If God does not exist, nihilism is arguably the best philosophical world view, yet how many that live as if God were as dead as dinasaurs, would be consistent enough to embrace it and live accordingly. People that make up that "plastic" element in our culture will embrace contradictions rather than consistent philosophy, especially if it could mean parting with personal peace and affluence.

Nihilism is the viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless; a doctrine that denies any objective ground of truth, especially moral truths; a doctrine or viewpoint that conditions in the social organization are so bad as to make destruction desirable for its own sake independent of any constructive program or possibility. It is my argument that Nihilism is the only reasonable alternative to the historic catholic faith. I would also dare to say Nihilism is a good preparation for embracing that Apostolic faith.

Now if nihilism were completely accurate in its analysis of life, Hitler was a savior of the world. The worst assumption humanity has made is that this world is supposed to be paradise. Every baby born ought to contradict that; babies are not born crying in paradise. Hitler just put people out of their misery, and so did Mao and Stalin. Not for completely selfless reasons, but they exterminated many people and thus helped them stop living a meaningless existence. Utilitarians want the greatest happiness for the greatest number; well, set off all nuclear bombs: the more people that die, the less complaining and craving after meaninglessness there will be. The greatest virtue would still be love—loving the world enough to help put it out of its misery. The ship is sinking and there is no land to sail to; the quicker we pour water into the boat, the faster we can be relieved from that great misfortune to all—consciousness.

Man wanted to be like God; well, he has his world; God has let him have a chance. So how do you like living outside of Paradise? Personally, I’d rather be a dead Nihilist it there were no alternative, but there is: By man came death, yet also the resurrection—the talking back of Paradise for us by Jesus!

The Convocation will be held this month Saturday May 10, 1998 at Cornerstone Church, 6930 Woodhaven Road, Salem, VA. Rev. Michael Wilshire is the pastor there and has graciously invited us. For more information you can reach Michael Wilshire at (540) 380-3364, or the Church phone at (540) 362-2187. Directions to the church from Interstate 81 exit on Interstate 581, then exit on 2N (Peters Creek Rd.), go three lights, about one mile come to a long office building turn left on Woodhaven Rd.. Lunch will be provided.

It would be a great encouragement to our pastors to have more of our laity involved in these sessions. Will you please pray about your involvement and ask the Lord to guide you in the use of your time to the benefit of all our churches? Thank you.

"LET US PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER"

PRAY: this newsletter may be used by the Lord to reach others inclined to believe.

PRAY: that another mission church be established in Virginia and Maryland.

PRAY: that our churches will increase by 20% this summer.

PRAY: that a Mission Church be established in the Smithfield and Bedford area of Virginia.

2 medium tomatoes, seeded & chopped 1 medium zucchini diced 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed 1/3 thinly sliced green onion 1 small ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped 1/3 cup salsa or picante sauce 1 tbls. Olive oil 2 tbls. Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley 1 tbls. Lime or lemon juice ¾ tsp. Garlic salt . ¼ tps. Ground cumin

I n a large bowl, combine tomatoes, zucchini, corn, green onions and avocado. In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients: mix well. Pour over vegetable mixture; stir gently. Chill 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

By Pamela Hughes

For a number of years my heart has been troubled over the doctrine of faith as it is received and taught among evangelical Christians everywhere. My fear is that the modern conception of faith is not the Biblical one. Faith is not the believing of a statement we know to be true. Faith based upon reason is faith of a kind, it is true; but it is not of the character of Bible faith, for it follows the evidence infallibly and has nothing of a moral or spiritual nature in it. True faith rests upon the character of God and asks no further proof than the moral perfections of the One who cannot lie. It is enough that God said it.

Faith as the Bible knows it is confidence in God and His Son Jesus Christ; it is the response of the soul to the divine character as revealed in the Scriptures; and even this response is impossible apart from the prior inworking of the Holy Spirit. Faith is a gift of God to a penitent soul and has nothing whatsoever to do with the senses or the data they afford. Faith is a miracle; it is the ability God gives to trust His Son, and anything that does not result in action in accord with the will of God is not faith but something else short of it.

