Her tears began right as I was locking our front door.  While my younger kid, Phoebe, had been dressed and ready since 6 AM, my older one, Hannah, was struggling as we were about to leave for Camp Ligonier, a one-week Christian sleepaway camp located outside of Pittsburgh.  

Sleepaway camp was a foreign concept to me.  My summers were spent watching gratuitous amounts of television, loitering at malls, and creating lip-synch routines to Richard Marx songs with my sister.  What I knew of sleepaway camps came solely from television, and Christian sleepaway camps were an even more abstract concept.

When Hannah expressed interest in attending a sleepaway camp, I was hesitant and flooded with fears.  Fear of being away from my kids—with two years of Covid-imposed togetherness, I had grown accustomed to monitoring their every meal, every move, every everything.  Fear of harm—we’re not a family of athletes, so it just seemed inevitable that someone would fall off a rock wall or that there’d be an archery event gone awry.    

Her tears continued as we turned into the winding driveway of the camp.  Even more tears as we said our goodbyes at the cabins.  With tears in her eyes (and a right eye swollen shut by an ill-timed stye), I assumed I had made a terrible mistake.  

But six days later, it became clear that my fears were unfounded. At camp pickup, both kids were beaming, talking nonstop about their amazing camp experience.  Stories about wild animals in the communal bathrooms (which are nicknamed “the KYBO”—ask my kids what that stands for), hilarious skits put on by the counselors, and the delicious camp food.

But the most incredible stories were about how they grew spiritually and encountered God in new and surprising ways throughout the week.  Both of them were deeply moved by the daily Bible studies, nightly worship services, and the friendships they developed with their bunkmates and counselors.  It was the first time they had heard testimonies of young believers and realized that they, too, have a story about God working in their lives.  They saw the stirrings of new faith in friends who weren’t regular churchgoers after hearing stories of Jesus for the first time.  Since coming home, Hannah has repeatedly told me that she longs to “go deeper” in her faith and knowledge of the Bible.  

Like many, I fall into the trap of parenting from a place of fear, deluding myself into thinking that my kids’ chances of thriving in this world depend on my actions alone, leaving little margin for error on my part.  But my kids’ week at Ligonier gave me a small taste of how God has graciously surrounded us with a community of saints called to encourage and challenge one another, including the youngest among us.  While, as a parent, I play an integral role in laying the foundation of my kids’ faith, I’m so thankful that I’m not alone in this endeavor.  The camp counselors and staff who loved on my kids that week left an indelible mark on my kids’ faith journeys.  Whether at Christian sleepaway camps or even here at Emmanuel, God is at work through His body of believers.

Hannah’s take:
I loved Camp Ligonier!  My favorite thing about it was the people.  I liked the counselors and the people in my bunk. I learned so much about God.  One of my favorite things to do was buy things at the camp store and eat them with my friends, then swim.  The food was really good. I think that anyone who signs up for Camp Ligonier will love it and want to go back next summer.

By Scott Seaton

On Friday morning, June 24, I was in Montgomery, Alabama visiting memorials to the era of Jim Crow and Civil Rights, when a member of Emmanuel texted me the news of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. I’ve longed believed that God forms life in the womb, that we are indeed “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14), and that the innate dignity and worth of every person is based on this truth. It’s why we care so deeply about the poor, the elderly, the sick and dying, the immigrant, the person from another ethnicity who is denied justice. We affirm not only that life begins in the womb, but our dignity as well—and can never be taken away. And so the Memorial to Peace and Justice was a fitting place to hear the news.

But it was fitting for another reason as well. The Montgomery memorials are also reminders that inequity and division don’t end simply when a law is changed. And so it will be in the post-Roe era. As you are well aware, we are about to see a patchwork of laws across our nation, as some states make abortion illegal altogether, others enact some limitations, and still others enshrine access. So while a law has changed, inequity and division haven’t.

And so what is our responsibility as Christians? Many things, but certainly we are called to be people of prayer, peace, and sacrifice. Prayer, that we would all recognize our humanity begins in the womb, and for God to bring healing to our divided nation. Peace, that we would be empathetic to people who hold differing views, whatever they may be. And sacrifice, that we would increase our commitment to care for children in need of fostering and adoption, and care for single parents who are struggling. For more on caring for vulnerable children and mothers, I commend this Christianity Today article.

Please join me in prayer in the coming weeks and months, that we would be a people who lean in, caring for all of life, from our first to our final moments. And may the Lord bless you and keep you, always.

Of course, our work in caring for vulnerable mothers and children is far from over. Emmanuel partners with several ministries that help meet spiritual, emotional and physical needs of those in crisis, including:

Assist Pregnancy Center provides holistic support to parent(s) with an unplanned pregnancy.

Project Belong equips churches in Northern Virginia to serve vulnerable kids in need of fostering and adoption.

These and other related ministries always need prayer, volunteer and financial support, and it would be especially timely to come alongside our vital partners and the good work they’re doing.

By Scott Seaton

At the 2022 General Assembly in Birmingham, Alabama, the PCA considered Overture 26, a Statement on Political Violence. As one of the authors of the overture, I am convinced this is a vitally important issue before the Church and our nation. Though the overture was not adopted, the discussion continues—and so it may be helpful to have available the text of the speech, edited slightly for clarity, which I presented to the Assembly, regarding concerns raised, the need for a statement, and our response.  

