Ecumenical Extravaganza in Louisville

Yesterday I was privileged to accompany 12 folks from Thailand and a handful from our Presbytery (Scioto Valley) down to Louisville, Kentucky. My adventure began at 6:30am in the parking lot of nearby Covenant Presbyterian Church. Our mission/adventure lay before us: Lunch, a tour, and a conversation at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary with Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, the President of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and then from the seminary to Presbyterian Church USA's denominational office (aka. HQ). At HQ we met with David Hudson, the Mission area director for Asia, and had a tour of the place including the magnificent chapel.

So here is a question: why did we do this?
I am glad you asked...
The Presbytery of Scioto Valley has a long standing partnership with Pahk II, which is one of 19 "presbyteries" in the Church of Christ in Thailand. Every 2-3 years a delegation from there or here visits the other with the hopes of strengthening the bonds of friendship between sister churches as well as think about how each group might equip and strengthen the other. Judy Baker, the chair of the Thai Partnership Committee for the Presbytery of Scioto Valley, calls this a "mission of friendship" with emphasis on creating a community with our Thai brothers and sisters rather than going to Thailand with the prospects of building churches or doing Vacation Bible Schools. I was excited to be a part of this partnership.

To be honest, I love stuff like this. God blessed me with many opportunities to travel and I have been fortunate enough to be involved in international mission. Each and every time I travel and have the opportunity to share a meal, worship, or work along side men and women from places that all to often feel far away to us here in the states I am overcome with one crystal-clear reality: we are all in this together. Thai, Kenyans, Mexicans, Chinese, Americans, and everyone in-between, we are all in this life together. We all seek to live well, provide for our loved ones, be happy and healthy, and in the end, feel loved. These are the things that, for me, seem to be bonds unable to be broken by the minuscule things that get lifted up as the apocalyptic differences that shatter any attempts at unity. My life, my faith, and my desire to see the world be a better place united me with the 12 folks from the Thai Christian churches.