PINNACLE
Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole ~ Quarterly Newsletter I VolUME no 15 SPRING 2022
THE
People of the
Passion
Judas Mary Magdalene W e e p i n g w o m e n at t h e c r o s s Nicodemus M o t h e r M ARY THE S e r va n t Simon of Cyrene John, the Apostle
to be a c o m m u n i ty, Rooted in Christ, reaching out in love
Table of Contents Volume NO 15 I spring 2022
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T h e p e o p l e o f t h e Pa s s i o n
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PINNACLE
Lent marks a special time for the Church of Jesus Christ, as it leads us to the most remarkable event of all time, the resurrection of Jesus. The following pages walk with real people who lived and experienced Jesus’ last days. What did they see? What did they experience? Each character brings a unique perspective to our understanding of what it meant for them and how their lives were impacted by Christ. May these readings offer fresh insights into the “greatest story ever told” and enrich us all to be God’s “People of the Passion.”
“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" u John 1:29
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We are more like Judas than WE care to admit Re v. Ben Pascal
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I HAVE SEEN THE LORD Re v. Tamara Mitchell
do not weep Susan Conner
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WHO IS Nicodemus? Marc Calder
reaching out in love and compassion Sierra Fulton
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the burden of the CROSS Ken Blount
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are you out of this world? Julia Stanley
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SIMPLY PRESENT Josh Ziolkowski
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get to know us
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cover: AS this Madonna statue warmed in Spring sunshine, a queen bee started a nest in it and it quickly became covered with honey bees—appearing to have living hair. Church of Saint Michael, France.
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Pinnacle
J U DAS
We are more
like Judas than WE care to admit
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ll four gospels mention “Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus.” The synoptic gospels also make a point to list Judas last of all the disciples. Understandably so, since Judas’ betrayal ultimately led to Christ’s arrest and crucifixion. I’m pretty sure Judas is not a popular name for babies today. Do you know anybody named Judas? Perhaps you are wondering why we are starting this Pinnacle with Judas. Why not put him in the back… dead last? I am reminded that Jesus said, “the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Jesus also said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” and “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone.” I have selected Judas Iscariot as our first person of the passion because I think Judas is treated unfairly and judged harshly. If we are really honest with ourselves we will discover that Judas is more like us than we care to admit. Presbyterian pastor and author, Tim Keller, said: “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same
time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” This is true of us and I believe it is also true of Judas. Judas was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. We can be sure that Jesus loved him and that Judas also loved Jesus. Judas left everything to follow Jesus. Judas spent a lot of time with the Lord, learned from him, and witnessed miracles and healings. We can be sure that there was a love between Jesus and Judas similar to Jesus’ love for us. While this love was real, Judas also betrayed Jesus. As the treasurer for the disciples, Judas let his love for money get in the way of the mission. Judas was the one who objected to the woman anointing Jesus’ feet with perfume because of the cost of that perfume. Judas was ultimately persuaded by 30 silver coins to lead the authorities to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, which ultimately led to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. At the heart of Judas’ betrayal was a love for money. Judas put something before his relationship with Jesus. Have you ever done that? I thought so. Me too. Judas is more like us than we care to admit. Betrayal is a deep wound for both the betrayed and the betrayer. Have you ever betrayed someone you love or
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Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem where Jesus was arrested the night before his crucifixion.
Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. u-Matthew 26:14-15 been betrayed by someone you love? It hurts like no other hurt. The betrayed is often blindsided and shocked by the betrayal (although Jesus knew Judas was to betray him). The betrayer is often found carrying the pain of guilt and remorse (we see this happen in Judas.) Judas let his sin and shame consume him. He couldn’t forgive himself. Have you ever been there? Yep, me too. Judas is more like us than we care to admit. Judas ultimately took his own life. Shame consumed him and ultimately led to self-destruction. While suicide happens to the best of people, it is always a tragic ending. I don’t think it is what God wants nor is it what the person committing suicide wants. If only Judas would have experienced Jesus’ loving forgiveness in this life, though I am sure he did in the next. I imagine we will see Judas in heaven fully healed and restored. Do you know someone who loved Jesus yet took their own life? Yep, me too. Judas is more like us than we care to admit. Betrayal, self-destruction and a tragic end is not the best that God has for us. Judas’ story didn’t have to end the way it did. Sadly, Judas killed himself before ever
having a chance to witness Jesus’ powerful work on the cross and his miraculous resurrection. On the other hand, the Apostle Peter, who also betrayed Jesus when he disowned him three times, felt a similar shame and guilt as Judas, but Peter took a different route. Eventually Peter was able to experience the Risen Jesus’ love and forgiveness on the shore of Galilee. Have you ever wallowed in your guilt and shame instead of coming to Jesus to receive his mercy and grace? Yep, me too. We are more like Judas than we care to admit. In the following pages of this Pinnacle edition, you will have the opportunity to learn from other people of the passion. My hope is that you will be inspired and challenged by their stories, just as I hope you have been inspired and challenged by Judas' story, one all too familiar to our own. ✝
REV. Ben Pascal is the Senior Pastor of PCJH
pcjh.org
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Pinnacle
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M a ry M a g d a l e n e
I HAVE
SEEN THE LORD
~ Re v. Tamara Mitchell
S
he probably wouldn’t have called herself courageous or trustworthy. She probably wouldn’t have referred to herself as someone who was full of joy or passion. Most likely she would not have described herself as someone who is bold, or fearless, or heroic. I imagine that if asked, she would use a different word – loved. Loved in ways that she never expected nor asked to be loved. Love that interrupted her life and she was never the same again. Mary of Magdala did not start out as a disciple of Jesus. What we know about Mary is pieced together through the various Gospel writers. It is only Luke who introduces Mary prior to the crucifixion. She is mentioned among a list of other women who also were followers of Jesus. Luke makes it a point to mention that she, like the other women, was “demon-possessed” and that Jesus had healed her. There is no mention in scripture of her morality, her religion, or her family. Some have suggested that she was a prostitute or that she was the unnamed woman in Luke 7 who anointed Jesus’ feet. However, there is no biblical support for that. If anything, she may have been a woman of wealth because in Mark 15, she is mentioned as someone who supported Jesus.
What we do see is her character. While there are many beautiful qualities seen in Mary, two traits stand out in particular. First of all, Mary was faithful. Mary traveled with Jesus for years. She listened to him teach. She witnessed his healings. She heard the begging for healing, the requests and demands for cures, the praises for miracles, the insults and the criticisms for his teaching. She watched how others responded to Jesus: some were hardened to him, others were apathetic, and still others…meh. When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, she did not run away as the other disciples did. She remained close to Jesus. She witnessed the ridiculous trial, the fake charges, the out-of-control mob, the release of a murderer, and even the horrific flogging. Mary was most likely present for it all, along with Jesus’ mother and other women. Her faithfulness to Jesus never deterred. When almost everyone else seemed to abandon Jesus in his final hours, she remained loyal to Jesus, even though it brought her to the gore of the cross. I often wonder what she must have been feeling, thinking and experiencing in those last 24 hours of Jesus’ life. How quickly things changed from a serene garden to a violent crowd demanding her Lord’s death!
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"God entrusted Mary, a once-broken and confused woman, to carry the greatest news to the world: He is risen!." For me, Mary exemplifies the power of faithfulness to Christ. Oftentimes, people say “I’m a Christian”, only to mean that they go to church or that they are not a Muslim, Jew, or Buddhist (so they must be a Christian). However, to be a Christian implies that one is a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Let’s be honest, to be faithful requires courage. Faithfulness does not come easily. It is born out of difficulty, adversity, and even painful choices. Mary of Magdala was compelled to stay by Jesus, even throughout his most appalling hours, regardless of how excruciating it must have been for her, regardless that she herself might have been arrested. She could do nothing else. Jesus was her savior. That is faithfulness. I am reminded of Proverbs 3:3-4:
Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and of people. I believe the key to Mary’s faithfulness was rooted in her relationship with Jesus. She wasn’t being faithful to an institution, a doctrine, a teaching, or even a religion. She was being faithful to a person, a person who loved her like no other, and someone she loved more than her own life. She had a relationship with Jesus. The second quality in Mary that strikes me as key is her beautiful, authentic witness to the transforming power of Jesus. Mary was a living witness to Christ’s healing power. As mentioned earlier, Mary is said to have been healed of “demons”. That very may well have been. Today, we might define these differently such as mental illness, schizophrenia, or epilepsy. Whatever the illness or deficiency, Mary’s life was being torn apart by outside and inside forces, overpowering her life, and keeping her from living in freedom and joy. Mary didn’t suffer from just one malady but seven. We do not know how long she languished. We can only envision the despair, the suffering, the pain and the hopelessness. Her story is one of the most powerful demonstrations of Jesus’ transforming power. Jesus healed her completely.
