletown, CT, as Senior Minister and hosts Wednesday Evening Classics on public radio. He also sings professionally with Voce and CONCORA and plays the double bass for the American Chamber Orchestra.

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in the room didn’t. You don’t measure reverence. You don’t compartmentalize it, thinking, “This worship seems impractical; I’ll le it away until I’m feeling more sensible.” The act of pouring every drop of that jar of nard onto Jesus’ feet wasn’t about how much the perfume was worth. It was about how much Jesus was worth. And in that moment, her worship was both timely and timeless.It’s Not Either/Or – It’s Both/AndTo care for the poor and to honor Jesus through acts of sacricial reverence are not mutually exclusive. They coexist, two sides of the same coin. Think back through Scripture. Jesus feeds the hungry, heals the sick, and challenges His followers to give to those who cannot repay. Yet in moments like this, He also shows us the importance of worship that costs something.What Mary oered wasn’t random or impulsive. It was deeply intentional. She gave up a treasure to honor the Treasure. The jar of nard represents something vital here. It’s not just perfume; it’s a symbol of what happens when love pushes practical concerns aside and simply pours out everything, trusting it’s worth it. Mary’s worship reects the greatest commandment of all – to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus by handing Him over for thirty pieces of silver, failed to see this. His argument about the poor, which in theory might have seemed pious, was actually a mask for selsh intent. His eyes were on the expense, not on the eternal. And in doing so, he betrayed both the beauty and the holiness of what was happening.Creating Space for Sacricial Reverence in Our LivesIf Judas missed the point, then Mary nailed it. Her name and act are remembered not because they were practical or “ecient,” but because they represent a love poured out with abandon. It’s worth asking ourselves, then, how we can do the same.Sacricial reverence doesn’t require jars of nard, but it does require a willingness to pour out what we value for the One we value most. Here are a few ways you can live it out today:1. GIVE TIME THAT'S "TOO VALUABLE" TO GIVE. Life is full of schedules. But when you carve out uninterrupted time to worship, pray, or serve, that’s like pouring a precious jar of time at Jesus’ feet.2. OFFER FINANCES IN A DIFFERENT WAY. Maybe it’s giving extravagantly to your church, missionaries, or even someone in need – but not out of obligation. Do it as an overow of love and gratitude to God.3. USE YOUR GIFTS BOLDLY. Whether it’s teaching, creating art, singing, or simply showing hospitality, dedicate your talents to God, even when it feels unnoticed or underappreciated.4. SAY “YES” WHEN IT’S UNCOMFORTABLE. Is God asking you to step into something unknown? Trust Him, even when the sacrice or risk feels nerve-wracking. Mary surely knew the whispers she'd face, and yet she went ahead anyway.5. PRIORITIZE WORSHIP OVER CONVENIENCE. Whether that means showing up early to volunteer, singing even when you don’t feel like it, or letting go of distractions, be intentional in making your worship about Him, not you.At the heart of it all, sacricial reverence is about letting something go to hold onto Someone greater. Like Mary, we are invited to see worship not as an expense of time or resources but as an investment in eternity. And when we approach it that way, we nd that what we’ve given pales in comparison to what He gives in return.So maybe the question isn’t, “Why this waste?” Maybe the better question is, “What’s He worth to you?”The Congregationalist | JUNE 2025 19

