Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:1, 2

In his opening sentence, Paul, in his letter to the believers in Ephesus, helps me to focus my attention on the fact that, even though I might not agree with other believers on all points, we all agree that all those who are believers are “holy people.”

The North American section of our denomination is now going through a period of choosing who are brothers and sisters and who come up short, we say.  So, congregations are seeking other congregations, within the denomination, with whom they agree on the issues at hand.

Our denomination has its roots in the 1520’s when we left the Roman Catholic Church.  We dared to hive off.  Now, over 400 years later, we split from one another!  The splits are not on doctrinal issues, so to speak, but on behavioral issues.  But splits they are.  I think we should take a step back and ask ourselves, not about what to disagree on, but how to live together with some differences.  We must decide what we must split on.  I believe in trustworthy discipleship, but I also believe that the Spirit of the Lord is hindered among us because of our strong beliefs about certain practices that make it impossible to live together in peace.

I must look at all believers as holy people in our world today.  I think that is good.  My problem is to look at my denominational brothers and sisters with that same reverence for the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

Lord, help us all.  I can hear my mother say that!