Letters from the General Minister
Proclamation of the Gospel in a Time of Pandemic
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, July 22, 2021 Proclamation of the Gospel in a Time of Pandemic The first of the church’s “Great Ends” is “the proclamation of the gospel for …
Essentials
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, July 15, 2021 Essentials First principles. Foundations. Roots. We use various terms to describe things that are indispensable to our operations, our products, our projects, and …
In Dependence
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, July 1, 2021 In Dependence Today Canadians celebrate their 1867 grant of self-governance within the British Empire, and on Sunday the United States marks its national …
Working Together
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, June 24, 2021 Working Together “We are God’s servants, working together.” (1 Corinthians 3:9) This declaration by Paul follows his discussion of how the members of …
Sufficient
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, June 17, 2021 Sufficient The Presbyterian liturgy for commissioning people to service includes a wonderful line of promise: “The grace bestowed on you in baptism is …
A New Emergence
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, June 10, 2021 A New Emergence I grow petunias. Or I should better say, God grows petunias in my flowerpots. For years I transplanted seedlings I …
The Trinity – A Most Practical Doctrine
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, May 27, 2021 On the first Trinity Sunday in my new call, I dutifully took a stab at preaching on the mystery of the Trinity, after …
The Power of Being Together
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, May 20, 2021 When Jesus left his disciples at his ascension, he gave them one assignment: Wait together in Jerusalem. The outpouring of the Spirit at …
Escape or Transcend?
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, May 13, 2021 Today the church celebrates the fourth great festival that marks the arc of Jesus’ life. The first three are well-known to us – …
Without Undue Delay
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, May 6, 2021 Our “Directory for Worship” instructs that children’s baptism should be administered “without undue haste or undue delay.” (Book of Order W-3.0403) Such a …
The Long Haul
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, April 29, 2021 Twenty-five years ago Rev. Harry Hassall published a guide for new church member orientation, Presbyterians: People of the Middle Way. In it he …
Solidarity or Distancing?
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, April 22, 2021 In last week’s letter I noted how eyewitnesses to the risen Lord turned the world upside down. According to biblical records, those that …
What Have You Seen?
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, April 15, 2021 Before his crucifixion, Jesus’ primary agenda with his closest followers is to make them disciples. Followers. He seeks to change their way of …
The Most Blessed of Believers
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, April 8, 2021 The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! This familiar Easter litany, dating back to the church’s earliest days, is more than …
Sitting with Suffering
A Letter to Pittsburgh Presbytery from Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge General Minister Thursday, April 1, 2021 “Sundays only” Christians move directly from the Hosannas of Palm Sunday to the Hallelujahs of Easter Sunday. Jesus’ angry disruptiveness in the temple, …