This past weekend, our family traveled to Charleston, South Carolina, to attend the wedding of our nephew (Melanie’s brother’s son) and his fiancé. We stayed in Mt. Pleasant with my mom and stepfather. It was so nice to see family and celebrate this happy occasion in the Holy City of Charleston, which is known for its many churches and steeples.

The wedding was held at the French Huguenot Church in downtown Charleston which was organized in 1681.The current building was erected in 1845 and is the third on the site. The sanctuary seats 200 in “box pews” similar to other churches of that era. The pew we sat in seated three to four people and could be locked from the inside. The church is beautiful inside and out. If you are ever in Charleston, I would encourage you to visit. The Dock Street Theatre is across the street and St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church is within sight.

You probably made the connection with the name of our church, named for its location on Huguenot Road, and the French Huguenot Church in Charleston. In addition, you might be aware of other roads, such as Huguenot Trail, and the Huguenot settlement in Manakin, Virginia, which is part of Goochland County today. In the late 1500s and 1600s, the Huguenots were French Protestants who had freedom of worship. However, the tide turned. They were heavily persecuted, and thousands were killed when King Louis XIV ordered them to convert to Catholicism. Many French Huguenots fled and settled in countries that granted them religious freedom, including the colonies of America.

Here’s how small a world we live in. My mom and her second husband, who died in 2012, were also members at the French Huguenot Church for some years. I got to preach there during my first year of seminary. And the pastor, Rev. Phillip Bryant, was on my ordination council back in 1998. I will always remember preaching in such a historic church as a young seminarian! And now I serve as pastor where Huguenot is part of the name and locale!

After our nephew’s wedding, I took a photo of the scripture that is visible only when one is departing from the sanctuary: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” (James 1:22, KJV) This is a constant reminder of their mission and of the mission to which we are called.

As we approach Easter, please remember that we have the best news to share! That God so loved the world that he sent his only Son to die on the cross to redeem us and to save us. In Christ, we are set free to experience new life through the resurrection. All things are made new!

We have the opportunity to model God’s redemptive love as “doers of God’s word, not hearers only.” This Easter will you join me and imagine the words of James 1:22 over the exit doors in the sanctuary? Will you trust God to lead you on mission wherever you go? Let’s make a difference through our witness this Easter!

In Christ’s care and service,