We do not know how. Was it with a word? A touch? The truth is simply that Jesus released her from being held captive by whatever darkness was holding her hostage. Her life, her sanity, and her health were all given back to her. She did nothing to earn or deserve it. It was given by God’s sheer grace. God’s love does that. She was a walking witness to what Jesus can do for all of us. We often are ashamed of our brokenness and sinfulness. Those are the last places of our lives we want to allow Jesus to heal. Yet, when we experience, really experience, the unconditional love of Jesus, we find that the things that hold us hostage have no more power. Mary was not only a witness to a personal transformation in her own life, but she was also the first witness to the most important event in world history and the pivotal truth of Christianity: the resurrection of Jesus. Can you imagine her joy seeing Jesus again? Can you envision the exhilaration, the delight, and the sheer amazement to see Jesus in front of her, alive? Then, Jesus told Mary to tell the others that he was alive. God entrusted Mary, a once-broken and confused woman, to carry the greatest news to the world: He is risen! Basically, Mary was Christianity’s first preacher to share the good news to the disciples. She rose to the challenge. We too, as Jesus followers, are witnesses of God’s life-altering love. Like Mary, we know it personally as Christ has redeemed us. Like Mary, our witness does not come from obligation but from a deep love we have for him. The love of God not only interrupted Mary’s life, but interrupted and changed all human history. Our witness is not something just for ourselves alone. Our witness is not just about what God has done for us. Our witness is about what God has done for the entire world! Can we, like Mary, be authentic witnesses to a broken and hurting world? May the simple words of Mary be on our lips as we publicly proclaim, “I have seen the Lord.” ✝
REV. Tamara Mitchell currently serves as PCJH Associate Pastor
pcjh.org
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Pinnacle
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W e e p i n g w o m e n at t h e c r o s s
DO not
Weep
D
aughters of J erusalem , do n ot weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then 'they will say to the mountains, 'Fall on us! and to the hills, 'Cover us!' For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” ~ Luke 23: 28-31 The Biblical account of Jesus’s brief life and ministry is abounding with men and women from all walks of life. The narrative of the last week on Earth of the most important person who ever lived is no different. The Passion of Christ is the story of a cross-section of characters, the significance and symbolism each of whom invites reflection, contemplation, and study to this day. The Gospel of Luke is the only one of the four that recounts the interaction between Jesus and the weeping women to whom he spoke as he walked to his death. Who were these women? Why did he say what he did to them, and what does it mean for us today? I remember, as a child, how intrigued I was by the words of Jesus printed in red in my Bible. Perhaps it was simply the attraction of the red ink, but I was always more interested in what Jesus was saying! Jesus’s words were intentional, truthful and oftentimes, deeply complex and mystifying. In his final hours, Jesus was placed in chains and dragged through Jerusalem, he was interrogated, ridiculed, beaten, and spat upon. And through all of this, he remained largely silent. Silent in his suffering. It is for this reason that the words he spoke to the weeping women on
SUSAN CONNeR Elder for Congregational Life, and is a Special Education Teacher in Driggs ID
his way to Calvary seem especially compelling. Pilate had released Jesus to the crowd demanding his death and, as he was being led away, a large crowd followed them, including women who mourned and “wailed” for him. Jesus stopped, turned to them and said, “do not weep for me…”. What message, what truth, was Jesus conveying in these words? Biblical scholars have various and compelling ideas as to what Jesus meant. I concur with those who believe these words of Jesus’s, the first that he spoke after appearing before Pilate, were a gentle rebuke spoken out of great love. He addresses the women as “daughters of Jerusalem”, a term of endearment and possibly a reference to all of us as followers of Jesus. These women were not in his inner circle, yet they knew Jesus and were weeping specifically for him. This is also the only time in his public teaching that he was known to tell his listeners to weep. I believe that Jesus is telling the women not to weep for him, because he was doing exactly what he came to do. He does not say “don’t weep”, he says “do not weep for me” and redirects their anguish where it belongs, squarely on them, and us. It is our sin that made his death necessary, our rebellion, and our self-centeredness. These women weeping on the side of the road nailed Jesus to the cross every bit as much as the Roman soldiers did, as we did. The good news is that he loved us enough to willingly die for us and, if we cry for him, then we miss the significance of the cross and his suffering. I love Charles Spurgeon’s statement, “To weep over a dying Savior is to lament the remedy.” To me, this makes perfect sense. If we weep for ourselves, and for our sin that made his death on the cross necessary and we accept that, out of his great love for us, he willingly chose death, we can find repentance and the true meaning of the cross. ✝
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n i c o d e mu s
WHO IS Nicodemus?