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To me, reverence is a profound respect, a feeling of awe for God, His word, and His ordinances. It is an attitude that comes from the heart, acknowledging God’s holiness and authority in my life. It is my way of showing respect for and honoring the Creator of all things and giving glory to God our Heavenly Father and Jesus our Savior, who, through His sacricial death and resurrection, gave us the chance to be forgiven of our sins and live a life dedicated to God. With all God’s power, strength, abilities, and wisdom, and the wonders that He has provided for all mankind, He has the right to demand our allegiance and respect, for He is the Creator and Provider of all things. God demanded reverence to Himself in the Old Testament when He told Moses that Moses could not look directly upon Him and instructed him to take o his sandals, for he was on hallowed ground. He taught the Israelites how to show proper reverence by giving them hundreds of laws related to purity, holiness, and worship intended to impress upon mankind the necessity for reverence in the presence of the Lord. When those laws failed to hold up, Jesus gave Himself as the sacricial lamb, taking all sin upon Himself. Reverence grounds us in the interconnection between the presence of the Trinity and fellowship with other human beings. We are to acknowledge that creation is full of mystery that we will never completely understand but that God will never leave nor forsake us but will guide us through our journey by faith. Each of us must live in humble and grateful awareness of God’s presence and power, trusting Him even through dicult situations. Proverbs tells us to submit to God, and He will show us which path to take.I believe that we should give the best that we have to God, our rst fruits in every situation. I go before Him dressed in the best I have. I give ELIZABETH GASKO serves as a lay speaker at Edray United Church (Edray, WV) and White Chapel Church (Woodrow, WV), where she also leads the congregation’s Bible study. She lives in Edray, West Virginia, with her husband.Reverenceby ELIZABETH GASKO 20 JUNE 2025 | The CongregationalistHim my time, talents, and love. I converse with Him and wait for His soft, caring response, savoring the time we have together. While we may never be truly worthy of His love, He gives it to us anyway, and we can show Him our love and commitment by living a Christian life, following His word and example. Reverence unlocks the beauty in our lives when we let our true selves come to the surface. With gentleness and patience, our individual lights become brighter each day, revealing beauty and love in all things. We must continually seek to see the sacredness of all things. We must abandon arrogance, greed, jealousy, and hate and learn to love our neighbors as ourselves. We must work to always show God respect and honor in word and deed, living our lives guided by our faith and humility, acknowledging that God is the Supreme Being. Reverence is a foundational attitude that permeates the biblical narrative, calling all true believers to a life of respect, awe, and full submission to our Heavenly Father. It is our guiding principle for living a life that honors Him. The word of God teaches us just how majestic and awesome He is.

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Kudos to the editor of The Congregationalist for planning an issue of the magazine focusing on reverence. It’s a subject that’s conspicuous in our culture by its absence. No magazine in the grocery store check-out line will have a headline touting an article about reverence. Few podcasts, television shows, or radio programs will feature reverence as the topic. In contrast, the subject is prevalent throughout the Bible and, therefore, deserves our attention.Reverence DenedThe concept of reverence is expressed by various words in the Bible, both Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek. These words that can be interpreted as reverence can also have the meaning of fear, awe, falling, humility, shame, respect, dread, terror, and honor. The Biblical material reects reverence as a theme from beginning to end, using a variety of these words to convey the idea. This reverence is almost always directed toward God.Countering a Troubling TrendA right grasp of reverence for God can help counter a trend that seems prevalent today – having a casual view of God, resulting in a lack of reverence. It’s not uncommon to portray God as “the man upstairs” or to picture Him as an old man with a long white beard. Heaven is frequently imagined as an endless party with drinking buddies, or enjoying the best golf course or shing spot that’s out of this world. Too rarely is Heaven seen as the place God inhabits in His fullness, a place lled with His innite glory where both people and angels hold Him with the highest reverence. Note the apostle John’s account of what he saw in Heaven: “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever’” (Revelation 5:13).My wife’s grandfather, Henry, knew something of the glory of God’s presence and expressed reverence The Relevancy of Reverenceby DAVID CLAASSEN 22 JUNE 2025 | The Congregationalist

