archive 12

It’s appropriate on Valentine’s Day weekend to see on the table a love letter from God. Many of us have been reading “The Shack” by William Paul Young, so it’s not an unheard of idea. If you were to receive such a letter from God what would you want God to say to you? What is it God would write to each one of us?

Well, we have received a love letter from God, and that letter this morning is revealing of how very much God loves us and wants to heal us. You may remember last week, Jesus reached out his hand to Peter’s mother-in-law and healed her of her fever. Now, Mark, in the gospel, tells of another healing - as the story continues Jesus encounters a man with leprosy. The man begged Jesus saying, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Jesus said, “I do choose.” Immediately the man was made clean.

Lepers were outcasts. From the time of Leviticus a person with boils and infections, after appearing to the priest would be declared unclean. Leprosy was a dreaded disease, as much as cancer or congestive heart failure are today. Leprosy was extremely contagious and meant that the individual would be separated from their family, their synagogue and consequently worship. Leprosy was feared because of the way the body deteriorated. Lepers were untouchable; and therefore would live in a secluded colony. Lepers were outcasts; they were isolated.

Is it a wonder that when Jesus appeared the leper approached him hungry to be healed?

Most of us want our families to be healthy and whole, and when they aren’t we hunger for their healing. Our desire is for our family’s comfort; especially as they go about their daily tasks in the world in which they may be bruised and battered -physically, psychologically, or spiritually.

This week we have seen people grieving the loss of family members in the New York plane crash, we seen families frightened by wildfires erupting as a national disaster in the outback of Australia, and we’ve seen the loss of jobs in neighboring towns. In our present economy there are many families experiencing adversity. We also have been witness to the destruction of war and terrorism, spousal abuse, alcoholism, people on welfare, and people in prison. We know there are those suffering who are mentally ill, and people suffering with AIDES. These are the outcasts of our time. These are the souls hungry for healing.

We are also often desperate for our own healing. The Psalmist felt as though he were ready for the grave – to go down to the pit. The Psalmist in desperation, the leper in trust and confidence, cried out, “If you choose Lord you can heal me….”

The disease and dis-ease that effects our time results in the same broken relationships as with the leper; and feeling shamed, or humiliated, or devastated we may turn away from the one place we would find acceptance… the church community.

You may have noticed a slight reversal. In the case of the lepers, as they presented themselves to the priests, the priests declared them unclean; but Jesus reached out his hand to the leper and pronounced him clean. Jesus did the unthinkable. He reached out to people who were sick, who were in sin, who were lonely. He touched them. And when we cry out to God, to Jesus, God will touch our lives. God is willing.

I have observed over time, that many individuals pronounce themselves unfit to gather in the church community. They suffer from depression, and from guilt. There have been several individuals over the years who have told me that if they ever stepped into church the roof would fall in. I can also tell you it never happened. In fact, when they did finally enter the sanctuary, not only did the roof remain in place, but they were also greeted by a loving, compassionate family. I challenge you to think about the lives you are touching. Whose lives are we healing ?

So spring training is session. I was thinking we in New England, Yankees, are a proud people. We don’t always tell other people about our problems. We pull ourselves up by our bootstraps…. Strike one. And we don’t tell others when we’ve been touched by God. That’s the “e” word - you know, (whispering) evangelism. Shh. We fail to reach out. Strike two.

Jesus had a deep love for humanity; it resulted from a heart of compassion that revealed itself over and over again. He knew that people’s relationships with one another were often in more desperate need of healing than were their bodies. How many of relationships that we’re involved in need to be healed? Those relationships are not going to be healed until you have accepted yourself, until you have come to terms with who you are before God. We may be able fool others, but we can’t fool God, and we can’t fool ourselves.

We need to pray, trusting God, “If you choose Lord, you can heal me….” That’s confidence.

When we know we are loved, that we are cared for, we can live with and through horrible illnesses and desperate times. And like the leper we can be healed.

Are you living with fear? God knows and wants to touch your life. Are you living with anxiety? God knows and so as to remove it, because when we’re anxious and overwhelmed we’re not trusting God. God wants us to trust in the healing power of the Holy.

God is willing to heal. God wants to live with us in a circle of love. So I ask you again: What would you want God to write to you? What is written in God’s love letter to you?

I invite you to repeat the prayer with me, to pray out loud or in your heart…. pray with me,

Have you ever felt tired? Really, really, tired? So tired your muscles ache and your body is exhausted to the point of fainting? To the point of being powerless? This is the ‘tired’ Isaiah is talking about. This may very well have been the way Jesus felt after teaching in the synagogue and casting out the unclean spirits. Jesus was in Capernaum with the disciples where he was challenged in his authority. Not the best way to start a day. And then he went to the house of Andrew and Simon where extended hi hand and lifted Simon’s mother-in-law and she was healed. And because of the days earlier activities in the temple, word had spread, so crowds gathered to be healed. The whole city was there. At some point Jesus needed to rest… and he did.