Faith and morals are two sides of the same coin. Indeed the very essence of faith is moral. Any professed faith in Christ as personal Savior that does not bring the life under plenary obedience to Christ as Lord is inadequate and must betray its victim at the last. The man that believes will obey. God gives faith to the obedient heart only. Where real repentance is, there is obedience.

To escape the error of salvation by works we have fallen into the opposite error of salvation without obedience.

A whole new generation of Christians has come up believing that it is possible to "accept" Christ without forsaking the world.

Exhalation is as necessary to life as inhalation. To accept Christ it is necessary that we reject whatever is contrary to Him.

Christ’s Church Mission Meets at Newmarket Baptist 8309 Orcutt Ave. 23605 Hampton, VA Phone (757) 826-5293 The Rev. William T. Kump Home Phone (757 )244-7944

New Covenant Church 1350 Liggates Road Phone (804) 847-8313 / 528-2533 e-mail Inklings@lynchburg.net The Rev. Edward Y. Hopkins Home Phone (804) 846-2539

Prince of Peace Church 14100 Ridge Creek Road 23112 The Rev. Dr. Hans E. Josephsen Home Phone (804) 744-7500 e-mail hjosephsen@bellind.com

Covenant Church Roanoke 6429 Merrinam Road The Rev. Rodney Longmire Home Phone (540) 989-5458

Bishop Cummins Memorial R.E. Church 2001Fredrick Road Baltimore, MD Phone (410) 744-3383 The Rev. Paul C. Schenck

Emmanuel Church Reformed Episcopal 3517 Harford Road Baltimore, MD 21218 Phone (410) 893-7251 Fax (410) 893-7251 The Rev. Willian A. Jenkins Sr. Phone (410) 893-7251 e-mail jenkinsw@erols.com

Faith Church Reformed Episcopal 5071 E. Federal Street Baltimore, MD 21205 Phone (410) 893-7251 Fax (410) 893-7251 The Rev. Willian A. Jenkins Sr. Phone (410) 893-7251 e-mail jendinsw

Saint Stephen’s Reformed Episcopal Church 2275 Liberty Road Eldersburg, MD 21784 Phone (410)795-1249 Fax (410)281-1350 The Rev. Cody L. Godman Phone (410)795-9266

Grace Reformed Episcopal Church 560 Fountain Street Havre de Grace MD 21078 Phone (410) 939-2866 Fax (410) 393-2365 The Rev. Jeffrey Welch Phone(410) 939-3052

6429 Merrinam Road Roanoke Va. 24018 CH (MAJ) Rodney H. Longmire phone (540) 989-5458

New Covenant School 1350 Liggates Road Lynchburg, Va. 24502 Phone (804) 847-8313 e-mail NCShead@juno.com Headmaster Rev. Dr. R. Littlejohn

Eleanor Matthews 2420 Rockwell Avenue Baltimore, MD 21228 Phone (410) 788-4809 e-mail PreacherPaul@juno.com

9 Hilltop Place Catonsville, MD 21228-5510 Bishop Daniel G. Cox Mrs. Patricia Cox Mrs. Patty Levi Mrs. Carrie Rembert Mr. John Thayer Phone & Fax (410)747-4380

Rt. Rev Daniel G. Cox 9 Hilltop Place Catonsville, MD 21228-5510 Phone (410) 747-4380 Fax (410) 747-4380

Rt. Rev Leonard Riches 85 Smithstown Road Pipersville, Penn. Phone (215) 483-1196 Fax (215) 294-8009 e-mail Nicaea@aol.com

Rev. Dr. Hans Josephsen 14100 Ridge Creek Road Midothian, Va. 23112 Phone (804) 744-7500 e-mail hjosephsen@bellind.com

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <

In the modern world a person’s name can be merely an identifying label; it does not reveal anything about the person. Biblical names however, have their background in the widespread tradition that the prsonal names gives significant information about the one who bears it. The Old Testament constantly celebrates God’s making His name known to Israel, and the psalms again and again direct praise to God’s name (Ps. 8:1; 113:1-3; 145:1.2; 148:5, 13). "Name" here means God Himself as He has revealed Himself by word and deed. At the heart of this self-revelation is the name by which He authorized Israel to invoke him-commonly rendered "the LORD" (for the Hebrew Yahweh as modern scholars pronounce it; or "Jehovah," as it is sometimes written).

