“I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the
heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 3:14)
We arrived in Majuro on the Marshall Islands after meeting with friends and members of the Presbyterian Church USA in Honolulu. We were blessed with breaking bread and hearing about the witness and ministry of leaders serving as pastors of congregations, chaplains in the miliary and in a local school. We met at the Mililani Presbyterian Church in the center of the island of Oahu – the terrain was lush, differing greatly from the beaches of Waikiki. We heard from our siblings in the United Church of Christ – UCC (they are a primary presence on the Hawaiian Islands) as well as from a Methodist pastor working with displaced youth from Micronesia who find themselves leaving their homelands due to rising sea levels. Via the gift of zoom, we were also able to hear from the Presbyterian pastor serving a UCC congregation in Maui. She has become a point person for engaging how others might come alongside the residents of Lahaina in Maui at this time – after the devastating fire destroyed that town. Hearing their stories speak to the complexities of ministry within particular contexts.
On the other hand, our conversations about the challenges of pastoral ministry sounded all-too familiar – the impact of the pandemic, the scarcity of resources, the isolation of ministry, the concern for displaced migrants; the ever-growing needs regarding food and housing. And yet, in the midst of it all, we could feel the hope of the Gospel; the commitment to boldly leaning into ministry at this moment. One could almost hear the words in the letter to the Philippians – “I press on….”
As I write this reflection, I am looking out of my room at a blue lagoon that hugs one side of this extraordinary atoll that sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The atoll of Majuro on the Marshall Islands is about 29 miles at its most distance point. Its thin strip of land is about 490 feet at its widest point and about 98 feet at its narrowest. The average height of the land above sea level is only 7 feet. There is an obvious vulnerability with this reality – and yet the beauty of the land, the hues of blues and greens of the ocean create a mesmerizing image – one unfamiliar to my eyes and experience. A difficult emotional part of this encounter is understanding how this homeland will likely not exist in the not so-distant future; that generations to come will not return to this kind of ‘Eden.’ Instead, the conversations included themes of migration and what that continued trend means for the identity of a people; they included the reality of climate change and the rising sea levels; they included proclaiming the Gospel to this time and place. There is something compelling about a people determined to reflect the love of Christ in the midst of what can appear to be overwhelming challenges. The echoes of a people “pressing on” rings in my heart and mind.
In worship and in conversation with pastors and leaders of women’s ministries of the Marshallese Church of Christ, I have observed a great strength in the people of this atoll nation. As rising sea waters and a dark history (they were used as a USA testing site in late 1940s and 1950s for the atomic bomb) frame a part of its story, so does the spirit of a people determined to embody their faith in real and concrete ways. We were especially grateful for their ministry of presence toward us, given that their beloved President of the church and denomination had unexpectedly died and plans to celebrate his life were being formulated. We stepped into a space where embracing the loss of a loved one was a palpable part of the current reality. We prayed we could come alongside them and build a relationship of mutuality that would grow in time. We prayed we would not be a distraction from the sacred work of grief. And yet in many ways, this moment embodies the ongoing journey through life – making space for something new while honoring and grieving the faithful witness of a leader. And so “I press on…..” beyond the tears and sadness of this loss.
As I consider the 65 or so Marshallese churches in the United States, Guam and The Marshall Islands, I am mindful of the uniqueness of what it means to be a people in a kind of diaspora – keeping a tradition and culture alive across oceans and nations; staying connected to family here and there; maintaining the connection of a covenant community via the hope of the Gospel embodied in worshipping communities. I am humbled by being introduced to this new reality of a world I had not known. The vibrant colors in clothing, the lushness of the land enveloped by the ocean reflect the richness of a culture whose history dates back thousands of years. I do not know what will become of their beloved islands and atolls. I can’t imagine the scenario that makes one’s homeland disappear. What I do know is that the powerful Holy Spirit is upon these people – they are a bold and faithful people. I am humbled by their strength and witness – as they embody what it means to “press on….”
I find myself thinking about us at this moment – the 114 congregations that make up our covenant community as the Presbytery of Philadelphia. The colors around us are not in the hues of blues and greens. They are instead orange, yellow, brown, and green – escorting us into the rhythms of Autumn as we once again embark on a new season of ministry – reframing and reclaiming what it means to be a faithful and relevant witness on behalf of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for a time such as this. There is no denying that there is so much that challenges us. But there is even more that inspires us – for we are a people who claim to be a resurrection people; a people of the impossible – faithfully “pressing on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”
I am grateful for the gift you all bring – as we together embody the hope of the Gospel in our corner of God’s world. I am honored to be a part of our story. I covet your prayers as our next stop on this co-moderator journey will be the island nations of Kiribati and Fiji. Knowing you carry me in your prayers compels me to “press on 7,000 miles from home.”
Click here to view Ruth’s photo album of her South Pacific!