I’m not sure about you, but I would have most likely slept in the next morning. Not Jesus - early the next morning, “while it was dark” he got up and went out to a deserted place” to pray. Have you ever been awake at 5:00 in the morning. I confess, one Sunday a number of years ago the sermon was not yet complete. I woke early and took a minute to stand at the door with my coffee. The sky was clear over the river, and as I looked up I witnessed about 100 falling stars- meteors. I was awestruck, my spsirt filled, in that moment there was an incredible peace.

There are a couple of images in the text that fascinate me. The first is the crowds, “the whole city gathered around his door”.

There may be a little confusion here, especially as we view the story with our 21^st century eyes. Most of us understand Capernaum to be a first century fishing village on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, from which Jesus centered his Galilean ministry. Peter’s house, according to Franciscan archeologists, was just 30 meters from the synagogue. It was the home where Jesus stayed when the disciples were in town. Mark used the word ‘city’ which may been used to describe the diversity of the population: there was a small garrison with its’ centurion, merchants, laborers, and publicans. The publican was the tax collector. According to John Dominic Crosson in “Excavating Jesus” (p. 119) Capernaum was fairly isolated, a village of about 25 acres with 1000-1500 people. These were the ones gathered outside on the street waiting to be healed, to be touched by Jesus. They knew of his teachings, and of his miracles. Capernaum would be the site of many of the miracles remembered in the biblical text.

And then there is the second image: the solitude of the “deserted place”. How many times do the scriptures tell us Jesus went out to pray alone, to a deserted place, or in the wilderness? Capernaum lies at the waters edge and the plain is less than 2 miles wide from the sea to the point that the hills begin to rise. Not far away is what is known as Mt. Beatitude, the probable site of where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. It would not have been difficult for Jesus to go into the highlands to find time alone to pray.

As I consider the sequence of events in the story where Jesus is healing, he is constantly giving of himself. Was there a depletion in his energies as he cast out demons and healed the sick? Is anyone claustrophobic? What energy was required of Jesus to be in relationship, healing all these people?

Jesus knew that a life of faith had to be a life in balance…. Work and rest, work and pray. I think sometimes we get so busy we forget we’re not God. We think we can do anything, until we fall exhausted, or we get burned out. We want to do our best, we want to serve God, and forget that we in fact are not God.

I wonder too about the deserted place - what energies were replenished as he was in relationship with God? We know that in that time spent alone, however long it was as the scripture does not say, he was renewed in spirit that he was ready to go about preaching and healing… multitasking.

Both of these are extremes in ministries…. In the midst of the crowds….. or alone. I’m sure some of you have seen Extreme Home Makeover…. A family is selected and then sent on vacation, their house is torn down or exploded, and in 6 days rebuilt. We saw such a house being made over in Manchester, NH a year ago. As the house is rebuilt it is based on conversations with the family. Ever member is considered; their needs are discovered early in the process. Every family is different, every house is different. What is the same is the compassion extended to the family through the design team and by the community involved in the project.

This is my second point: Compassion was the key to the healings of Jesus day. Compassion is the key to healing in our time. Many of our support groups are examples of this. In AA, Al Anon, NA, Gamblers Anonymous, grief support while anonymous to outsiders are open to one another. In sharing stories, being in relationship, people are able to encourage each other, and they are strengthened and healed. They may never be free of the addiction or pain, but they are stronger, they are strengthened.

It’s been said that if the church was really being the church Christ intended there would be no need for psychiatrists. Now, that may be a slight exaggeration as we know there may be chemical imbalances and extremes, but the premise is true. Israel had been through a very difficult time and yet Isaiah gave them hope in the promise “that those who wait upon the Lord shall be renewed in strength.” [40:41] The Hebrew words for wait and hope are the same. We find our hope in God, we find our hope in the gathered community, we find our hope in sharing and listening to one another. It is when we choose to keep secrets, when we choose to stay away from worship and fellowship that we get stuck. In small groups within the church, while we may gather for study, its in sharing our stories and relate to one another that we are healed of many of our ‘demons.’

The ‘demons’ Jesus cast out didn’t have little horns on their heads, and little red tails. The demons were much like ours: addictions, selfishness, unhealthy lifestyles, behaviors that are contrary to their and our faith. Are there demons in your life? Maybe an unhealthy relationship? Or an unresolved relationship? In the gathered community, the beloved community, we listen to one another, we learn, and in time can be healed. Our healing begins in relationship, one based in faith. Attendance in church is as much about your relationship with others as it is with God. Simply showing up is an indication we want to be involved, and in serving we are given the opportunity to not only be healed but also to offer healing to others. William Paul Young in “The Shack” wrote that Papa, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are joined in a circle of love and God wants nothing more than for us to be included in this relationship flowing with love healing, growing stronger, getting - unstuck!

Over the years I’ve been privileged to take youth on various mission trips. It’s amazing to watch them change in relationship with home and family: youth who have been given everything are often changed when they see how little others have. They become appreciative of so many things. When we serve others we share in compassion and we share in the healing of the world.