R
emarkably, he was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin mentioned in three places in the Gospel of John. However, Nicodemus is best known for secretly meeting Jesus at night, probably because he feared being seen by the other Jewish leaders. Some scholars believe the night meeting was because of the Passover, trying to avoid the crowds. Yet, the second time Nicodemus is mentioned in scripture is during the passion of Jesus. He reminds his colleagues in the Sanhedrin that the law requires that a person be heard before being judged. The third time is when he helps bury Jesus. It is worth noting that Nicodemus and Joseph taking the body of Jesus for burial was a public declaration of their allegiance to our Lord. In the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches, Nicodemus is marked as a saint. Some modern Christians continue to call him a hero for defending Jesus before the Sanhedrin and helping give him a proper burial. But other Christians call him a coward who kept his faith concealed. Nicodemus gives me hope as a Christian that anyone can be born again and with faith, acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. Before the crucifixion, Nicodemus was not yet fully convinced of Jesus’ divinity. Comparing what he knew from the Old Testament and the expectation of the Messiah, he planned for a way to see Jesus. That night meeting with Jesus, Nicodemus received an answer that generations of Christians hold true in their hearts today. You must be born again! Nicodemus said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with Him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying; You must be born again.” Then Nicodemus simply asks, “how can this be?” ~ John 3:9 To illustrate what he means, Jesus seeks to explain, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so
the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him”~ John 3:14-15. Diving deeper into what Jesus just said and looking at it closerJesus predicts His death. “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” ~ John 12:31-32. One Bible footnotes the following, “on this world”: The cross was God’s judgment on the world, the prince of this world, Satan. The cross would seem to be his triumph; in fact, it was his defeat. Out of it would flow the greatest good ever to come to the world; “lifted up”: the cross was the supreme exaltation of Jesus; “all people”: Christ will draw people to Himself without regard for nationality, ethnic affiliation or status Nicodemus was looking for the signs of the Messiah. He defended Jesus when he stood up before the court assembly and stated, “He is a man who has wrought many useful and glorious miracles, such as no man on earth ever wrought before, nor will ever work.” Jesus was accused before Pilate, a Roman governor, of performing cures on the sabbath. Finally, Pilate handed him over to the Jews to be crucified. After the crucifixion, Nicodemus joined Joseph of Arimathea in giving Jesus a traditional Jewish burial. They prepared Jesus’ body, bringing “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds’ weight.” Did this cautious Nicodemus become a true disciple? I believe that he did. According to a fourth-century work later known as the Gospel of Nicodemus and according to Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, Nicodemus had grown bold enough to publicly reveal what he now believed. I believe that Nicodemus was one of the first of many Jews, who became born again and helped build the first churches in Israel. ✝
MARC CALDER New PCJH Member and Worship Team. See more on Marc— Get to Know us Page 15.
pcjh.org
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Pinnacle
9
m o t h e r M a ry
reaching out in love and compassion
W
he n I was asked to write my thoughts about the Mother Mary and her role in the crucifixion of Christ, my mind goes back to the Christmas pageant that we had at PCJH. We had a very sweet and beautiful young girl that portrayed Mary, the beautiful teenager that carried the Son of Man. We see Mary, in light blue, sweet with a warm smile and loving eyes when Gabriel came to tell her news that she would bear a son that would be the Messiah. The angel went to her saying, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Mary was willing to submit her life to God's plan no matter what it would cost her. Obedience to the Lord's will meant Mary would be disgraced as an unwed mother.Surely, she expected Joseph to divorce her, or worse yet, he might even have her put to death by stoning. She may not have considered the full extent of her future suffering. She may not have imagined the pain of watching her beloved child bear the weight of sin and die a terrible death on the cross. But surely, she knew that her life would hold many sacrifices as the mother of the Messiah. But time has passed, and she is now nearing my age… getting close to 50, maybe some greying in her hair, some wrinkles around tired eyes, worry lines from constant thoughts of what is to come. In movies that portray the Crucifixion, we see a different depiction of
SIERRA FULTON PCJH Deacon and Youth Ministries Team member
the young mother. Her robes are dusty and stained with the blood of her own son. Emotionally, however, we may have felt more connected to Mary as the reality of how Mary was experiencing pain in witnessing the suffering of her son and how it speaks to our lives in a more relevant and powerful way. While I have never seen the movie, the Passion, Mary is depicted so distraught that she was in and out of consciousness during Jesus’ walk carrying the cross. We can understand Mary’s humanity as we know her disbelief and intense sorrow as she remained with her son into his death. Notice that the ordeal of Jesus’ death was so horrific, that nearly all his followers were not there at his crucifixion except Mary, Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and apostle John. Does Mary’s ability to endure her son’s death someway speaks to each of our lives today? We have all experienced sadness and torment through our own suffering. We have all been there when someone close to us has suffered. Does that unite us to Mary through this suffering? What gave Mary the strength to stay with Jesus throughout this terrible ordeal? Mary’s love for Jesus as his mother, and her faith and hope in his divinity, enabled her to endure the path to his death. Now so many years later, it is the same love for our community, our world beyond, our family, and faith in God that enable us to get through any suffering the world may present. We can all try to be like Mary, by reaching out in love and compassion to help and comfort others who are suffering. Sometimes it’s easy, to reach out to a friend and check on someone who needs a listening ear, and sometimes it’s harder to see a loved one dying from a painful illness. During the times that are the hardest, we can remember Mary. Yes, it is hard, and we may feel as Mary did that we can’t go on. But I know through her experience we learn that our love for others, rooted in our love for God and the Good News of the resurrection and the power of God’s grace, we DO have the strength and courage to get through any suffering the world presents. ✝
