Uplook - October 28, 2023
Happy Saturday,
It’s a beautiful clear crisp afternoon in Seattle. The trees are in various colors and stages of losing their leaves which makes even a short walk or drive through the neighborhood a beautiful experience. These various colors and stages cause me to ponder several things. First, the various people God has brought to our congregation to worship. Our ages vary from two up to 90 years old. Education varies from those yet to enter school to those who have completed doctoral programs. There are a variety of occupations too many for me to enumerate here. We have several races and nationalities represented within our congregation as well. In fact tomorrow, Lord willing, we will be holding a Water Baptismal service in the late afternoon (you can watch on our website at afcseattle.org) and the baptismal candidates are a wonderful cross section of our congregation. They are born on three different continents and represent three different races. There is an age range from under 10 to over 30 and both genders with some married and some single. Some were raised in Christian homes while other found Christ as adults.
I believe just like the variety of creation, God is pleased with a church which represents this same variety in humanity. We are so blessed by the unity we have in Christ across all the variety and differences. Unity is not the same as uniformity. We do not all look the same, have the same personalities or likes, or even agree on everything. Yet in Christ we have found a savior who brings us together in unity. I believe God intended it just that way as evidenced by sending the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost with the Gospel message of new life in Christ as declared through the Holy Spirit through the disciples to those from around the world who were gathered in Jerusalem. This same God has continued to celebrate this variety through the ages but specifically in our tradition at our founding from the Azusa Street Pentecostal outpouring in Los Angeles in 1906. During a time of racial segregation, economic disparity, and when women were not allowed to vote, our founder Sis. Florence Crawford went to a humble mission with an African American pastor (she was white) and received the deeper experiences of Entire Sanctification and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. She continued to work with men and women of various nationalities and colors at that mission in Los Angeles until she went on to found our church in Portland Oregon. We now have churches on 6 continents. Our small congregation and the celebration we plan for tomorrow is just a foretaste of what God intends for us for all of eternity. A wonderful kaleidoscope of age, race, nationality, and language all worshiping God the Father and God the Son for this great salvation. Consider what John the Beloved wrote in The Revelation concerning what is to come.
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 7:9–12
May the Lord bless us all as we live as reflections of this kingdom in the world today.
In Christ,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
It’s a beautiful clear crisp afternoon in Seattle. The trees are in various colors and stages of losing their leaves which makes even a short walk or drive through the neighborhood a beautiful experience. These various colors and stages cause me to ponder several things. First, the various people God has brought to our congregation to worship. Our ages vary from two up to 90 years old. Education varies from those yet to enter school to those who have completed doctoral programs. There are a variety of occupations too many for me to enumerate here. We have several races and nationalities represented within our congregation as well. In fact tomorrow, Lord willing, we will be holding a Water Baptismal service in the late afternoon (you can watch on our website at afcseattle.org) and the baptismal candidates are a wonderful cross section of our congregation. They are born on three different continents and represent three different races. There is an age range from under 10 to over 30 and both genders with some married and some single. Some were raised in Christian homes while other found Christ as adults.
I believe just like the variety of creation, God is pleased with a church which represents this same variety in humanity. We are so blessed by the unity we have in Christ across all the variety and differences. Unity is not the same as uniformity. We do not all look the same, have the same personalities or likes, or even agree on everything. Yet in Christ we have found a savior who brings us together in unity. I believe God intended it just that way as evidenced by sending the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost with the Gospel message of new life in Christ as declared through the Holy Spirit through the disciples to those from around the world who were gathered in Jerusalem. This same God has continued to celebrate this variety through the ages but specifically in our tradition at our founding from the Azusa Street Pentecostal outpouring in Los Angeles in 1906. During a time of racial segregation, economic disparity, and when women were not allowed to vote, our founder Sis. Florence Crawford went to a humble mission with an African American pastor (she was white) and received the deeper experiences of Entire Sanctification and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. She continued to work with men and women of various nationalities and colors at that mission in Los Angeles until she went on to found our church in Portland Oregon. We now have churches on 6 continents. Our small congregation and the celebration we plan for tomorrow is just a foretaste of what God intends for us for all of eternity. A wonderful kaleidoscope of age, race, nationality, and language all worshiping God the Father and God the Son for this great salvation. Consider what John the Beloved wrote in The Revelation concerning what is to come.
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 7:9–12
May the Lord bless us all as we live as reflections of this kingdom in the world today.
In Christ,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
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