SALT LAKE CITY —What's a Presbyterian pastor in Utah doing spreading the message of the nation's premier American Christian evangelist, the Rev. Billy Graham?
Essentially, "sharing the good news," says the Rev. Michael Imperiale, senior pastor of Salt Lake's First Presbyterian Church.
Starting Sunday, the downtown church is opening its doors to the wider community for screenings of the Rev. Graham's latest DVD, "My Hope," which is a message on the hope of heaven.
After screenings of the video, which will be offered five times between Nov. 8 and Nov. 14, participants are encouraged to join in conversations about faith, hope and healing.
"Within Christianity in general, we call it the good news for a reason. There is good news that people can come to understand and embrace and find God's love, care and support in their lives. It's also important for people to share that with others, if you know someone who's going through a hard time, and you think, 'I just wish they could know and experience God's grace for them in their lives,'" said the Rev. Imperiale.
The first screenings of the video and conversation will be at 10 a.m. Sunday at the church at 12 C Street.
Other screenings of the video and discussions will be held Monday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 12, at 1 p.m. and twice on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Initially, First Presbyterian Church obtained copies of the video to enrich its fellowship experience. The Rev. Imperiale has encouraged church members to invite friends and family members to screenings of the video and discussions. Ultimately, the church decided it should extend the opportunity to the larger community.
"When a special tool is offered, you should make the most of it," he said.
First Presbyterian Church is extending this invitation as the Rev. Graham observes his 97th birthday, the Rev. Imperiale said.
The Rev. Graham, ordained as a Southern Baptist minister, has been a spiritual adviser to several U.S. presidents. He is perhaps best known for the annual Billy Graham Crusades, which started in the 1940s and concluded in 2005.
The Rev. Imperiale said he has twice attended Graham's Crusades, once in Boston and a second time in Philadelphia.
"He has been a very wonderful presenter of the basic biblical faith without being sectarian, without being denominational. He wants to get the basic message out there that God loves us, God created us and we tend to make a mess of our lives in the world," the Rev. Imperiale said.
"But the Jesus gospel is that Jesus came to show us in words and in deeds and in his own life, death and resurrection that God still wants to embrace us and love us and bring us a sense of purpose and redemptive dynamics to our lives."
In recent years, the Rev. Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association have produced videos that help spread a message of hope and faith.
"My Hope" focuses on the journeys of two people, a firefighter and a young woman who are going through difficult times.
The Rev. Graham appears about midway through the video, filmed sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of his home in North Carolina.
"He's a frail, elderly man, but he has all his faculties and he still speaks with conviction and strength," the Rev. Imperiale said.
While Rev. Graham hails from the Southern Baptist tradition, the Rev. Imperiale said his core messages are cornerstones of Christian beliefs.
"He is known across the evangelical church spectrum, if you will. In Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopal churches, and protestant denominations that are independent churches, evangelism — sharing the good news, which is what the word evangel means — is a wide swath of Christian witness in the world," he said.
Fundamentally, the video carries a message of hope.
"Everyone either has their own set of issues or questions and concerns about life and death, about struggles in life and what they mean. Where can some healing and peace be found?" he said. The Rev. Imperiale said he hopes as diverse people come together to watch the video and talk, the conversation will turn to God's gift for mankind and the role of faith.
"Faith in Jesus is not about what we do," he said. "It's not about how good we are. It's not about reaching up. The whole idea is God has reached down for us. The only thing that’s needed is just to say 'Yes, thank you.'"
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