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"We hold these truths..."

Some fifteen years ago, the American historian, David McCullough, gave a speech at Michigan’s Hillsdale College on “Knowing History and Knowing Ourselves.” Here’s an excerpt of what he said:

Keep in mind that when we were founded by those people in the late 18th century, none of them had had any prior experience in either revolutions or nation-making. They were, as we would say, winging it. And they were idealistic and they were young. We see their faces in the old paintings done later in their lives or looking at us from the money in our wallets, and we see the awkward teeth and the powdered hair, and we think of them as elder statesmen. But George Washington, when he took command of the continental army at Cambridge in 1775, was 43 years old, and he was the oldest of them. Jefferson was 33 when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. John Adams was 40. Benjamin Rush – one of the most interesting of them all and one of the founders of the antislavery movement in Philadelphia – was 30 years old when he signed the Declaration. They were young people. They were feeling their way, improvising, trying to do what would work. They had no money, no navy, no real army. There wasn't a bank in the entire country. There wasn't but one bridge between New York and Boston. It was a little country of 2,500,000 people, 500,000 of whom were held in slavery, a little fringe of settlement along the east coast. What a story. What a noble beginning. And think of this: almost no nation in the world knows when they were born. We know exactly when we began and why we began and who did it.

In his book, 1776, McCullough makes the point that it was soldiers rather than “tavern patriots and windy politicians” who paid the price of American idealism and brought about its successes. Thomas Paine’s oft-cited words, “these are the times that try men’s souls,” inspired by the sight of Washington’s army in retreat, seem appropriate right now. These are trying times, and we pray that God would have mercy upon this great country of ours and bring peace and greater unity once more.

 Derek Thomas

                    Senior Minister

2020 Thornwell Lectures

Our speaker for Sunday, July 5 is Dr. Leslie Holmes. Dr. Leslie Holmes is the Moderator of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, and he has served as Provost and Professor of Preaching and Pastoral Theology at Erskine Theological Seminary. Before entering academia, he was solo or senior pastor of churches for over 40 years. He is a graduate of the University of Mobile (B.A.), Reformed Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Columbia Theological Seminary (D.Min.), Ecolé Supérieure, Sorbonne (Ph.D.), and Grove City College (LL.D.). Dr. Holmes is the author or contributing editor of 20 books and hundreds of articles in professional journals including Preaching: The Professional Journal for Those Who Preach God’s Word and Ministry Magazine. His latest book is Leading the Way: Principles of Leadership Excellence for All Believers. Dr. Holmes will be teaching “What is Jesus Doing Today in the Church?”

Youth Ministry Update

Dear First Presbyterian Church,

As many of you know, Dr. Brad Anderson, our Director of Youth Ministries, will be leaving us at the end of July to begin his pastorate at Edwards Memorial ARP. On behalf of the Christian Growth and Nurture Committee, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Brad for his years of faithful service to our families. We will miss Brad and Kelley, but thankful we will still get to see them and their children often.

At our last Session meeting, we appointed a search committee to begin looking for our next Director of Youth Ministries, made up of Trevor Bowers, Niki Van Alstine, Debbie Thompson, Jeff Griffin, Clarke McNair, Jim Fant, and John Powell, with me as chairman. We are all honored to serve the church in this capacity and look forward to working together.

I am grateful also for the youth staff – Beth Ann Hurst, Billy Pierce, and Tricia Stoker – who have done such a great job in this difficult season of ministry. Brad has prepared them well for his transition, so we anticipate a smooth process as the Lord leads us to the next man to direct this very important ministry in our church’s life.

If you have any questions about the search, please feel free to contact me. In the meantime, please pray for our committee. Please also pray for Brad and Kelley and their children as they begin this next chapter of their lives. Our church has been blessed with faithful leaders in every ministry, and we are confident he will continue to do that for us. 

May the Lord keep all of you safe and healthy,

Ansel Bunch