A Pastoral Message on the Breach of the Capitol

Watch our livestream evening prayer service and read Pastor Keseley’s Epiphany message on the recent events happening in our country.

Pastor Keseley’s Epiphany Message on January 6, 2021

Today is the Epiphany of our Lord, the day in the Christian calendar when we celebrate the magi arriving to worship and bring gifts to the Christ child. In the scripture story of this day, we hear that King Herod is threatened by the news of the child who has been born king. After visiting Jesus, the magi return by a different way, ignoring Herod’s request to return to him with information about this new king. Later, when the magi don’t return as instructed, Herod responds by killing all of the children in and around Bethlehem who are under the age of 2.

On this Epiphany, many of us are watching - heartbroken - at what is happening in our country. The scenes of violence and insurrection at the capitol are sights many of us thought we would never see in this country. While America isn’t perfect, many of us had hoped that it could be better than this.

Scripture speaks God’s Word to us. The Epiphany story reminds us that God comes to be with us, right into the middle of the mess of the powers of this world. Earthly powers are no match for God’s power. May people of faith not confuse the difference between these two very different powers nor lose sight of who is our king.

The word “Epiphany” means “to shine through.” This Epiphany, I’m praying for peace to shine through conflict, democracy to shine through insurrection, safety to shine through violence and leadership to shine through division. O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Come quickly, Prince of Peace.

Pastor Keseley’s Message on January 9, 2021

For many, this has been an emotional week. What started as a new year filled with hope for things to be different imploded into insurrection, violence and scenes that none of us have witnessed in our lifetimes. There’s much to be said about what has happened and, I know, there are many voices saying it. As your pastor, though, let me speak to a particular aspect of the past week’s events through the lens of our faith. 

As followers of Jesus, I believe we must recognize, name and denounce the Christian nationalism that not only fueled this past week's events, but also played a role in the lead up to them. The intermixing of Christianity with white supremacy cannot be ignored. In the midst of the images of insurrection, people carrying crosses, Bibles and flags with the name of Jesus on them were easy to spot. These so-called “Christians” were intentionally putting their “faith” on display as they stormed the Capitol.

We who follow Jesus and call ourselves Christians, too, cannot be silent in the face of this desecration of our democracy, our faith and our God. Now is the time for usually quiet people of faith to be vocal. The world – especially our friends, family, coworkers and neighbors – need to hear from Christians like us about who God is and how God loves the world. They need to see from Christians like us that following Jesus looks nothing like what happened on Wednesday. 

I invite you to join me in speaking out to reclaim the image of how followers of Jesus are called to act, speak and be in the world. Together, at the beginning of this new year, may we recommit ourselves to intentionally aligning our belief in who God is with the way we show up in the world. I pray that our lives and ministry as the people of God at Abiding Presence might be a powerful witness to those around us of what it means to be a Christian right now. 

I welcome your thoughts and dialogue around what you are thinking and feeling. Throughout 2020 my mantra was, “God’s got this…whatever ‘this’ may turn out to be.” Well, now in 2021 “this” turned out to be one more thing. Still, we can trust that God’s got this, too. And, that God’s got us. God’s got us both in the palm of God’s hand and out in the world as the body of Christ – the hands, feet and voice of Jesus. My hope is grounded in this belief. May it ground your hope, too.