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t h e s e rva n t
SIMPLY PRESENT
A
s I read the passion story this year, I feel a kinship with those people that were in the background. For better or worse they were not main players in the drama, but simply present. I consider how they found themselves in this place. Did they wake up that morning knowing they would be forever immortalized in history? I think rather than making a conscious choice, they went along with the crowd. Perhaps the servant of the high priest is the person I think about this year. As I read the different accounts, I wonder why this person was with this crowd going to arrest Jesus. My first thought was that he was following orders… or was he? Perhaps he was just doing that little bit extra to show his boss how committed he was to the job, the vision, or the organization. Here he was, part of a rowdy group, stumbling around in the dark trying to find this teacher named Jesus. Maybe he tried not to think of what would happen after Jesus was arrested. He supposed Jesus would at worst be let off with a whipping or maybe some time in jail… I wonder, if in the mind of the servant, Jesus was a problem. On the other hand, the servant saw himself as part of the solution- helping to keep the status quo. Certainly, the servant could overhear the concerns of the counsel. The high priest wasn’t perfect, but at least he wanted what was best for Israel. Stability wouldn’t hurt anything, least of all the high priest’s favorite servant. A man of power can go far in rewarding those around him. What other thoughts did the servant have as they came upon the disciples, most looking like they were just waking up, but one who stood apart... the one with blood on his face... that man who looked like it was the worst night of his life? Did this servant feel compassion or disdain for Jesus as Judas went up and kissed him? ~ Luke 22:47-51 It did seem strange, this act of intimacy and respect, used as a weapon to betray someone. Perhaps, at this point the servant shook away the doubts and truly looked at
this man they called Jesus. What did it matter if this man was arrested and beaten? That’s why they were there anyway… These wild teachers with all their crazy ideas could cause the Romans to crack down on the Jews. The high priest was right, better that one man would die than for the whole country to come under siege. I often wonder if I would have followed Christ were I a Jew during Jesus’s ministry. Maybe I would have been comfortable, as I often am in the present, to simply enjoy my current lifestyle, not causing any disruption. It would seem likely that his ideas would have been too crazy for me- too counter-cultural. Love your enemies? Sit down to a meal with those you think are beneath you? The Gospel, or good word, is simple. Love God and love people. It tells us that there is a better way to live life. Is this the Gospel I follow each day, this transcendent message that can change anything or anyone? Today, do I instead push this Gospel aside because it’s too foreign, too hard, or too controversial? If I follow this what will happen to me? Who will I accept as my neighbor instead of viewing them as other? What will my family think? What will the church think? The Gospel lived out is simple and yet often difficult. That’ why Jesus in his final hours prays for his disciples, that we may be one, ref lecting God’s great love in regardless of our differences. Knowing that one is a disciple of Christ comes with responsibility. It is not a passive position; it is one of action. Sure, it comes with fear, but it is imperative to cling to Christ in faith and carry on His work. You and I have been called for such a time as this. He will return as promised. Will we be ready? ✝
JOSH Ziolkowski Elder for Young Adult Ministries
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Pinnacle
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SI M ON o f C y r e n e
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the burden of the CROSS
he n asked to write about someone from the Passion story, the first thing that came to mind was not a person, but a song: Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Despite me not having any appreciable musical talent, it is through songs that I most frequently connect to the biblical story in my everyday life: memories triggered by events; unexpected emotions that disrupt the normal flow to my day; or, as in this case, being asked to reflect on someone that participated in the story of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection – events that unexpectedly bring a hymn or worship song to mind. As I contemplated who to choose, the aforementioned song played over in my head – especially the words of the refrain: Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. What must it have been like to be witness to this day? Hundreds, if not thousands, of people crowded into the street to watch the procession of the three that were to be crucified, and Christ, who was beaten and adorned with a crown of thorns by the guards at the beginning of the walk towards Calvary, was, for reasons not entirely certain, relieved for a brief time of the burden of the cross by Simon, who was picked at random from the crowd by those same guards. Luke 23:26 states “As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.” Who was this man, Simon? We know from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke is he was from Cyrene, which is a city near present-day Shahhat, Libya. Jesus’ crucifixion took place during Passover, so it is not a stretch to assume that Simon was Jewish and in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. Mark’s Gospel goes
KEN BLOUNT is a Sales and Application Engineering at Epsilon Technology and PCJH Technical director.