God declared this name to Moses when He spoke to him out of the bush that burned steadily without being burned up. God first identified Himself as the God who had committed Himself in covenant to the patriarchs (Gen. 17:1-14); then, when Moses asked Him what he could tell the people who asked what God’s name was (the ancients assumed that prayer would only be heard if its addressee was named correctly), God answered first "I AM WHO I AM," then shortened it to "I AM" The name "Yahweh" ("the LORD") sounds like "I am" in Hebrew, and God finally called Himself "the LORD God of our fathers" (Ex. 3:15, 16). The name in all its forms proclaims His eternal, self-sustaining, self-determining, sovereign reality—the supernatural mode of existence that the sign of burning bush had signified (Ex. 3:2). The bush that was not consumed was God’s illustration of His own inexhaustible life. In designating "Yahweh" as My name forever" (Ex. 3:15), God indicated that His people should always think of him as the living reigning powerful King that the burning bush showed Him to be.

Later Moses asked to see God’s "glory." In reply, God proclaimed ‘the name": "The LORD, the LORD God merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving inquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty" (Ex. 34:6, 7). At the burning bush, God had addressed the question of the manner of His existence. Here, He answered the question. How can we describe His actions? This foundational announcement of his moral character is often echoed in later passages of Scripture (Neh. 9:17; Ps. 86:15; Joel 2:13; Jon. 4:2). These revelations are all part of His "name," His disclosure of His nature, for which He is to be revered and glorified forever.

The New Covenant Church of Lynchburg has seen an encouraging increase in attendance and membership, averaging in recent months around thirty adults and children for our 11:00 communion service.

Ed Hopkins was installed in January of 1997 as rector of the church, having served the previous year as stated supply. Ed was graduated from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS and served three congregations in the Presbyterian Church before joining the REC. His "tentmaking" job is running Inklings Bookshop in downtown Lynchburg.

Ed's wife, Debi, is an assistant administrator and teacher of math and science at New Covenant Schools. The Hopkins are parents of four children: Christa, 21, of Austin, Texas; Beth, 19, a student at William and Mary; Jeremy, 17, a senior at New Covenant (possibly attending William and Mary in the fall); and Joel, 13, in 8th grade at New Covenant.

New Covenant Schools also continues to grow. Now in its seventh year, the enrollment is 170 in grades K-12. In 1996 a second school was started under the auspices of the REC in Bedford. This school enrolls 52 students in K-8, and has recently purchased a building which, when fully renovated, will include a gymnasium and room for approximately 270 students.

The headmaster of New Covenant of Lynchburg, Rev. Dr. Robert Littlejohn, has accepted a call to become Academic Vice-president of Covenant College, effective July 1. Robert is a deacon in the REC. His wife Jane has been the pianist/organist for the church the last several years. Robert, Jane, and their children, David and Katlyn, will be greatly missed at New Covenant Church and Schools.

Mailing list

If you want to be added to or removed from mailing list or to make a donation to defray the cost of printing and mailing, contact

VIRGINIA & MARYLAND REFORMED EPISCOPALIAN

1848 Wolfsnare Road

Virginia. Beach, Va. 23454-3541

E-Mail VaREChurch@AOL.COM

Phone (757) 491-7791

Fax. (757) 491-0245

Name address Phone number

Funny Bone

A man was going down the road one day when he met his best friend, all dressed up from head to toe in his best cloths, and with his Bible under his arm. He was surprised to see his friend dressed as he had never seen before, and so he stopped to ask where he was going.

"Well, I’m going to Cincinnati. I’ve been hearing about the sporting houses up there, with all them good-looking women, and I aim to go up there and have me a good time."

"But if you’re going up to the sporting houses, why are you carrying your Bible?" His friend asked.

"If them sporting houses are as interesting as I hear tell," he answered, "I might just stay over till Sunday."