CONCERN

First, what seems to be the main concern, the elephant in the room: the PCA should not speak on political issues. This point was part of the rationale given by the Overtures Committee, in not recommending the Statement. We will likely hear that objection from the floor soon, that we should only make such statements in local churches.

Let us be clear: this overture is not a political statement. A political statement guides people how to vote or urges a politician to enact a certain policy. This overture does not do that.

Instead, it is a biblical and moral statement, addressed to the Church and a watching world, about how we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. How to be salt and light, not a hammer and saw.  

But should we speak to moral issues affecting us and society? The Assembly clearly thinks so. The Overtures Committee overwhelmingly recommended the PCA approve two overtures you sent to us, that speak to pressing moral issues of the day: sexuality and abortion. To those issues, we have chosen to speak as the PCA, not simply in local churches. To take a stand and say, “this is who we are.”

Our appeal to the Assembly is simply to be consistent in its reasoning, to be willing to speak to moral issues as the PCA, if and when there is a need to do so. So, is there a need?

NEED

Sadly, the need for this Statement is clearly evident. In recent years, violence and intimidation have dramatically increased, across the political spectrum—and so any Statement must be balanced and nonpartisan. I could cite many examples of the need, but just in the three months since Potomac Presbytery approved the overture:  

• Churches and pregnancy centers in at least 20 states have been vandalized for being pro-life, in anticipation of Roe v. Wade being overturned.
• A man was arrested, who intended to kill Supreme Court Justice Brent Kavanaugh.
• A Wisconsin judge was killed, by a man who had a hit list for other judges as well, the governors of Wisconsin and Michigan, and Senator Mitch McConnell.
• Death threats were made against Idaho police for arresting 31 members of a militia group armed and ready for riot.
• Elected officials, school board and election officials have been threatened with their lives.

That’s only a partial list. There is every indication that violence and intimidation from the extreme left and right will continue and increase, as our nation becomes more and more divided. In a nationwide poll last November, nearly one in five of all Americans—roughly 52 million adults on the left, right, and center—think violence may be necessary to achieve their political ends. That’s the level of despair and desperation in our country today. And we need to prepare for it.

And as that divide in our nation increases, Christians may be tempted to ignore, excuse, or even participate in violence that aids their preferred political views. And when the Church is silent, church members—and a watching world—may wonder whether our highest allegiance is to Christ or to worldly means and methods. And so we must speak. To say, “this is who we are.” Brothers and sisters, who are we? What exactly should we say?

RESPONSE

What would you say to the church member, who strongly disagreed with a government policy, felt it was infringing on their rights as citizens or the future of the country they love? They were so angry, they wanted to threaten an official? Or vandalize a building? What would you say?

What would you say to your unbelieving neighbor, who didn’t like your position on abortion and felt it was an existential threat to their personal freedom? Who wanted to vandalize a pregnancy center? Who was so mad, they would like to threaten or attack a local judge or official?

What should we say, to both? We should point them to Jesus.

In the sixth chapter of Luke, Jesus says, “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27–28). Jesus said that to peasants, including at least one political zealot named Simon, all living under Roman oppression, who surely felt the urge to take matters in their own hands.

On the night of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest, when his followers were so desperate, they were ready to take up arms, Jesus commanded Peter to put away his sword, “for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).

Jesus’ admonition does not advocate pacifism, as affirmed by the overture’s appeal to our confessional Standards. Question 136 of the Westminster Larger Catechism says the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment include “all taking away the life of ourselves, or of others, except in case of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defense” (WLC 136).

As private individuals, how are we to respond to issues where we strongly disagree? Not with violence and intimidation. But with prayer and persuasion. As the Larger Catechism says, the duties of the sixth commandment include “peaceable, mild and courteous speeches and behavior, forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and requiting good for evil” (WLC 135). In a word, we are to love our neighbor.

As we debate this overture, a clarification and an appeal.

First, a clarification: the version before the Assembly replaces language in the second resolution that some didn’t feel was clear—"political violence in unlawful expressions”—with more descriptive language. The final form of the four resolutions are as follows:

• Therefore, be it resolved, that the 49th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America reminds our members and neighbors of our allegiance to the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, as “the sole Head of the Church and Law-giver in Zion” (Message to All Churches, 1973); and
• Be it further resolved, that the 49th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America condemn the use of intimidation, rather than persuasion, to change political opinions or outcomes, as well as the destruction of property and the infliction of bodily violence against political opponents, especially that which is done in the name of Christ; and
• Be it further resolved, that the Moderator of the 49th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America appoint a commissioner to pray for peace in our nation and that the Church of Jesus Christ would be instruments of that peace; and  
• Be it finally resolved, that the 49th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America encourages her members to “seek peace and pursue it” in the public square (Psalm 34:14); to “be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1); and to pray for peace and for “all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (I Timothy 2:2).

And an appeal: base your appeal on Scripture and our Confession. If there are biblical and confessional reasons to be silent, make them. There are ample biblical and confessional reasons to speak.

Brothers and sisters, and all listening: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”
The need and the response to a pressing moral issue are evident.

