By: Beard McAulay, Moderator
A year ago, when I accepted the position of Moderator-Elect, I promised to count it a joy to serve in this role. And I must say that it has been a joy thus far. In automatically becoming an advisory member to all the boards and committees of General Synod, I have had the privilege of meeting many of you whom I did not know before and have seen first-hand how seriously you seek to perform the duties in these important ministries of our denomination. I look forward to serving with you even more in the coming year. It has also been a great privilege to get to know the staff at the ARP center. Without them and the Committee on Administration, I would have been completely lost in preparing for this Synod. What a help they have been, answering every question in a timely manner and being so easy to work with. Thank you all for your help thus far.
The Lord is to be praised with gratitude and worship not only for his provision of this family, but also for the heritage He gave me just by being born. My fifth-great grandfather, Ewen McAulay, came to the United States from Scotland by way of Ireland in the mid-1700’s with his two sons. He found his church home at Sardis ARP in Charlotte, NC. His son, Daniel, later moved to northern Mecklenburg County, fought in the Revolutionary War, bought land that we still live on, and worshipped at Gilead ARP. His son, Hugh, also worshipped and is buried there. One of Hugh’s sons, John C. McAulay, my great-great grandfather, helped start a church plant between Gilead and Prosperity that would eventually be called Huntersville ARP Church, where we worship today. He, along with my next two ancestors, were elders and are buried at Huntersville. My father and I, and my son and grandsons, still worship there. By my count, that makes me an 8th generation ARP, and my grandsons 10th generation. Why do I tell you this? Not to puff myself up, for none of it was my doing. I give you 2 reasons why: 1) With my lineage being a small example, the ARP as a denomination, should give thanks and praise to our God who has blessed us with a rich history and a beautiful heritage. And 2) We cannot rest on that. I as a father and grandfather cannot rest on it, and we as a denomination cannot rest on it. We must be forward looking. To quote my theme for this year, we must be about KNOWING JESUS and GROWING IN GRACE! Hear this from Psalm 71:17-18.
17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
There is an acknowledgement here of God’s provision and that we can do nothing without Him. But also, a recognition that we, as long as the Lord gives us breath, have work to do! We must be concerned, not only with the 10th or 11th generation, but with those who would be FIRST generation Christians – We, having been taught from our youth, must proclaim his might, his wondrous deeds, his power, to all under our charge, to all who will hear.
The proposed Moderator’s Theme for this year, as I have mentioned is KNOWING JESUS, GROWING IN GRACE, from 2 Peter 3:18. A companion verse is John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” And you will note in your packet, Index 37, Appendix A, that each monthly emphasis begins with the name of Jesus. As Moderator, I hope to actively promote this theme and each monthly emphasis through the ARP Magazine, email communications, and through the presbyteries.
So, who is this theme about? Not us. It is about Jesus Christ. He alone is worthy to be our theme – to be at the center of everything we do. He is the seed of the woman who has crushed the head of the serpent, the source and provider of Noah’s favor with God, the Ark in which we take refuge, the Ram caught in the thicket, King David’s hope, King Solomon’s wisdom, Job’s Redeemer, the center of all the thoughts of all the prophets – Our advocate, our mediator, our intercessor, our shepherd, our Savior, our Lord, The Lamb who was slain, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. The only One worthy to open the Scroll. Do you KNOW Him? If so, is He just an acquaintance? Or do you KNOW Him with an active, increasing, hungry knowledge? In other words, are you GROWING in Him and His grace?
Here is the challenge I bring today: to the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, to the 8 presbyteries, to every Session, to every minister, elder, and church member: Make Jesus the center of everything you do. Everything you do, not just in Sunday worship, but in your homes and the homes of your flocks, in all of your meetings, your counseling sessions, your prayers, your singing, your mission trips, your church planting, your board meetings. Make Him the center. For we would not be here, your church would not exist, even Bonclarken may not exist <<gasp>> if it were not for the Work accomplished and the Work continuing of our Risen Lord. And none of this would exist without the apostles knowing and growing together. They like the psalmist proclaimed his wondrous deeds, his might, his power to the next generation, and the next, and the next. Let it continue with us. Let it never be said that the ARP failed in this.
We ARPs love to celebrate our “connectedness.” So, this year and years to follow, let us be connected in Jesus, by Jesus, for Jesus. Let us be proud of our heritage in Jesus, boasting only in Him. And when other denominations see and hear about us, may they know from what they see and hear from you and me that Jesus truly is at the center of everything we are doing. Let us say, with Joshua, as for me and you and this house, we will serve the Lord.
Amen.