A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: A CHURCH BUILT ON RELATIONSHIPS
Grace and peace to you,
This weekend we observe the 509th anniversary of the Reformation, ushered in by Martin Luther tacking the 95 theses to the doors of the All Saints Church in Wittenberg. Luther was fed up with the then-church practice called papal indulgences – certificates for purchase that supposedly reduced or remitted punishment for sins. The wealthy could afford them; the poor could not.
Luther came to understand that grace could 
not be earned or bought – it was a gift bestowed by God on all. Luther hoped the theses would spark an academic debate – what it did was cause a reformation movement that continues today. And it is from this event that Protestantism and eventually Presbyterianism would arise. Without Luther – an ancestor of the faith – would we even be here? Would we have as the PCUSA motto: Reformed and always to be reforming according to the will of God?
It is also All Saints Sunday where we recognize the saints of our church and of our lives. Remember for us, saint is defined as any living believer, meaning we are all saints.
At our last Session meeting, I asked Session members to reflect on who had been an important part of their spiritual/faith journey. Answers included family members, Sunday School or confirmation teachers, other church leaders. There were wonderful stories about people who allowed them to express doubts and ask questions, who were interested in more than just their Bible knowledge, but also how faith was shaping them.
I ask all of us the same question: who has been an important part of our spiritual/faith journey? Who in our church’s past or present is an important person for you?
Finally, it is the third Sunday in our stewardship series where we lift the core value of having an inquiring faith, and the Mission Study theme of being a more relational church. Here is the language for both:
An Inquiring Faith
Following Christ’s example in Scripture, we believe that curiosity and questioning are essential practices of faith, and that some of our most important work as a congregation is helping each other to ask better questions about faith and life, and to seek more faithful answers together.
A More Relational Church
FPCB has a strong, historical grounding in small group, circle-based connection models through our
K-groups. We seek to build on this tradition through thoughtful expansion to different types of groups (e.g., multigenerational or life stages; spiritual direction) and an intentional focus on welcoming newcomers into group engagement right from the start. Alongside this vision for church members, an expressed desire is to support compassionate spaces for mental health advocacy and recovery programs. Finally, we embrace the transformative power of gathering around the table where we envision living into the theology that God is truly present in our shared food and fellowship.
How do all these relate: the Reformation, the saints in our lives, and our stated value of asking better questions about our faith and the way we live that out as a church built on relationships? Come and see! Come and explore together in community! See you Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Karen