And thus, we urge the Assembly to speak, to say, “this is who we are,” by affirming Overture 26.

What follows are testimonies from members of Emmanuel sharing about what they faced when they moved to America. You will hear about their difficulties, the challenges, and the isolation many of them had to deal with. You will also hear about the joy and redemption that came out of their sufferings. You will hear about how their faith was formed and strengthened through these trials.

As you read these testimonies, remember that these folks are part of our community. They are part of our family. And in order to become a community where people feel known, the stories of our brothers and sisters must be heard. Their story as sojourners in this country are an essential part of who they are as individuals. We cannot fully understand who they are now without first understanding what God has done in their lives up until now. Enjoy reading these incredible testimonies from some incredible brothers and sisters.

In reality, it was a bit difficult to talk about our journey with the family for different reasons, not only because it awakens very difficult memories and feelings for everyone, but also because we recognize that there are traumas that have not yet healed.
 
In the first hours of the trip, I felt emptiness, guilt, fear, and such extreme pain in my heart. My heart was in pieces for the people left behind. I didn't have the slightest idea when the next time would be that I could hug and kiss them.

I arrived in a country in which I was a foreigner, an immigrant without an opinion, where my rights are not the same as others, where my privileges are limited. It put in front of me two options:
 
- Do things as correctly as possible, walking almost on tiptoe, working hard and making many sacrifices and being able to experience a taste of the American dream,
 
- Or do things as correctly as possible, walking almost on tiptoe, work hard, make many sacrifices and at the end return to my country empty and with nothing, having to leave behind everything I thought was mine.
 
I'm here and the journey is not over yet. Day by day the challenge remains.
 
I think that all my difficulties have helped me to appreciate or identify in a broader way the Provision and Grace of God. It is not that I think you need to be poor or disadvantaged to receive from God. But it does give me a broader perspective of what is happening around me and thus even the smallest things in my life have great value because I’m aware that it comes from God.

Thank God, after not knowing what I would eat the day after arriving in this country, until today I have not lacked food for each day. After arriving with only a single change of clothes, to this day he has dressed me. Five days of accommodation was all I received when I arrived, without a job or any other way to pay for a place to live, but God gave me a place in the middle of unknown people.
 
So when I say, “Thank God,” I don't mean it as a phrase that is used to embellish a speech. I say it because it is really the only explanation for the amazing ways in which God has supplied me.

What challenges did you face when you came to the US?
 
I think the biggest challenge that I faced when I came to the US was the isolation. Even though I was attending RTS and a member of a church, I found that people were often not able or willing to move out of their comfort zone to get to know me and build relationships with me. I felt this tremendous pressure to Americanize as fast as I could, and in my experience over the past 7 years, more people have been willing to reach out to me as my English, my mannerism, and my general cultural presentation has become more Americanized. I understand that it is challenging and awkward to really connect with someone who is from your native language and culture, but I really needed more people to meet me where I was at in the beginning of my time in the USA.

I was also surprised at how certain India cultural ideas made their way here. When I met other Indian people in a professional setting, some people discriminated against me on the basis of my caste by giving me low salary, underestimating or dismissing my professional experiences, and just treating me differently.

Also, I was told that I couldn't have a fundraising job, because no one would donate money to someone who's voice sounded like mine on the phone. At another job, I heard two people talking in the hallway about how I didn't have the right appearance to be a coding teacher and work with kids. When I shared these sorts of experiences with members of the church I was attending at the time, I was surprised how quickly people either tried to explain them away or simply expressed shock that this sort of discrimination happens in Northern Virginia where there is so much diversity.

I had to overcome those barriers with courage over many years and confront those people directly. I literally applied to 113 or more jobs, and interviewed at more than half of them before I got my first full time job. To get there, I did several volunteer jobs, and 2 part-time jobs all at the same time to rebuild my resume with USA experience so I could have a shot at full time jobs.

The other major source of fear until a few months ago was the never ending, always changing, increasingly complex immigration paperwork process. It was extremely expensive, extraordinarily time-consuming and a huge stress. The system was so slow that by the time you reach one status, it was only a few months away from having to apply for renewal or adjustment of status. Despite my awareness that I had some legal protections in each status as an F1 student, a Provisional Greencard holder, and a 10 year Greencard holder, it felt like at any moment, a new president or new law could sweep everything away and I could be sent back to India with nothing. Nothing about my experience with the immigration system of the USA seemed welcoming to Immigrants. I felt like I was only a mistake away from being thrown out of the country.

How did you experience God's provision and help during that time?

The primary source of support and care during that time was my wife, Elizabeth. Jackie and my professor at RTS Howard Griffith were hugely supportive through counseling and mentorship. Retired pastor Sherman & his wife Lisa Isbell were also some of the first people to sincerely reach out to me even when my English was difficult for Americans to understand. Sherman provided support and care after every difficult interview, reminding me of God's providence and introducing me to some new relevant theologians who had the wisdom to provide to me in my circumstance. Fred Kuhl was also an encouraging classmate and friend who worked early on to meet me where I was at.

