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Dear San Marco Church Community: One thing that I truly appreciate about our congregation is that we embrace the concept of the “priesthood of all believers.” This concept, which really developed in the aftermath of the Protestant Reformation, holds that all believers in Christ share in his priestly status, meaning that all believers have the right and authority to read, interpret and apply the teachings of scripture. As a pastor, I cannot claim to have a full understanding of how God works in our lives, and I believe that God reveals his guidance through community connections among a variety of people. The priesthood of all believers carries both freedom and responsibility. The freedom comes from knowing that we don’t need a mediator to communicate with God. God hears all our prayers, regardless of our background and knowledge. The responsibility comes from the reality that we need to read scripture on our own and seek understanding through the Holy Spirit. We cannot depend exclusively upon pastors or priests to inform our beliefs and practices as Christians. The sense of agency that comes from this is both daunting and exciting. In Hebrews 4: 14-16, we read that Jesus is our high priest, and that we can approach him boldly and confidently when we seek his mercy and Grace. In 1 Peter 2:5, we read that “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood…….” It is encouraging and empowering to realize that God is always at work, within us and among us, transforming the world, one relationship at a time. This Sunday, July 19, Bryan Amerling will offer his monthly message on a social justice topic. The scripture he has chosen is Genesis 12: 1-3, and his message is entitled “The Trajectory of Justice: You and Me, Us and Them.” This is sure to be a timely message given the many troubling issues surrounding immigration in our country. I continue to be inspired each Sunday because so many of you take your faith and your church community seriously. As always, I appreciate the way you support San Marco Church with your prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. See you Sunday! Steve Hart
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