"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35)

A dying congregation's last, truest gift

Coming to the end of Holy Week, reflecting on the cross, I'm more aware than usual of the reality of death and the yearning of creation to be set free from its bondage to decay. Sadly, death is inevitable. But I'm also aware of - and moved by - faithfulness in the face of death.

Two years ago this week Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship received a simple note from a Presbyterian church closing its doors that Easter Sunday. The session of this 20 member church had enclosed a $3,000 check for PFF. The note said, "This check is being sent to you from your friends at Springfield Presbyterian Church, Jackson Center, Pennsylvania. Due to a decline in membership our church will be celebrating its final service on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2002. Your organization was recommended to us to receive this gift and you may designate it for any mission projects within your organization." It was signed, "Sincerely, Springfield Presbyterian Church."

This is an incredible gift. Two years later, I am still in awe of it. How many $3,000 gifts can a 20-member church about to close have within it?

With its last organizational breath, this faithful church did what it could to pass along the gift of the church to those cultures that don't yet have a living church within them. It is doing what Jesus did - setting his face toward Jerusalem to be obedient even when he knew going that way included his death. "When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).

There is much that is holy about this kind of offering, a church's final offering before closing its collective eyes. It finished well! It gave what is perhaps its best gift: Faithfully passing along the torch of the gospel. What I picture in my mind is that church gathering again in glory in its resurrected state, when it can see how it helped spread the gospel around the world.

This church loved "the Church," and not just its own church. In its dying, it lived into the new commandment.

Thank you, Lord, for a death died worthily - your own, which gave us salvation, and Springfield Presbyterian Church's, which gives commendable witness to you!

-- Dave Hackett