so far to mention that he was the father of Alexander and Rufus. These personal references in the three Gospels give rise to the belief that Simon and his sons were or became followers of Christ and were connected to the Disciples in a personal way. Jesus was so weak from torture and the stress of what was happening that the guards pulled Simon from the crowd to carry the cross. Simon entered the story and became the personification of Jesus’ call of taking up our crosses to follow Him. Simon bore the cross – how long we do not know, but he may have carried it to the site of the crucifixion where he would have witnessed Jesus being nailed to the cross. Did he hear the words Jesus spoke from the cross? Was the trajectory of his life forever changed by this encounter with Christ? Were these events so jarring to this man that they caused him to tremble? These are questions we will not have answers to this side of eternity, but Simon entered the Passion story and experienced first-hand the horror of the crucifixion. He is my reminder that what Christ suffered on the cross on my behalf was pure brutality. I cannot forget the price Christ paid because of my sin. Thinking on these events and imagining what it must have been like for Simon bring the words of another song to my mind – and heart – It is Well with My Soul: Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come; Let this blest assurance control; That Christ has regarded my helpless estate; And has shed His own blood for my soul; My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought; My sin, not in part, but the whole; Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more; Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul. Christ paid the ultimate price and has given me, though grace alone, eternal salvation. I pray that Simon, who witnessed first-hand Jesus’ suffering, came to understand what the events of that day meant. Simon, who helped ensure that a man made it to the site of his crucifixion, participated in God’s salvation of the world. ✝
12 t h e p e o p l e o f t h e p a s s i o n ~ S P R ING 2 0 2 2
john, the apostle
are you out of this world?
W
ho exactly, was the lone disciple that stood near the cross at the crucifixion? John was the son of Zebedee. His brother was the disciple, James. Salome, his mother, is thought to have been a sister of Mary, the mother of Christ. This would make John and James the cousins of Jesus. It appears that John grew up in a comfortable life with a respectable Jewish education. While not a student of theology, he was a disciple of John the Baptist. Before becoming one of the Twelve, he sat with intention for 3 years at the feet of Jesus learning from His teachings. He then becameone of 3 who stood closest to Christ, who witnessed the transfiguration as well as the scene of the Garden of Gethsemane. While many of the disciples spent their time and energy spreading the Gospel and planting churches, John’s intentions focused on the inner life and spiritual substance of the church, the important union of believers with Christ and the brotherly communion of believers among themselves. Through his teaching, he became known as the “Apostle of Love” and with the help of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, became an almost perfect reflection of Christ a human can be, pure of heart and holy. Throughout the fourth Gospel, John records the lessons of our Savior, the relationship between Christ and the Jewish leaders, the growing intensity of hatred, and gives us the contrast of light and darkness, true and false, and emphasized no compromise between God and false idols. But, above all, John spoke of the union of the soul with God and that God’s essential attribute is love. John is an excellent example of this important union with Christ—he accompanied Him to the court of Caiaphas. He was the sole disciple present at the crucifixion at which time Jesus entrusted him with the care of his mother. Not only was John among the last at the cross, but he was also the first of the disciples who (outrunning Peter) arrived at the open tomb on resurrection morning! And it was John who was the first to recognize the risen Christ when he appeared to the disciples. Imagine being in John’s sandals! You’ve followed Christ for 3 years; your heart has changed to the point of such a passion for Jesus that you can’t be without Him. You’re with Him all day Good Friday and even sit close to Him at the Last Supper. You witness the corruption of the political and religious