God was kind and graceful to provide these voices of support in my life in this time of need. It was challenging to see them, other than my wife, as frequently as I might have seen well-wishers in India due to the traffic in this area, the lack proper public transportation, and my lack of access to a car. It is for this reason that despite having caring people in the community, I still felt isolated. I was not prepared for the transportation and logistical challenges. I took a lot of comfort in listening to Christian hymns in my native Telugu, reading the Bible, and reading theology books.

What challenges did you face when you came to the US?
 
The most difficulty and challenge was the language barrier. I believe this is something that I will always have since I wasn’t born in the US.  

When I came as a 15 yrs old from Korea, my English words were very limited such as ‘Hi’, “How are you?”, “my name is….”. There wasn’t any ESL program when I came to the US (or US territory).  I got my first ‘F’ grade in English during my high school year. It was very difficult for me to communicate with other students so I rarely spoke in high school classes. When I came home after school, I turned on TV to watch Sesame Street to learn English words & pronunciation. My parents moved to the US for my education, but I blamed them for moving to the US. Being a teenager and not understanding English made me a very isolated & quiet person. I had to study harder than others. My parents had their struggles due to language barrier. My dad owned a TV repair shop and income was tight so my mom worked as a tailor in a dry cleaner. I often went to my dad’s shop to deal with customers and translate English to Korean for my dad. My dad’s philosophy was if a customer complains then he gives money back so he doesn’t have to talk to the customer.  

In my early years at my work, attorneys complained to my manager for lack of English writing and communication skills. I took English classes at a community college at night to refine my English skills and took a private tutor in English pronunciation. My parents are still depending on me for English communication and translation for their personal needs.  
 
How did your experience God’s provision and help during that time?  

I didn’t become a Christian till I was 30 yrs old. However, even in college years, God brought many good friends who helped me in English and took me as a friend despite the language barrier. I think I learned English the most when I was in college. Moving out from home and living on campus was a God's provision to learn English.  

Once I became a Christian, God opened doors to Christian community and allowed me to speak freely without fear of my imperfect English pronunciation and communication skills. They accepted me as a body of Christ and language barrier was not an issue, and I began to overcome my fear of speaking, especially public speaking. I still have fear of public speaking and anxiety when I have to speak, but I learned to trust in Him.

What challenges did you face when you came to the US?
 
One of the challenges I have faced is regarding my limited ability to speak the language, although it has now improved significantly, early on I felt quite insecure and was afraid of not being understood.
 
Another challenge has been the journey of putting the business in operation without an active social security number (now in process) and no credit score running. Which made it impossible to get a bank loan and very difficult to get a commercial lease for a location to run the business out of. Our original plan was to have all those needs met but unfortunately our plan ‘A’ felt through, and we were left to fend for ourselves early on. Something that made me feel inadequate, unprepared, and vulnerable, with very limited possibilities to succeed or thrive.
 
Another challenge was letting go of our successful company in Honduras so we could fully invest in the one we were starting in the US. It was a huge risk for us and yet we believe it was the right decision. Although we didn’t know at the time that the pandemic would hit our economy the way it did, that first year we had NO sales, and all our savings were used to honor our financial commitments, like rent, lease, etc. It felt as though we have been on survival mode since we arrived in this country which has stretched our faith.
 
One other challenge was when the rest of the family joined me in Virginia. There were 4 of them and we had little to nothing to pay for a hotel while we found an apartment that could house all of us, we had been separated for 7 months. A significant challenge after living quite comfortably in Honduras, in a big house, in a fabulous neighborhood, leading a thriving printing shop, having several employees, and enjoying some expensive vacations year after year. Being here in the last few years broke me as a man and made me question my sanity and my ability to provide for my wife and children. Perhaps the lowest point in our self-esteem while struggling alone - before we met the wonderful community at Emmanuel Presbyterian which has restored our faith in humanity and encouraged us in the right path, to God be the Glory.
 
How did you experience God's provision and help during that time?
 
In the lowest moments, when we didn’t had money to pay rent or buy food, we were seriously thinking about going back to our country, even knowing that we have little to nothing to return to, as we sold everything or sacrificed much with the move and our stay here. Yet God, in a miraculous way and through some ‘hard to explain’ situations, has provided for us, a few examples:
 
We met the manager of the building where we currently reside who helped us fill the contract and approve the rental of the apartment even though we didn’t had the basic requirements. All that happened two days before the end of the 15 days I have paid for at a hotel room.

We started receiving food from a local food bank, something we still get every two weeks. Thank God we have never gone without food at our table.

We received help through a couple of churches (Emmanuel included) towards rent for our apartment even when we were quite delayed for several months.

God provided us a community of faith which not only nourished us and mentored us but they continue to help in many tangible ways. Perhaps one of the lingering challenges is our emotional health as we are still fighting with some blame and shame issues because we don’t feel we are able to be independent. These new friends and family in the faith keep making us feel welcomed and remind us that we belong somewhere and that we are not alone.

God has been so good in providing the funds to purchase new machinery for our workshop which helps us generate new ways of income and more options to our clientele.

One of the best provisions, if not the best, is that my kids love their school and that the teachers in their school love them as well, they continue affirming that our boys are being raised well which makes us very happy, and continues to be our prayer, that our kids are blessed and that they can be a blessing to others with their friendship.
 
There are many other things and many other ways that Gods provision has been manifest and has touched our lives and we are expectant of the extravagant ways He plans to continue to bless our family, but all in His timing, not ours.

