There has, in the past five years, been a decidedly gracious movement in our denomination, and you have much to do with this. Crucial votes and Issues that matter most to us, along with Committees that are populated with likeminded people and a movement toward less stridency and a more diverse and outwardly focused and gracious denomination are organically bound to our willingness to fight and vote until the fabric of the PCA better reflects what we hope…. Once again at GA we will organize a ‘real time on-the-floor,’ vote-by-vote running Facebook Messenger conversation – more to come on this.

From: Mike Khandjian <mike@ >
Date: March 18, 2017 at 6:39:03 AM EDT

 “To follow Jesus is to become a student of the Rabbi who teaches us how to love; to be a disciple of Jesus is to enroll in the school of charity.”

James K.A. Smith, You Are What You Love

Friends,

Please forgive a huge gap between communications – Lots of ministry stuff in four different states has meant for craziness in my scattered life. Hopefully this will catch us up. With that, I hope you are making plans to attend GA – We are at a place where our votes and presence count more than ever – for nominations – for key votes – and more than each of these, for the ever-becoming ethos of our denomination. We have a wonderful nomination ready to go in Alexander Jun for Moderator this coming year – I hope you will be there. And who wouldn’t want to hear George Robinson preach as the outgoing Moderator?…….

5. GA Fellowship Dinner– Because of what appears to be a really great Wednesday evening dinner schedule @ GA, with food trucks and a park setting, we have decided to have a GA Fellowship Dessert. It will be from 8-11 and very close to the venue, so no problem with transportation. My next communication will lay it out. I am thrilled. Rankin Wilbourne will be addressing us, speaking to A Welcoming Denomination. We will be hearing from RUF and of course the music Kevin Twit and the Littlepages bring to us – Can’t wait! More to come…..

grace & peace.

mike k

__________________________________________________________

From: Mike Khandjian <mike@ >
Date: April 15, 2017 at 7:17:05 AM EDT
Subject: Updates & Encouragements

“The crushing blow to all evil is found on the hard wood of the cross and in Christ’s resurrection from the dead.  Here God enters into the suffering of the world, literally, embraces the sin and suffering of the whole world, taking it into himself on the cross and destroying its power over us in his resurrection.”   

Robert E. Webber, the Divine Embrace

“Good Friday tells the truth about the ugliness of this world. Easter tells the truth about the beauty of the world to come.”

Russ Whitfield

Friends,

With joy and thanksgiving I pray that your celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead is as life-giving to you as it will be to those who come and hear you proclaim it tomorrow. Let’s pray together that the Spirit descends and moves with transforming power and renewing grace, wherever the gospel is proclaimed tomorrow. I hope you are crowded to the ‘gills,’ and that God gives you freedom and passion and power and joy in the pulpit.

Some Updates:

……..

2. Tim Keller – NYC– By now all know that Tim’s status has changed at Redeemer – How exciting that he has nurtured an environment as he has. We have seen so many mega-churches crumble after the leader left or fell or grew so old and out of touch that it slowly died. But now three robust congregations fill Manhattan’s ethos because a ‘seed’ was willing to fall to the ground and die in order for many to spring up.

Here is a link to his announcement, in case you haven’t seen it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ9eH7QBu10

3. General Assembly– I can’t express deeply enough the importance of your presence and participation on the floor of GA. There has, in the past five years, been a decidedly gracious movement in our denomination, and you have much to do with this. Crucial votes and Issues that matter most to us, along with Committees that are populated with likeminded people and a movement toward less stridency and a more diverse and outwardly focussed and gracious denomination are organically bound to our willingness to fight and vote until the fabric of the PCA better reflects what we hope. Our Fellowship has grown from a test group of sorts, to a place where, if united, we can win every vote. This is not something to be taken lightly or proudly – but if we don’t seize on this, we will have missed an opportunity. I hope you will join us in Greensboro.

Once again at GA we will organize a ‘real time on-the-floor,’ vote-by-vote running Facebook Messenger conversation – more to come on this.

4. Michelle Higgins– If you have read of or been caught up in the firestorm, then you know that our sister, and her friends, along with others are involved in a podcast called The Truth Table. It is three women who talk life, faith, theology – and race. It is a challenging, raw and delightful conversation we are given the privilege of listening in on. They don’t ask us to agree, disagree or like what they say – only that we respect that they are wrestling through issues that we often keep a distance from.

They have come under fire – hot, harsh, unkind fire – for their podcast. Michelle and her father Mike spoke at one of our Fellowship Dinners (Chattanooga) and lit it up. They need our prayers and support.

As I have waded into the controversy, I am not proud to say that it has brought me face to face with my own latent racist tendencies. And thus the value of such a podcast, and of listening and allowing the Lord to speak into our own brokenness through voices we might not otherwise hear or appreciate, rather than speaking ignorantly, as I have often done.

In this regard, I rejoice in the diversity we are beginning to see arise before our denomination – in the pulpit and in the prospect of Alexander Jun becoming our Moderator.

We have a long way to go, and in this you can see the importance of our Fellowship.

5. National Partnership– Along these lines, if you would like to help with the local and presbyterial, ‘sausage-making’ end of things, James Kessler administrates the National Partnership. It is our ‘political arm’ of sorts. Don’t let that scare you off. There is a lot about James out there, and let me assure you that he is far worse than anything you’ll read!!! Seriously, if the issues matter to you as they do to us, then get involved!

Contact me if you want to be part of the NP and be read into the issues and actions that matter.

6. Our Fellowship Dessertwill be at the Greensboro Children’s Museum, a great venue less than one mile from where the food trucks and assembly will be. Here is the link to the venue: http://www.gcmuseum.com/rentals/rentals.php – Special thanks to Michelle Kline, who works with Giorgio, who helped find this gem…..

This year Rankin Wilbourne will be addressing us, speaking to A Welcoming Denomination. And fortunately, once again we will hear the music Kevin Twit and the Littlepages bring to us. We will also have an update by RUF, and I hope by Parakaleo as well.

The evening promises to be a sweet one…..

grace & peace.

mike k