leaders, Jesus wrongly accused because he threatened the narrative, so he will be cancelled. Then the unbearable pain of watching Jesus’ struggle to Golgotha and being crucified while the crowd took to mob mentality. You’re fiercely mad at Judas and very disappointed in Peter. Not to mention the other 9 disciples that have scattered! You’re the last man standing of the Twelve, with a few women, Joseph, Nicodemus and a few guards. One with a very long spear. And still… you have love in your heart. We are in John’s sandals! (And not doubt a bit fiery as well). Things don’t look much different today. We are confronted with corruption, confusing messages, people being “cancelled” for voicing another point of view to a narrative, mob mentality and watching the decline of decency in humanity. Surely, we are complicit in some of it. (Insert photo of self here). Good news!! At least we have our set of laws and know truth through scripture this side of the cross. We also know forgiveness, grace, and mercy. We have been given our roadmap and it is up to us to read it, bind together as a church, and reflect the very love of Christ which John so accurately journaled. And not just on Sunday. We are to be out of this world daily. As Christian believers, we are called to be disciples and take the same lessons John learned and share them. Not only share them but display and live them. From 17:20-26, Jesus prays for all believers and those who will believe through the message of the disciples. We have been given the glory of God! Can you reflect the love John had to bring unity in the Body of Christ regardless of differences? It’s a challenge for sure but if not you, who? Knowing that you are a disciple of Christ comes with responsibility. It is not a passive position; it is one of action. Sure, it comes with fear, but it is imperative to cling to Christ in faith and carry on His work. It takes the John kind of example walking with Christ and standing with Him until the end, to hear “well done, my good and faithful servant.” You have been called for such a time as this. He will return as promised. Will you be ready? ✝
JULIA stanley PCJH member and former elder for Adult Ministries
pcjh.org
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Pinnacle
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~ PCJ h B i r t h d ay s / a n n i v e r s a r i e s march
april
01 Mike Jorgenson Tena Webb
01
02
Kae & Kay Brockermeyer (54)
Scott O'Hare
05 Mary Gridley Tom Thompson
may Julie Matzke Nancy Schneider
02 Mike & Marcia Taylor (27) 04
Don & Fran Harger (57)
01 Randy & Robyn Reedy(38) 03
Karee Miller Jaeger
05
Jason Snider
06 Steve & Debbie Iobst (44) 07
Julie Huot
07
Brenda Russell
05
Rev Paul Hayden
Merrill & Carole Seggerman (66)
09
Don Cushman Pamela Stockton
06
Jeff Dahlin
08
07
Ryan Allen
10 Karen Brennan Bill Long Maggie Valiante 12 Caryn Haman 15
Julie Birrer Jeanne Hudelson
Beth & Tom Deltz (2) 16
Robyn Reedy
Mike & Robyn Jones (47) 17 Sam and James Hayden Paul Piper
11 Alan Bybee 12 Stan Zaist Amy Scott 13 Cathy Ward 15 Steven Friess Ally Kiefer 16
17 Brett Franz 18
Brian Bultema
19
Karen Fox Andi Keenan Dornan
19 Elizabeth Hennessy 23
Scott McGee Jan Segerstrom
24 Alison Kyle 25
Carol Pugmire
Ben & Addie Pascal (16) 26 Carol Marshall Kris Thomspon 28
Judy Weikle
30 Sally Byrne 31
Stan & Joy Steiner (39)
Steve & Carol Poole (33)
20 Martin Kokol
Stan & Carol Pugmire (42) 21 Caroline Ryan 22 Mike Marshall Jim Miller 23
Peter Keenan John Simms
Becky Kimmel Rich Mueller
09 Mike & Darla Jackson (34) 10 Jim Byrne Kenny Hadden
Aaron & Leah Nydam (13) 11
Wes Womack
12 Scott Zabriskie Tina Korpi 13 Christine Windey 14 Vickie Atwater Terri Hayden 16 Carol Lewis 17 Kraig Kobert Larry North 19 Tom Segerstrom Barb Simms Ken Taylor
Larry & Barb Huhn (42) 20
Ken Blount Maddie Remlinger
Brian & Sandra Bultema (5)
21 Scott & Kacy O'Hare (34)
26
Joe Whitlock
22 Kent & Diane Nichols (45)
25
Mike & Mils Halpin (13)
23
Peter & Betsy Forester (57) Ron & Laura Miller(39)
27 Sarah Hanson 28 Liz Jorgenson Jan Larimer Jacquie Montgomery 29 Gregg & Cathy Ward (19)
Bob Lerch
25
John and Amy Scott (37 )
28
Laura Miller
29 John & Maggie Valiante (45)
30 Ed Opler
14
the people of the passion
Pastoral Staff Rev. Ben Pascal Senior Pastor
bpascal@pcjh.org x 101
Rev. Tammy Mitchell Associate Pastor
tmitchell@pcjh.org x 104
Office Staff Cindy Dahlin cdahlin@pcjh.org Church Administrator x109 Ally Kiefer Communications Coordinator Program Staff Laura Huckin Worship & Music Coordinator Amanda Lack Little Lambs Director
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huckin@silverstar.net x123
alack@pcjh.org x111
Aaron Nydam anydam@pcjh.org Interim Children’s Ministry Coordinator x103 Liz Collins lcollins@pcjh.org Interim Youth & Young Adult Ministry Coordinator x124 Heather Martin hmartin@pcjh.org Director's Assistant to JOY and Little Lambs Ruling Elders
Clerk of Session: Ken Blount
Class of 2022
2023
2024
Laura Soltau* Mission
Caryn Haman Adult Ministry
Wes Lucas* Stewardship
Ryan Allen Children’s Ministry
Josh Ziolkowski Young Adult Ministry
Susan Conner Congregational Life
Alan Lund Personnel
Steve Iobst* Buildings, Grounds & Vehicles
John Scott Finance
Patty McDonald Assimilation & Nomination
