Welcome to The First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Columbus, Ohio Web site!
We hope you not only cruise through our pages here, but come to worship with us and hopefully, God willing, in time join with us on the journey of faith!
We are in the season of Epiphany. Epiphany means "to show” or "to make known." It is the season of light. In this season, we come to experience the "Ah ha's" of faith! We also encounter Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in new ways. I like John V. Taylor's description of the Holy Spirit as "The Go-Between God." I have written and preached these words about "The Go-Between God":
"There is a force in my life – and I believe in the universe – that causes me to see in a way which I have not seen before. This force makes the landscape or a person or an idea come to life for me and become a presence toward which I surrender myself. I respond, I delight, I fall in love, I worship - yet it was not I who took the first step, who opened up to reality in a holy new love. In every such encounter, there was an anonymous third party who made the introductions and who acted as a go-between making me aware of another being - who makes us aware of each other. This go-between sets up new lines of communication and although invisible is the power source for the Universe and the soul. The “Go-between God’’ does not simply exist between two people but activates each from the inside and motivates both into acts of mission and mercy; to live in the power and the grace of God." (Drawn from James V. Taylor's 1973 book, The Go-Between God)
Moses approaching the burning bush is no scientific observer, for that same fiery essence burns inside of him simultaneously. His heart AND the bush are aflame with a fire which does not consume, but rather transforms. He and the bush are caught and held, as it were, in the same magnetic field! This force is personal. Very personal! But, it is also the power source for all Judaeo-Christian reality. We call this source the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit! To paraphrase Jewish mystic and theologian Martin Buber: The Holy Spirit turns an It into a Thou.
The Holy Spirit was the one who was and is and forever shall be present when the Lord is present between us. It is the Holy Spirit which holds together while we are absent one from another. This "Go-Between God" is the mortar in the brick of our faith! It is that which binds and holds us together! Without the Holy Spirit, nothing can happen which is the mission of the church! Without the Holy Spirit, our reason for existing as Christians is in absolute jeopardy. But with the Holy Spirit, nothing is impossible!
I believe "The Go-Between God" is here, holding you and me together in Christian community and opening us to stretch outside our comfort zones and join Peter in speaking to those we ordinarily don't speak to or fear for some reason. It is the Holy Spirit who puts these words in Peter's mouth (Acts 10:34-43) and our mouths – "Surely God shows no partiality!" In other words, "Surely God is not biased! Surely God is not prejudiced! Surely God doesn't show favoritism!" To state this in positive terms: Surely, God is just!
Please check out our Web site. Better yet, come experience "The Go-Between God" here at First Church! See you soon!
Yours in Christ's love,
Tim Ahrens