Bishop Andrew Speaks at UN Christmas Dinner
“This was an extraordinary opportunity to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the entire world…”
Bishop Andrew was the guest speaker at a recent United Nations Christmas Dinner hosted by the Christian Embassy in New York. The Christian Embassy is a non-governmental organization providing spiritual encouragement to the diplomat community and other leaders serving at the United Nations. They are a non–political, non-profit NGO that has served the United Nations community since 1980.
The dinner was held at the Roosevelt Hotel and hosted ambassadors and diplomats and their spouses from all corners of the globe. Music was provided by a jazz ensemble led by multi-instrumentalist, David Edwards and acclaimed cellist, Sashi Patitucci with four times Grammy award-winning bass virtuoso John Patitucci. Bishop Andrew commented, “This was an extraordinary opportunity to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the entire world.
As the sacred music poured over us, the most extraordinary peace descended. It seemed the world stopped and took a breath.”
The strong global footprint of the ACNA was very evident in this gathering. Bishop Andrew remarked, “I found myself seated with the Ambassador for the South Pacific, who leaned in to confide that his father had served as an Anglican bishop.”
In his remarks to a hushed and packed banqueting hall, Bishop Andrew shared his own journey to faith. He commented, “What religion ever had a God that wanted such personal intimacy with us that He came with such vulnerability to us?”
“It would have been astonishing enough if the Son of God had become human and simply lived temporarily among us and then left; leaving us some sound moral teaching. But this is not the revelation that The Holy Spirit reveals to us. The ongoing revelation of the Spirit is that Jesus Christ, His presence, His living hope – can be born in our hearts today. Indeed, the very darkness we think disqualifies us from God can actually become the place where the light of Jesus Christ shines brightest.”