By Stephen Bates

Do you know what question most of my students despise? “What are you going to do when you graduate?” You can see them shrink back the second it’s asked as they get hit again with the reality that they at some point will need to choose a profession, and that choice holds the weight of the world. Most of us have been told that the key to happiness is to find a job that allows us to fully express ourselves, to live our complete authentic selves. Under that weight we either become so hurried that we constantly teeter on the edge of burn out or despair because our relationship to work is profoundly broken.

Enter Alan Noble’s You Are Not Your Own, the book I can’t stop recommending - this book not-so-gently turned my face to Jesus and his grace. Really. But not without a little terror.

The first half of the book surveys our inhuman culture. Alan convincingly shows us we live in a world that promotes belonging to ourselves. But the promises “belonging to yourself” give us—autonomy, full-expression, joy—never pan out. We are left anxious, hurried, paralyzed by decisions, and deeply unwell. Noble does not take his foot off the neck of our inhuman culture until the second half of the book.

And then, the turn at chapter five. The turn knocked me to the ground. See, when I pick up a book by a Christian teacher, I realize I’ve come to expect and even desire what Noble calls “technique”: practices and methods which allow us to have efficiency in every field of our lives. I come to crave a type of “Christian” life-hackery that quietly promises some sort of trade: practice Sabbath to experience God’s presence. Stringing together a flurry of Christian practices and mantras cannot produce comfort. It may even hurt, if done with efficiency in mind. It is not enough.

What is enough? That we belong to Christ. Really. We cannot justify our existence through our deadly doings. Our existence is justified by being shot through by the grandeur of God. Our existence is justified because that breath you just took was coaxed out and held by the Maker of it all. And more. "He loves you and gave himself for you" (Gal. 2:20).

By Scott Seaton

When Rachel Gilson recently met with the leaders of Emmanuel, I asked her how can we be more welcoming to those who experience same-sex attraction, and how we can walk alongside them to live faithfully in Christ.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I ask a question, I already have an answer in mind. So I expected Rachel to say something about how important it is not to single out any one person or temptation over another. Or not to use us/them language, thus making people feel like outsiders. Or how we need to talk about our own sexual brokenness, and how we all struggle with sexual temptation. So I was ready for her answer.

Instead, her first response was a question: how well are you welcoming singles?

I didn’t see that coming. But it was a great answer, as it got us to consider who we already are, and the foundation for the kind of community we need to be. Rachel then guided our conversation, that included the following points:

Don’t normalize marriage. In other words, don’t talk about marriage more than singleness, or somehow set marriage and family as the idealized goal of the Christian life. Marriage is a gift of God, but it’s not the ultimate prize. Jesus is. Singles and couples can all live full and satisfying lives, but our becoming complete can only be met by Jesus. Earthly marriage is but a flawed and temporary picture of Jesus’ infinite and eternal love for his people. And arguably, the New Testament elevates singleness over marriage for dedicating one’s life to Jesus (1 Cor. 7:32-35)

Foster inter-generational relationships. While there is value to coordinating events for singles, churches can mistakenly create silos of fellowship, where singles, couples, and families only know their peers. Your primary identity, along with most of your conversations, begin to revolve entirely around your marital status. And that’s neither healthy nor biblical. Instead, we are called into relationship with people from different backgrounds and stages of life. And not just with other adults, but children as well. I didn’t marry until my early 30s, and I greatly appreciated becoming close friends with couples and their kids, often asking to babysit just to be connected to the entire family.

Above all, walk with singles. Being unmarried can be hard, and those who follow a biblical sexual ethic pay a significant price for following Jesus. The messages of the world, and the longings of their heart, can be a heavy burden. Pray for singles, invite them over for dinner—especially holidays—include them in your life, and participate in theirs.

If you’re married, I encourage you to connect with singles at Emmanuel, including those who are divorced or widowed. If you’re single, I know personally how hard it can be to initiate with couples and families, but please lean in. And for all of us, think about how we can be a more welcoming home for all.

A few related resources:

Our own Jennifer Marshall Patterson (MAR, Reformed Theological Seminary) combines faith and research to consider what it means to be both single and content, in her excellent book, Now and Not Yet.

And Jenilyn Swett (MDiv, Covenant Theological Seminary) is the director of adult ministries at Restoration Community Church (PCA) in St. Louis, Missouri. The PCA’s ByFaith magazine recently interviewed her, about her new book on integrating singles into the life of the church.

By Scott Seaton

On Tuesday of this week, 19 children and two adults were slain in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Nine days earlier in California, a gunman opened fire in a church, killing one and wounding five others. And just the day before, 10 people were murdered in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. 10 days of tragedy, all in places that were supposed to be “safe.”

The day after the elementary school shooting, an 11-year old in Pennsylvania saw his father crying, and asked if it was about Uvalde. “Yeah,” the father said. “It’s really sad and I worry about y’all.” “It’s okay, Dad,” the son replied, “we train for this.”

Sixth graders train for this? No, that’s not okay. None of this is. And so our hearts cry out, not only in grief, but also for justice. We instinctively know that none of this is “okay.”

The psalms give us permission—and the words—to cry out. We’ve often turned to them, to lead us in lament, to give voice to our confusion and anger, to plead for justice and hope for wrongs to be righted.