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toward Him. Henry was a Minnesota farmer all his adult life. His was a life of practicality: feeding animals and working the soil. But when Grandpa Henry prayed, his voice took a deeply somber tone, his body reecting the same with a holy stillness. When he prayed, you felt like you were on holy ground, at Heaven’s gate, with him. For me, it was a reverence toward God experienced in sight and sound.I often remind myself, while taking a walk and praying, of the need to revere God. I frequently nd myself talking casually with Him. Then I remember the experience of Moses when he encountered God at the burning bush that wouldn’t be consumed. “‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take o your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’” Moses’ response? “At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God” (Exodus 3:5, 6b). I remember Isaiah’s description of his response to his encounter with God at his commissioning: “‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined!’” (Isaiah 6:5). I reect on how, if God were to make Himself known to me on my prayer walk with just a small portion of His glory, I would nd myself face down on the ground having hit it hard enough to bloody my nose.A Holy TensionRevering God doesn’t exclude having a close and intimate relationship with God, as I often enjoy while walking and talking to Him. His attributes include His immanence, His being very near, and His transcendence, His being way above and beyond what we can imagine. These stand in contrast, not contradictory to, but complementing each other.This tension between embracing God as our friend and holding Him in great reverence is good. Just as a stringed musical instrument can only make music when the strings are under tension, so we can only express the music of praise to God when we hold in tension His immanence and His transcendence. But because we aren’t good at multitasking when it comes to pondering God, I'm conning my thoughts in this writing to His transcendence and the need for reverence for God.The Delight of Revering GodWe love being amazed. It’s why we go to amusement parks, movies, reworks displays, and the Grand Canyon. We want to be wowed. Logic would suggest that because God is the greatest, above and beyond anything or anyone else, He is the ultimate source of wonder and amazement and should be revered above all. “‘To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One” (Isaiah 40:25). The unfolding of God’s good news through Jesus’ mission and achievement of eternal reconciliation with Him by way of His cross prompts reverence like nothing else. "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28).Revering Others and All of God’s CreationReverence for God impacts how we relate to others and all of creation. After all, if we revere God, then we’ll have reverence for what He has made. We don’t choose our friends’ other friends, but because of respect for our friends, we’ll treat their other friends respectfully. Our primary motivation for treating others lovingly should be reverence for the Lord, who made them as He made us. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). Out of reverence for God, we should revere not only others but all He has made. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). From the beginning, we humans were instructed by God to take care of this world He’s placed us in. “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). Reverence toward God results in reverence for His creation.The Relevancy of ReverenceAs followers of Jesus, we have a singular motive for doing anything and everything. That motive is the love of God expressed toward us in the redemptive work of Christ that reconciles us to Him now and forever. “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). Out of reverence for God, we seek to live a reverent life toward Him, others, and all creation. There’s no more relevant way to live than to live reverently!DAVID CLAASSEN pastored an NACCC church in Toledo, Ohio, for nearly forty years. Now retired, he and his wife divide their time between living near their son and his family in Florida and their daughter and her family in Mexico. David’s latest book is Growing Older Gracefully, available on Amazon.by DAVID CLAASSEN The Congregationalist | JUNE 2025 23

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My computer screensaver consists of more than 100 photographs I loosely gather in a folder called “Wild Places.” The places stretch east from Coastal California, where my wife Ann Marie and I live, to the Panhandle of Nebraska and the Black Hills of South Dakota, and north to the Canadian Rockies and Alaska. None will win any awards, and not all are especially wild, but each, in its own way, captures a sense of the isolation and loneliness we associate with the wilderness generally.Trading the comfort, convenience, and (relative) safety of what we loosely call civilization for the isolated and lonely wild places can be disconcerting and disorienting all by itself, but the photographs go on to reawaken the rather chilling thought that the wilderness feels remarkably indierent to my wellbeing as well. Perhaps the same could be said of the universe itself, surely the ercest of landscapes, gobbling up as it does whole galaxies and systems in the vast drama of creation.For those so oriented, why stop there: what if the encounter with creation’s erce, indierent landscape is but the visible face of an invisible and equally indierent God? One shudders to harbor, much less utter, such a thing. Even to me, that sounds blasphemous, or at least counterintuitive: God is love, we say, and by its very nature, love precludes indierence. We cannot possibly be indierent to that which – or better, those whom – we love, and neither can God, whose gracious love creates an intimate bond between us and God and imbues our lives with meaning and purpose.Hardly incidental, such bonds do change the participants – all the participants, meaning here both the Creator and the created. Not that the nature of God changes, but because God acts in response to what humans do and how they act, God necessarily changes as well (Genesis 18.23-33, Exodus 32.14, and Jonah 3.10, for starters). Take a moment to wrap your arms around that! Nothing short of astounding! No indierence here!Yet, we seem to hold such intimacy at arm’s length. As Belden Lane said a quarter-century ago and is even more true today, we have housebroken our deities.* His point is that instead of living fully into the words and ways of Jesus, we have opted for a sanitized, congenial, indulgent, and otherwise “housebroken” God. Not the claim of the neighbor on the servant-disciple (the Second of the Two Great Commandments, Luke 10.25-28, but continuing with v. 29-37) but the claim of the disciple on the servant-God. Having housebroken the divine, our individual needs and interests take center stage.Distressingly, though, the problem with housebroken deities is that they are not terribly interesting, and I wonder if that contributes to the general exodus out of the church, if not the marginalization Tell me the landscape in which you live,And I will tell you who you are.”JOSÉ ORTEGA Y GASSET Spanish Philosopher“God in the Wild Placesby REV. DR. RICHARD KURRASCH 24 JUNE 2025 | The Congregationalist

