As a fellow servant and pastor for Jesus Christ - in the Presbyterian Church for 41 years, five years as reviver of CROP-Church World Service's ecumenical campaign on world hunger, and 38 years with the United Church of Christ - I hasten to reply to Pastor Ralph Ovadal's attack on the Roman Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI.
We listened to the Pope's address to the United Nations, urging all nations to work together for the protection of the whole human race from war, hunger, and disease. He congratulated the United States for our part in the UN's creation and hospitality to all.
We learned of the Pope's meeting with representative Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Seikh and multi-Protestant Christian leaders, and thanked God.
We heard his appeal to some 25,000 young people to make their lives count for Christ, our Hope and our Savior.
Dear Pastor Ovadal, let all Christians rejoice in this humble shepherd's messages. The world needs such as him.
Let us remember Jesus' advice to His disciples in John 17:20-23 - "I pray that they all may be one, Father! May they be in us just as you are in me and I am in you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me."
The work for Christ that testifies to our oneness in Him is seen in Habitat for Humanity's volunteers; in our hospital and nursing homes ministries; in CROP; in St. Jude's Hospital for Children and Covenant Houses reaching lost, abused children in our city streets; in food, fuel and education offered at our poorest Indian reservations; in Slavic Gospel teams in Russia (Baptist) and in Missions in Africa and India (of many denominations); and in Bibles sent to China and India, and in much more.
To Christ be the glory.
We listened to the Pope's address to the United Nations, urging all nations to work together for the protection of the whole human race from war, hunger, and disease. He congratulated the United States for our part in the UN's creation and hospitality to all.
We learned of the Pope's meeting with representative Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Seikh and multi-Protestant Christian leaders, and thanked God.
We heard his appeal to some 25,000 young people to make their lives count for Christ, our Hope and our Savior.
Dear Pastor Ovadal, let all Christians rejoice in this humble shepherd's messages. The world needs such as him.
Let us remember Jesus' advice to His disciples in John 17:20-23 - "I pray that they all may be one, Father! May they be in us just as you are in me and I am in you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me."
The work for Christ that testifies to our oneness in Him is seen in Habitat for Humanity's volunteers; in our hospital and nursing homes ministries; in CROP; in St. Jude's Hospital for Children and Covenant Houses reaching lost, abused children in our city streets; in food, fuel and education offered at our poorest Indian reservations; in Slavic Gospel teams in Russia (Baptist) and in Missions in Africa and India (of many denominations); and in Bibles sent to China and India, and in much more.
To Christ be the glory.