But the passage that’s been on my mind the most this week is from Zechariah: “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.” (Zech. 8:4–5). It’s a picture of life as we know it ought to be: where men and women can grow old, rather than have their lives senselessly ended in a grocery store or church. Where children can play safely, rather than literally fear for their lives at school.

Back up a few verses for the context, where God calls his people to render justice to all, and especially to the most vulnerable: “The word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”” (Zech. 7:8–10). In other words, “thoughts and prayers” are never enough. Yes, we are to grieve and pray. But God’s people also have a responsibility to seek justice and protection for the vulnerable. Christians are to be known for standing in the gap, seeking solutions to evil and injustice.

What troubles me, though, is that like the people of God in Zechariah’s day, we’ll refuse to act because we refuse to listen: “But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets.” (Zech. 7:11–12).

Of course, Christians will disagree on solutions, as we all lack the wisdom and insight to solve our most difficult problems. But it’s quite another thing to refuse to hear the cries, in Texas, California, New York, and make our hearts hard. Diamond hard.

So as we lament in grief and cry for justice, let us also ask the Lord to soften our hearts that we would hear. And as the Lord dwells in our midst, that he would say of us, “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.” (Zech. 8:8). That would truly be a “marvelous sight” (Zech 8:6).

By Young Lee

A lament is an honest and passionate declaration of grief, sorrow, and anger. It is a heartfelt reaction to suffering and injustice that has been experienced or observed. A lament does not hide from the pain of tragedy or hide behind a façade of composure and decorum. In a lament, our struggles and thoughts are reshaped into bold and honest speech. And in that process, it does not pull us away from God but draws us towards him. Laments inevitably look to God as our hope who has overcome evil. It shouts at a God who listens and whose heart is moved by injustice, our cries, and our petitions. Thus, our faith is shaken but not broken. Our faith is stretched only to be strengthened.

Consider writing a lament as you process your own anger and sorrow from recent events. Laments typically consist of four components: 1) a direct address to God, 2) an expression of our sorrow, 3) an acknowledgement of the sins committed, and 4) a declaration and reminder of God’s character.

Read this prayer and allow its words to speak what you no longer have the strength to utter. Through it, find comfort and a challenge to pray and act.

O God of protection and peace, we come to you weary, heartbroken, and afraid. O God who sits in our mess, the temptation to flee pulls fiercely, but we pause, and hold fast in this moment of pain.
Grasping for breath through a river of tears.
Searching for words through our clouded minds.
Bearing the weight of many faces crowding our hearts.

We choose the discomfort of slowing down; to name, to touch, to comb the depths of our sadness, anger, and fear.
Anguish for the violent theft and corruption of innocent lives.
Heartache for the now silent and silenced voices of innocent victims.
Sorrow for the loss of the innocent and the loss of innocence.


We cry out to you! Be near to us, as we lean on the intercession of your Holy Spirit.
Comfort the many, with the sight of our Savior, dying unjustly on the cross.
Soothe the many, with the sight of our Savior, who defended the weak and the powerless.
Strengthen us, with the sight of our Savior, that we might become a beacon of hope in this suffocating darkness.

Lord, we trust in you. We hope in you. We rage with you. We weep with you. Amen.

By Stephen Bates

Peeking around the corner on Sunday mornings, I have the privilege of witnessing something beautiful: the saints at Emmanuel greeting each other after prayer. The extroverts buzz from person to person. The introverts bravely face the daunting prospect of shaking the hand of someone they don’t know. There are some who cannot muster any greeting because of the heaviness in their lives which cannot be adequately communicated in this space. There are introductions, spilt coffee, embraces, hushed medical updates, baby shrieks, awkwardness, joy, and—every once and a while—tears.  

And then we start to sing: “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow…” Eventually, we all join in the ancient doxology. Now for a telling question: Where do you look when you sing the doxology? Maybe you choose to look at the projected words on the wall or maybe you choose to close your eyes. I have a suggestion, but we’ll get to that in a bit. These are the two doxologies we sing regularly at Emmanuel:

The Common Doxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end, Amen.

Both clearly take the lead from doxology found in scripture. We can see parallels in Rom. 11:36,“For from him and through him and to him are all things…to him be the glory forever” or in 2 Cor. 13:14, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” While the “common” doxology was written by Thomas Ken in 1674, the history of the Gloria Patri traces back to the infancy of the early church. It can be traced to disputes over the divinity of Jesus, culminating in the Council of Nicaea (325). The ending “as it was in the beginning…” has no clear genesis but most likely emerged as a common response to readings from the psalms or baptisms. It was refined and solidified in the weekly rhythms of the church across the centuries.

I’m particularly struck by the phrase in the common doxology: “Praise Him, all creatures here below.” It’s a moment every Sunday where we sing to one another. We summon one another to praise the one who made the heavens and the earth, who rose defeating death and sin, and whose presence dwells within us. We summon one another—young and old, sure and doubtful, heavy-laden and lightly-burdened— again to awe. We sing doxology on behalf of those who find it too difficult to sing.