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One possible answer is to take a chance and abandon ourselves to the divine indierence of the wild places because such places and moments have a way of drawing us out of and beyond ourselves and into the incomprehensible greatness and majesty of God.Imagine standing with Elijah on Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19.1-18), defeated, discouraged, fearing for his life and the likes of Jezebel. Jezebel? Oh, yes, Jezebel, and for good reason, for she’s the public face, the stand-in, for the principalities and powers of which Paul speaks (Romans 8.38) and which today we might think of as the social structures and the economic and political powers that reign over us, sometimes to help, sometimes not so much, sometimes quite the opposite. With Jezebel on our case, of course, we cower. Defeated and discouraged, naturally, we run away. Far away.Maybe to a wild place where, like Elijah, defeated and discouraged, we encounter the incomprehensible greatness and majesty of God. This is the mystery, the wonder, the anticipation: that removed from the distractions and cares of the moment and the Jezebels toying with our fragile egos, we experience what was there all along – the divine blessing, a grace unexpected, an insistent love, and as we go, a work to do.of institutional religion broadly speaking. How many people take their leave because the sanitized religion we feed them is just not all that compelling?Sanitized religion…heresy by another name, perhaps? More serious, though, is how sanitized, housebroken religion opens the door to real heresy, like Christian nationalism and its attendant racism and other deciencies in neighbor-loving, which raises the prospect that maybe we have missed the boat on the First of the two Great Commandments as well – to love God, really to love God, as in…well, loving God enough to step into the wild places, daring God to meet us.The mere thought of stepping into the wild places takes me to a rather foreboding place in the Canadian Rockies. The day was cold and dreary; low-lying clouds hid the mountain peaks, and the occasional drizzle cast an ominous mood over the valley where the muddy road had ended. It did not help that the bear repellant was back at the house. Talk about feeling vulnerable. A profound sense of indierence to my well-being prevailed.Again, so with God (one might wonder)…indierent?Our Hebrew forebears knew the moment well. The desert sojourn following the escape from slavery in Egypt mirrored in Jesus’ desert interlude that followed His baptism were such moments, but out of them came a sense of communal and individual self-understanding and preparation for the work that awaits.So, with the people of God down through the ages: Who am I? What am I to do? How are we to know? The Congregationalist | JUNE 2025 25REV. DR. RICHARD KURRASCH, now retired from a half-century of pastoral ministry in NACCC and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregations, writes an occasional blog on the continuing spiritual journey at his website, richardrkurrasch.com.*I heartily recommend Belden Lane to readers interested in exploring wilderness spirituality (or the relationship between geography and spiritual development generally). Resources abound, among them Kathleen Norris and Thomas Merton, but Lane’s writings will easily get you started.

