Down on the Corner
Word from Wiese
25 September 2024
“Down on the Corner” is a peppy song from one of my favorite ‘70’s bands, Credence Clearwater Revival. The lyrics describe a joyful scene of a corner full of musicians, playing their instruments at the end of the workday “trying to lift you up.”
Well, lately there’s been a little conversation at COS about what’s been happening down on our corner of 54 and Peachtree Parkway.
On several occasions throughout the last couple of weeks, passersby of our COS corner can see political activists holding signs in support of their favorite candidates and issues. One day, a passerby might see one political group in the morning but the opposing political group in the early evening.
My letter to you this week is a simple yet very important message. Your council and I want to make 100% clear that COS does not officially endorse any political candidate. We want to make clear that we desire ALL PEOPLE feel welcome at COS regardless of age, economic status, or political preference. Since Jesus welcomed all people, we welcome all people. Jesus is our Lord. Jesus’ agenda rallies COS together, not the agenda of any political party.
I’ll note your council leadership spent quite a bit of time discussing options. We verified that there is a 50 foot right of way from the center of the road. So, while we own our land, we recognize that any of our fellow citizens do have the right to be on a portion of the grass by the road. While we hope the signs don’t cause false impressions about our COS identity, council concluded that for the safety and positivity of church staff, city officials, and our fellow neighbors, we’ll entrust this issue to the Holy Spirit without taking further action ourselves.
All COS folks love Jesus. Yet, since we are different (as made clear by Scripture’s metaphor of the church as one body with different parts, abilities, and perspectives) we discern differently how to enact our love for Jesus into the world. I understand and respect why some of our fellow citizens want to encourage their neighbors to vote a certain way. Voting is not only a key privilege in our wonderful nation, but a key method of expressing our values and discipleship. Every week, we declare in our creed, “I believe that Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead.” I’ve never been sent a primer explaining how that judgment works. But sometimes I imagine it as a private but frank conversation between each of us and Jesus, ala the private but pivotal conversation between Aslan the Lion and young Edmund in the Chronicles of Narnia, if you remember that C.S. Lewis series. In my coming judgment day with Jesus, I imagine Jesus will want an accounting of how I managed my time, influence, and resources to accomplish his primary command of me: to love God by activating love for my neighbor. And a pivotal piece of my testimony with Jesus will be my checking account, email transcript, calendar entries and … voting record.
I’m thrilled that after my judgment conversation with Christ, his grace will prevail resoundingly over my highs and lows. Praise God! But my point is I cannot escape the idea that the process of prayerful discernment about which of my state and national leaders can drive Jesus’ agenda is central to my relationship with Jesus.
So, I’m praying deeply for each of you as you investigate and pray about your upcoming votes in connection to your discipleship. I respect the folks out on our corner who feel passionately about the future of our country.
May the Holy Spirit lead us all. Our country and all countries who are trying the best they can to enjoy together this amazing life and planet with which our blessed us.
Let me close by jumping back to my main point: this month is a neat opportunity to stress that we consider at COS our diversity—including politically—a blessing and strength. Regardless of how you vote, you are WELCOME! Isaiah 25.6 declares that “on this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples.” So it’s not too far a stretch for me to rephrase that just a bit into a message we want our whole community to know clearly: “On this corner of COS, and inside this church, the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples.”
In Christ’s hope,
P Fritz
Let us pray.
God who makes all choice possible, hear my prayer.
Guide all voters to choose with wisdom, to synthesize the importance of the stock market, security, our planet’s health, justice, jobs, and mercy. Help me appreciate and love my neighbors, seeing them always as brothers and sisters in God’s family, even when they vote differently than I do or articulate positions with which I strongly disagree. Lead me to the best balance of the needs of the many and my own. Thank you for the blessing of this opportunity of elections and the chance to be heard. Let us treasure it. Guide us, O God.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
