Welcome

  2. Home
  3. Resources
  4. Pastors’ Column
  5. At Last

Pastors’ Column

photo showing part of a bible.

Each week one of our pastors or staff members writes a column observing what is going on in our congregation, the Church and the world, and offering reflections on the Christian life and faith. Through this series of columns, we hope to connect your and our story to the enduring story of Christ; to offer pastoral reflections on our ongoing congregational life and mission; to report on news of the Presbyterian Church and Church universal; and to invite further reflection and deeper discipleship. We welcome your comments and suggestions. In other words, our words here are an invitation to continue the conversation.

King’s Prayer for the Church

The Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick

As we approach this coming weekend and the days ahead, as a nation, we are asked to remember the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As people of faith, and even more importantly as a community of faith, we cherish his legacy and his vision for our world. In particular, we are called to consider the church's role in helping to move the world and our lives to more closely embody that vision.

Courage and Strength

Jeffrey Brillhart

Many years ago, BMPC member Nena Bryans introduced me to Sister Helen David Brancato. Walking into the court to meet them, I saw Nena with a diminutive older woman. The closer I drew, the more I saw that this nun was a force to be reckoned with! From her dancing eyes to her exuberant energy, I was captivated and immediately became a fan!

Epiphany

The Rev. Dr. Kirby Lawrence Hill
When a story is told, how a main character is introduced usually allows a reader to gain insight into who that person is. The four gospel accounts in the New Testament each have their own way of introducing Jesus. Two of the accounts start with birth narratives. Luke’s nativity account is beautifully written and is the inspirational piece we usually hear on Christmas Eve. The lowly shepherds are the first visitors who get to see who Jesus is in this account. Matthew has a much briefer birth narrative, but it is quickly followed with a more detailed account of the first visitors that this gospel writer mentions. They are the magi, sometimes referred to as wise men.

The Imminence of Christmas

The Rev. Andy Greenhow

In 2018, I went with a delegation from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary to visit our partners at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, Egypt. People in Egypt have a different conception of time than we do. There is a strong sense of the imminence of the past in the present. For example, when asked for a brief history of the seminary, people would invariably say something like, “Certainly. Saint Mark came to Egypt in the 1st century…” 2,000 years is as brief as it gets in Egypt!

A Prayer for Deep Peace

The Rev. Dr. Agnes W. Norfleet

I’ve had more than a few people tell me that Advent has flown by fast, and they can hardly believe it’s almost Christmas. It is true that this year the calendar gave us the shortest Advent season possible, but it always feels a bit rushed in this last week before Christmas, doesn’t it?

Christmas Lessons and Carols

Jeffrey Brillhart

For more than 40 years, BMPC has enjoyed an annual musical event during the seasons of Advent and Christmas. These Sunday afternoon programs have run the gamut from semi-staged operettas to celebrations of the American southwest to performances of “Messiah,” to performances of Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors, “to Lessons and Carols services. This year, we will offer a foretaste of Christmas Eve with a festive Christmas Lessons and Carols service.

Code Blue Training This Sunday

The Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick

We are just three weeks from once again hosting the Lower Merion Code Blue Shelter in our building for January. Last year was a transformative experience for our neighbors and our congregation as we welcomed men sleeping outside in our community on the coldest winter nights to stay in the church gym. Hosting again this January will continue to shape who we are as a church and as individuals.