Concord Presbyterian Church

Today we worshiped at Concord Presbyterian Church, 2832 Conway-Wallrose Road, Baden, PA 15005, 724.869.9135, www.concordchurch.org, Rev. Dr. John Wiebe, Pastor.

Scripture – 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Bob’s thoughts:

This special weekend with all of our family in town, including all 8 grandchildren, our plans need to be flexible and fluid.

We worshiped at Concord Presbyterian to hear their new minister. The church has a good age mix with lots of children. We were welcomed warmly, although we know many of the people.

A favorite aspect of this church is the cross, obscured by the screen for the first part of the service, and the joy when the screen is raised.

The sermon explained some of the meaning of the Lord’s Supper. We were reminded that Christ’s sacrifice involved more than the crucifixion: His whole life was sacrificial. A powerful point for me was that when we commune with Christ, we are also sharing with the saints. We partake of the elements in Christ’s Presence and our late son is there. It causes my eyes to sweat.

The pastor told a story of an unwelcome girl who attended a Presbyterian church and sat in the back by herself. At this point I knew the pastor’s background was not Presbyterian as they all sit in the back.

I appreciated the prayers during Communion, and though the elements were offered silently, it was with dignity.

We got to talk a bit with the pastor after the service and could see God’s leading him to this church. I pray that the congregation embraces his ideas to lead them outward.

Jan’s thoughts:

We have worshiped at this church numerous times in the past. This time we were accompanying family who were visiting for the weekend.

This is a lovely small church in a rural setting, full of people who really are very much like family. The more we see them, the more we have come to appreciate this congregation.

The pastor is brand new here, and seems to have enough experience under his belt to handle unexpected situations with grace and I appreciated the time he took afterward to speak with us.

The sermon on this World Communion Sunday was entitled “The Meaning of the Lord’s Supper,” in which he pointed out that Communion is one of the major differences between Christianity and other faiths. It was instituted by Christ Himself and is full of symbolism. The touching thing to me was the reminder that when we celebrate the Sacrament of Communion, we commune with Christ and with all the saints, past and present.

That last thought takes on special significance when I consider that it includes our son. What an amazing hope we are offered through our faith in Christ! Wherever would we be without it?

Our prayer for this church:
Holy Lord, we pray Your blessing on this commencement at Concord Church. We ask that You inspire them through their new leader to go out in Your Name. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.