ENCOURAGEMENTS WE HAD THIS MONTH -

We had a wonderful response to the Agape theatrical presentation. A drama professor from the local university said, "It was creative. I found it exciting." After an afternoon of singing and distributing nearly 2000 invitations out on the streets, we had 10 - 20 new contacts that attended the evening program. We were delighted when two new people came to the worship service the next morning. One of them has been back to every church activity we've had since then!

On Easter Sunday Bill performed the baptism of a 9-year old girl whose parents are both from Cameroon, West Africa. After years of careless living, the mother has come back to the Lord. She and the girl are very active in our church. We had some good contacts with other family members and friends at the dinner following the ceremony.

ACTIVITIES TO REPORT -

Diane gave a conference on "Recognizing the New Age" to groups in two different churches during the past month. She also gave the Bible lesson during a family worship service in a Reformed Church in a town an hour north of Montpellier. She taught Bible studies in English and French and attended the regular meetings of the Nuance magazine editorial committee and the Ministries Commission of the Evangelical Reformed Church.

Bill attended the annual conference for leaders of foreign missions working in France. He led the Sunday morning services in French and preached once at the evening English worship service in our local church here in Montpellier. He made a mid-week visit to the church-planting effort in Lyon. He also made most of the contacts with newspapers, radio stations and public officials to publicize the Agape presentation. Using our personal printer, we printed the posters and about 1000 individual invitations for this event.

Bill also participated in the regular meeting of the Evangelical Reformed Commission on Evangelism and Church Planting.

REASONS TO PRAISE GOD! -

-- For all the new contacts that attended the Agape evening.

-- For the two new people who came to church.

-- For the enthusiasm shown by our youth group and new converts Estelle and Yasmina during our afternoon of contact on the streets.

• For lovely weather during the Agape weekend. Both the preceding and following weekends were windy and rainy.-- For excellent attendance at our Good Friday and Easter worship services.
• -- For the witnessing contacts with the Cameroon family and their friends.

SPECIFIC PRAYER REQUESTS -

April 22 - 28 - Bill will be traveling to Holland to attend an evangelism seminar and to visit with some Reformed Christians who are concerned with evangelism efforts in Reformed churches in France.

May 8 - 13 - Evangelism Explosion Clinic in southeastern France. Pray for more registrations.

Pray for us as we now begin serious work on plans for outreach efforts during the World Cup Soccer Tournament. Eliminatory games involving the national teams from ten different countries will be played in Montpellier between June 10 and 30.

FAMILY INFORMATION:

On April 1 Benjamin sprained his ankle playing handball. He has a cast on his left foot until April 24.

We will sign papers for our new house on April 30 and will be able to take possession of it on June 1.

LIVING IN A POST-CHRISTIAN SOCIETY:

For 10 days in March, our son Jonathan was on a linguistic exchange trip to Germany with his 8th grade class. After visiting several churches as tourists, some of his classmates, knowing he is "a believer", started asking him questions about God: "So, tell me what God is like: what color is he, where does he live?" Their questions reveal the fact that most French teenagers today have had no religious training or contacts whatsoever. Many have NO concept of God. Recent polls by the largest polling agency in France report 40% of young people here between the ages of 15 and 34 do not consider themselves members of any religious faith or do not identify with any religious faith. We are seed-sowing in a blatantly humanistic culture that has little or no time for reflection concerning the faith. Do pray that we will have courage, integrity, and visibility as we try to live as "lights" in a society of darkness and as "salt" in a society that is more and more detached from the truth.

Thank you for your partnership and support!

Diane and Bill Jerdan

Whether you want to praise us, complain, or just let us know what’s on your mind, we’d love to hear from you. Donations of any amount will be appreciated.

1848 Wolfsnare Road Virginia Beach, Va. 23454-3541

or e-mail us at REChurch@AOL.COM Fax 757-491-0245 or call James at 757-491-7791

Persecution of Christians around the world of the worst sort: slavery, starvation, murder, looting, burning, torture. Call your Congressman and Senators today. We want sanctions placed on countries that allow this.

If you have anything that you can donate to a church in need, we will post it here. If any Church needs something list it here.