So back to the question: where do I look when I’m singing the doxology? Eyes closed? At the lyrics (even though we certainly know them by now?) At the goofy looking worship leader? These are all perfectly fine, but I’d like to humbly submit one direction to look if you haven’t tried it. As we sing “praise him, all creatures here below,” let’s spare at least a glance at one another. Notice once again the folks Jesus has died, risen, and will return for. Remember the beautiful, broken, redeemer community that he has placed you in as you sing the praise of the eternal God, three in one. Andrew Peterson writes: “That’s community. They look you in the eye and remind you who you are in Christ.” Singing doxology is a participation in the backward reverberation of a song sung by a thunderous choir at the last resurrection. For one day we will all sing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever.” (Rev. 5:13) Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

¹Nicholas Ayo, Gloria Patri, 2007. 28.
²Andrew Peterson, Adorning the Dark, 2019, 159.

Worship | Community | Doxology

By Young Lee

In the 1989 film, Back to the Future Part II, Marty McFly and Doc travel 30 years to the future to the year of 2015! Yes, that was only 7 years ago. The familiar street names and the courthouse and clock tower situated prominently in the town center, reassures them that they are in their hometown, Hill Valley, California. (Fun fact: the same courthouse was featured in Gremlins and To Kill a Mockingbird.)

Yet, though the location felt familiar, so much has changed! Cars now fly and rainbow iridescent caps are the new fashion trend. Youth speed along the streets…and over the water…not on skateboards, but on levitating hoverboards. Nike still makes high-top sneakers, but now they light up and self-lace, promoting laziness with a little neon bling. (Fun fact: The future is here now! You too can buy Nike Adapts which lace up on their own with a click of a button on their app.)

After 30 years, nothing and so much had changed in Hill Valley.

For many of us the pandemic has felt like we’ve been frozen in stasis, and we’re just starting to wake up from the fog. Some of us are heading back to our offices, albeit for one or two days a week. Others of us are venturing back to our favorite restaurants, to the airports, and even to the movie theaters. And as we slowly wake up from our hibernation, we are realizing that a lot has changed and at the same time nothing has changed.

I think many of us are feeling very similarly about church. As most of us now have returned or are slowly returning to in-person worship, you might be noticing that a lot has changed and at the same time nothing has changed at Emmanuel.

At the beginning of 2021, we moved from the Arlington campus of George Mason University to our new home at Rivendell. The drab padded auditorium has been replaced with a beautiful resonant sanctuary. We no longer smell the aroma of Pollo Rico beckoning us to come in. Instead, we are tempted by fish tacos from District Taco and barbeque from Sloppy Mama’s. The children now have an enclosed courtyard and playground to run around in rather than playing on the red Capital bikeshare bikes situated precariously close to Fairfax Boulevard.

Much has changed!

Over 26% of our congregation began attending Emmanuel sometime during the pandemic. Families and individuals have also moved away as many companies have shifted to fully virtual. Thus, many of us are coming back to a community that has been infused with new faces to meet and new names to remember.

Much has changed!

In June of 2020, Stephen Bates moved up from Asheville, NC and took over as our new worship leader and youth group director. The youth group has more than doubled in size during this period of time, and we’re starting to hear a new unfamiliar sound at church – the thud of basketballs on a gymnasium floor. Almost overnight, the youth are now tall enough to play alongside the adults and numerous enough to kick-off the adults from the court.

Much has changed!

Finally, during the pandemic, we have seen the ethnic composition of Emmanuel shift from about 37% non-majority culture individuals to almost 50%. Nearly every month, we are treated to an incredible Sri Lankan meal, lovingly cooked by one of our new church members. The sounds of people speaking Spanish and even Tamil during fellowship time have become more commonplace and louder in volume.

Much has changed…

…and yet, nothing has changed.

Emmanuel is still the same caring and nurturing community where newcomers have always been welcomed – not as guests – but as family members. Though the numbers have grown and the facilities have changed, Emmanuel’s commitment to discipling our children and youth towards a greater understanding and love of Jesus have only become stronger. Our recent growth in diversity is new but it’s only the byproduct of a vision that has remained unwavering since Emmanuel first launched. And though the draft location and participants have changed over the years, the winner of Emmanuel’s Fantasy Football league remains relatively consistent! (You know who. Hint: 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019 and 2021)

However, more seriously and most importantly, though the appearance of Emmanuel looks different, the foundation of Emmanuel remains consistent. The life of our community, the motivation of our ministries, and the central focus of our worship and preaching continues to be the Gospel. As we slowly but surely step out from the fog of the pandemic, there’s much that seems different. However, the grace of God, which resounds in our new sanctuary and salts our conversations with newcomers, has never changed.

Much has changed and yet, nothing has changed!

Pandemic | Community | Diversity | Newcomers | Youth Group | Back to the Future | Fantasy Football | Sloppy Mama's

By Scott Seaton

In response to the often divisive and disparaging experience of social media, Emmanuel recently created a set of guidelines called “Social Media and the Ninth Commandment.” Once a friendly platform for posting pictures of kittens and stories of vacations, social media in the last decade has become something decidedly different and darker: a platform of outrage.

What’s driving the change? Money. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, et al monetize their apps by selling ads, and the clicks to those ads. To determine what ads to put in front of us, our online experience is constantly monitored, tracking how long we spend on a particular site or thread, and which links we follow. Our behavior, individually and collectively, is valuable information. As Daniel Hövermann said in Netflix’s 2020 documentary, The Social Dilemma, “If you're not paying for the product, then you are the product.”