Marian Meyers Youth Ministry Becky Kimmel Worship
Teaching Elders: Rev. Ben Pascal & Rev. Tamara Mitchell
Deacons Class of 2022 Bill Klyn* Dorothy Neckels Catherine Wade Sierra Fulton
S P R ING 2 0 2 2
akiefer@pcjh.org x102
Class of 2023 Michael Schrotz* Ponteir Sackery Brian Bultima Sandra Guido Fernandez
*Serving second term
Class of 2024 Lori Dodd* Brad Herman* Joy Steiner* Tom Segerstrom
~ get to know US JOY STEINER / deacon I grew up in Texas and Oklahoma, which put the buckle on the Bible belt. My spiritual journey took hold as a teen with growth opportunities such as mission trips, retreats, Bible study, and pulpit thumping revivals. For a small town girl, Christian life was exciting and social; I hung out with Baptist kids, Presbyterian, and Methodist. One day, a Christian performing group came to our little town. After their rowsing concert, they held auditions. I earned a spot and spent the following summer with the Continental Singers proclaiming God’s message throughout the US and the Netherlands. Our choir grew close to each other and close to God. That sealed the deal and anchored my commitment to God for life. In my youth, there was a lot of talk about becoming a missionary. I didn’t feel called to serve in foreign lands, rather, I felt God urging me to work close to home. When Pastor Ben asked me to be a deacon, I was honored and appreciated the notion of serving in ways that connected with our talents and interests. God gave me a love of words. I use them to encourage and strengthen others. When I write, I feel joy. A lot of cards fly off my desk and they are like prayers. I imagine the hardship and pain of others and put myself in their shoes. I pray as I write and listen for the Holy Spirit to guide me. Jump in! Serve! Open your heart to joy!
marc calder / worship team My name is Marc Calder and I play guitar on the PCJH praise team. I love all styles of Worship music, especially songs that are guitar driven. When I was nine, I started taking guitar lessons at the local music store. I formed my first band in middle school, Chain Reaction. I taught my children music, Kalie piano and Ashley ukulele. I've joined several church bands and have a passion for music, playing, teaching and composing. If I’m not fly fishing, then a guitar is in my hands on most days. I always ask musicians that play on praise teams, how did they start to play music to Jesus? My journey to become a worship leader all started in 1982. Fresh out of college, I went on a visa team to build a church in the Dominican Republic. With guitar in hand, the pastor asked me to play with the praise team. The team had 14 Worship events. One problem, I only knew Rock & Roll songs. The pastor assigned one of the praise team members to give me a crash course in Worship songs. This was a life changing event! Worshipping with the Dominican believers was magical, experiencing for the first-time thru music, the Holy Spirit moving through the heart of the Worshipers. Adventures with the Lord continues at PCJH, joining the praise team with Laura Huckin's Leadership. Forming an outreach ministry; Jammin’ for the Lord, just started, to teach others to Worship through guitar. All are welcome for free on Thursdays. Contact the front office for more information. Let's all celebrate, Jammin’ for the Lord!
brian bultema / deacon Hello PCJH family! My name is Brian Bultema, and I've been a PCJH member since about 2012. I've lived in Jackson, off and on, since 2009 and live in town with my wife Sandra Guido. Growing up in small towns in Nevada and Indiana, I was blessed to have been raised in the church and to have seen my parents show me the importance of being rooted in Christian community. But, like many others raised in the church, my upbringing tended to be sheltered. In 2006, a chance to serve in ministry in GTNP with the organization ACMNP came up and it rocked my world. Since graduating college, I've met my wife Sandra in Jackson and have grown a career in hotel/tourism sales and management here. After a 3 1/2 stint in Peru, Sandra and I returned to Jackson in Fall 2020 after going through some major trials there due to COVID. One of the biggest reasons for our return to Jackson was such a caring, supportive, and Christ-centered church family. PCJH is so beautifully unique in its care and service for the greater community and we couldn't be more honored to be serving as Deacons. We know many surprises and challenges lie ahead for both us and PCJH, but know God will be faithful even in our weakness.
pcjh.org
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Pinnacle
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Address Service Requested Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Permit # 189 Jackson, WY 83002
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"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" u Jesus
S P iRiT
sightings