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While meeting with Jesus one morning in the book of Joshua, He blessed me by explaining why He so dramatically stopped the ooded Jordan River and let that horde of former slaves walk into the promised land through the dry riverbed. He did this dramatic miracle so that “all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God” (Joshua 4: 24). I realized He had just revealed the secret of a wonderful life on Earth. I understood Him to be telling us, “I did this so you will get real about who I am and reverently say ‘yes’ to me and my loving way of life. Saying ‘yes’ to me will always end in a good and blessed way. Doing the opposite – ignoring me, doing your own thing, going your own self-centered way – will always have tragic consequences, not just for you, but for many others with whom you live.”What does it mean to “get real” about God? It simply means to face the fact that God is who the Bible says He is.He is the ever-living one – the almighty Creator and Redeemer of the world, wise, good, loving, the ever-present person, powerful beyond all our comprehension – who wants us to listen to His instruction about life: “Love God and your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:28-30). He desires our reverent response to His instruction: to live lovingly and enjoy lives of love on Earth in preparation for a life of love in Heaven. How could life be simpler? Build your life on these two truths: God is a great, powerful, present, loving God, and it is in our best interest and wisdom to always say “yes” to Him and live a life of love on Earth!Both truths are essential to a wonderful life. Most people know deep inside their souls that there is a powerful being who created and sustains this world. We know instinctively a truth my high school science teacher drummed into us: “Nothing can do nothing.” There has to be a Creator. What most people won’t go along with is saying “yes” to that Creator. We don’t want God telling us how to live. “We have turned everyone to his own way” (Isaiah: 53:3). Consequently, since the day Cain, the rst baby born, killed his own brother to this very hour, our planet has boiled in conict. Selsh struggle, violence, murder, and sorrow have characterized our proud, disobedient, self-willed society. Like the plague that darkened every home in Egypt except the homes of the Israelite slaves, the shroud of rebellious darkness, conict, hatred, sorrow, and death covers the whole Earth, except in the homes of those who recognize their Creator and Redeemer and say a reverent, grateful “yes” to Him and His loving way of life. As His believing, submissive children, we are incredibly blessed with His presence and His love. In our hands, we have the Bible, the Living Word of God, the self-revelation of our Creator and Redeemer. It tells us how to live in loving fellowship with God and our neighbors. With Jesus living in our hearts, we are enabled to live loving, even heavenly, lives with our families before we get to Heaven. We love Him and say “yes” to His loving way of life. GROVE ARMSTRONG served as pastor of Central Congregational Church in Derry, New Hampshire, from 1980 through 1996. Since retiring, he has been involved in ministry in state prisons in Arizona, New Hampshire, and Delaware. He and his wife, Charity, live in Bear, Delaware.26 JUNE 2025 | The CongregationalistFear God and Love One Anotherby GROVE ARMSTRONG

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Many of you are actively involved in critical ministries in your congregations. You take your faith seriously and enjoy serving your church brothers and sisters faithfully. You are true servants of Christ within your community. If you are feeling called to go deeper in that journey, the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches is here to help.Starting September 2025, we will begin a Cohort E, Level 1 – Discipleship class. This program is designed for those who are servants at heart. Once you complete Level 1, we welcome you to continue your journey with levels 2 and 3 of the Lay Ministry Training Program. Explanation of Levels: Level 1: DISCIPLESHIP – This level is like advanced Bible Study to bring you to a deeper relationship with the LordLevel 2: LAY LEADERSHIP – This level will prepare you to more eectively serve your local congregation as a deacon, trustee, moderator, or other lay leaderLevel 3: PASTORAL LEADERSHIP – This level prepares you to lead a congregation of saints as a licensed lay pastorEach student will work closely with an approved mentor in a virtual learning environment with updated curriculum materials that reﬂect a diversity of biblical and theological scholarship. We are now accepting applications for Cohort E. To learn more, visit the Lay Ministry Training Program page on our website or contact Polly Bodjanac, polly@pollybodjanac.com, or Laura Wright, lwright@naccc.org. LMTP Gearing Up for Cohort EInterested in Deepening Your Walk with Christ?by POLLY BODJANAC When He says, “Forgive and love the one who injured you,” we say, “Yes, Jesus.” The Bible is lled with encouragement to always fear God and live a loving life wherever we are. Consider such verses as, “As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another…and put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Col. 3:12-14). Love characterizes and enriches our homes, our hearts, and our families. Love is, indeed, the most important thing in the world. Trusting in the presence of Jesus, never let anything contrary to love enter your heart or home. “Make every eort to live at peace with all men” (Heb. 12:14). You and your family will be glad forever that you did. God’s loving way is the only way to go. Let your heart always say an enthusiastic “yes” to Jesus and enjoy His extravagant love lling your home as you travel condently on toward love’s total revelation in glory.SouthCross Community Church, located in Burnsville, Minnesota, just south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, is seeking a bi-vocational pastor. Our church is aliated with both the NACCC and the Mid-American Baptist Churches. We truly believe God wants us here to spread His word and minister to His people. We are looking for someone who loves the Lord and wants a church family to teach, lead, and join in mission in our local community and the world. We may currently be small in number, but we are healthy, strong in faith and fellowship, and welcoming to all. For more information, including our unique beneﬁts package, or to apply, please email us at sccpastoralsearchmn@gmail.com.SEEKING: BIVOCATIONAL PASTORSouthCross Community ChurchPOLLY BODJANAC is a member of Pilgrim Congregational Church in Green Bay, WI. A graduate of Olivet College, Polly is a licensed lay minister and serves as the administrator of the NACCC’s Lay Ministry Training Program.by GROVE ARMSTRONG

The Congregationalist June 2025

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