And so to generate as much revenue as possible, the platforms need to keep you online as long as possible. The best way to do that? Conflict.

According to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt in a recent article in The Atlantic, the seeds of discord were planted in 2009, with the ability to “like” posts on Facebook and “retweet” posts on Twitter. Those seemingly small changes enabled the platforms’ algorithms to study what kept users “engaged.” The posts most likely to be shared were those that triggered emotions—and in particular, anger. And so the apps’ designers created ways to ensure we would see the posts that made us mad. So mad, we would “like” and “retweet” them, and pay the outrage forward.  

Haidt identifies three destructive trends of this development. First, social media amplified the voice of internet trolls, who dominate online forums by demeaning and harassing others. Second, social media gave more power to extreme voices, while diminishing the majority in the middle who sat out the arguing. And by targeting those within their own ranks who expressed sympathy for a contrary opinion, the poles became even more uniform and extreme. Third, social media enabled anyone to administer justice without due process, such that “we get a society that ignores context, proportionality, mercy, and truth.”

We’ve all experienced the negative effects of social media. Vitriolic posts that demean and degrade. Inaccurate or offensive memes that are instantly shared without reflection. Wild theories that foster paranoia and fear. Unless our social media behavior changes soon, Haidt predicts the situation will get much worse, especially with the growth of artificial intelligence.

While there are any number of proposed solutions—user verification, transparency of algorithms—there is no substitute for what the Gospel offers: a gracious community.

As image bearers of the triune God, we are made for community. Genuine, authentic, in-person relationships where we are known and loved. Where we learn empathy by connecting to people with a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. Where our interactions are different because they take place face-to-face, rather than via a keyboard.

And our relationships are to be gracious. Where we are committed to truth over slander, peace over division, and love over outrage. Where we are willing to examine our own behavior in light of God’s standards and not the world’s, and repent where we fall short.

One of the best tools to help us do just that is the Westminster Larger Catechism and its reflections on the Ten Commandments. Though written hundreds of years before the advent of the internet, the Catechism’s insights on the Ninth Commandment, “Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor,” provide timely guidelines for navigating the world of social media in a gracious, Christ-like manner.

We encourage you to read and apply these guidelines, which are based on Scripture and the Catechism. And so in a small but significant way, may our online presence honor Christ by seeking truth and peace in all our interactions.

Social Media | Conflict | Community

By Scott Seaton

I was recently asked that question, by a newcomer to Emmanuel. If you’re looking for a church home, it’s a great question to ask.

I responded by saying we actually don’t try to be different. All churches ought to express the core beliefs and mission that Christians have always affirmed. Sure, there have been differences—some very loud differences—over the centuries, but they have mostly been over secondary issues. The essentials of the faith, of who God is and how he relates to us, are held in common by churches in every age and every culture. Jesus has also given his Church a common mission, to “make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). And so we aren’t trying to be different in our essential theology or purpose.

That essence can be expressed in one word: Emmanuel. God With Us. The triune God who created us in his image, loved us so much he did everything necessary to rescue us from our sin and shame. There is no person, behavior, or circumstance that is beyond the presence of God. And so we chose Emmanuel as the name of our church, to be reminded that no matter who we are, where we are from, or what we’ve done, God is with us.

But while the essential beliefs and mission are shared by churches everywhere, each church has its own personality. It exists in a particular time and place, with unique people and circumstances. And so each church is indeed different from other churches—the question the newcomer was asking. For our congregation, that distinction can also be expressed in one word: Emmanuel.

I told the visitor the first thing many people notice about Emmanuel is the diversity of our congregation, not only our members but also our officers and staff. In fact, we named our church Emmanuel, because it has the same meaning and pronunciation in every language. It’s a constant reminder that God welcomes people from every tribe, tongue and nation (Rev. 7:9).

Since diversity is our eternal and inevitable future, our church is committed to reflecting and celebrating what it means to be a diverse community, here and now. As a multi-ethnic church in Arlington, one of the most ethnically rich areas in the country, we’re developing ways to deepen and extend the vision God has given us.

For example, we’re starting a new course that will look at lessons from the life of Barnabas, who planted the first multi-ethnic church. Deeply soaked in the gospel, Barnabas built up the marginalized and distrusted, created opportunities for others to serve and develop, gave away power and was willing to be eclipsed. Barnabas is the kind of person we need to be, in order to be an authentically diverse people. We’re also praying the Lord would enable us to plant other multi-ethnic churches and equip pastors who want to grow their own church’s diversity.

As we lean into this vision, we’re mindful that unity in diversity is a powerful witness to an increasingly divided world. The night before his crucifixion, Jesus told his disciples, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35). True unity is possible, only because Jesus transcends what naturally divides us. And not just our ethnic differences, but our social, economic, and political differences as well. It’s what we all long for, whether we know it or not. Deep inside every image bearer you will meet this week, there is a chord that resonates with God’s work of restoration.

In that way, may we all be different, because God is with us, our Emmanuel.


Scott Seaton | Outreach |  Diversity | Multi-ethnic | John 13 | Revelation 7