There is a duality in this ministry of Jesus Christ: proclaiming the word and doing the work,.. and taking time to be in communication with God. A life of faith involves prayer and serving; reading and work; and a life in balance leads to a life of strength in the Lord. Amen.

Several years ago the church I served hosted the Bishop’s Day on District. The Bishop came to lead in workshops and conversations with clergy and laity on Saturday . Since we were hosting on the Saturday, the church decided to invite the Bishop to preach in worship on Sunday morning, to which she agreed. After the workshops on Saturday she would stay overnight in a hotel, but before she went there several of the clergy and laity were extended an informal invitation to dinner to continue our discussions. We entered the restaurant, and followed the hostess to the table. Before we were able to sat down, the Bishop picked up the wine menu and handed it to the hostess and said, “We won’t be needing this.” As clergy, as church leaders, she wanted to make sure we gave the best possible public witness to Christ, such that our behavior would not be a stumbling block to others.

As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he was concerned about their public witness. Responding to the question they raised about whether or not it was permissible for Christians to eat meat that had been offered to idols, he reminded them that love for another should rule their conscience. These meals did have a certain meaning for many in the first century, others knew there was One God and so these idols were as nothing; but this knowledge also presented a stumbling block to those who did not understand. Paul wanted those with greater wisdom to look first to the relationships to be gained for and with God than to look at the correctness of the law.

It seems there has always been some burning issue threatening to divide the church, and consequently undermine the good work being done. The church today suffers from the same problem: How many “puffed up” egos have hindered the work of the church? How many obsessing over control, or legalists who have every ‘dot and tittle’ memorized , have prevented some excellent work from going forward? Somehow there’s been an assumption that what we know is more important than what we do. Paul wanted Christians to consider their actions, how they were likely to affect those new to the faith, those who were timid, or those who may have been wavering in faith, those who were not totally confident or strong in faith.

As the world wide church has engaged in debate over some very controversial issues, the rest of the world has watched, and listened. As in Corinth, we have often times been extremely contentious in our debate and in-fighting, threatening schisms across the denominations. And at times, with certain issues, we have been most unforgiving. Is it any wonder that a great many persons 40 and under have chosen to lead ‘spiritual’ lives outside the church, rather than be Christians inside the church?

As Paul wrote to the church he said that Christians are to be motivated by love, first and foremost. As our bishop returned the wine menu, it was a reminder to us that alcohol might be a temptation to weaker members present with us and around us and, therefore, out of love and concern for those who might have addictions, or a weaker tolerance, we should all forgo it.

Love for one another should determine our actions. Which means we may need to practice restraint in some things of the law because others may not yet have come to understand the reality of grace; they have not experienced the liberation that comes by grace, or the freedom that comes through Christ.

Early in my first semester of seminary we were assigned a paper and the deadline was near. Because the paper was to be our initial thoughts on God, I entitled the paper “God”. I wrote the paper and saved it to my computer, or so I thought. When I went to print the paper, I discovered it missing. “God” had disappeared in cyberspace.

It was still early enough to rewrite the paper, and I had kept a few hand written notes, so I started again. I was new to computer technology and managed to lose “God” four more times. It seems everyone I asked for help in trying to retrieve the paper was stymied. By the time the paper was due I was extremely frustrated, with no paper. Keep in mind, I wasn’t sure I was going to be successful in my studies, doing graduate level work. I had taught but not done graduate work. I did not want to fail, and fear was running amuck as I entered that classroom. After class , when I asked the professor for an extension of time, he asked what happened. I told him and his response was a smile, with a spoken assurance that God was not lost: “God” may be in cyberspace, but God’s grace was present and would allow for whatever time I needed to figure out the technology to retrieve the paper and get to print. In the seminary at Drew University, also known as the oak forest, we quickly learned that along with the acorns, grace abounds.

Where ever God’s love exists, grace abounds. And where grace abounds, God’s love is present.

Grace allows us to be in places we may not be prepared to be in; grace allows us to be present in situations that may be very difficult, it allows us to put personalities aside and to look at, in the words of CS Lewis, “the raw material” of another human being, We are all God’s people; and we are all on a journey of faith. As pilgrims, following Christ’s path for years, We are to meet and accept people where they are, just as God meets us. Grace is about living in relationship according to God’s love, not about being right or about getting people to do things our way. Sometimes we go to such measures to be right we forfeit the relationships God intends for us to have.

God’s grace abounds and it is always our choice to accept or reject it, but as a people of God we are to be conduits of that grace. We are called first, last ,and always, to love one another as we love ourselves: as Christ loves us.

This morning as we prepare to come to the table I would invite you to take a moment to reflect how your actions affect the faith of those around you

Does your exercise of Christian freedom build up those around you? Where does it get in the way of someone else growing in their relationship with God? Where ever it does, ask God again to help you motivate others by love. Ask God to help you begin again. Amen.

I trust everyone watched the inauguration on Tuesday? It was an eventful day in the nation. Coverage showed people arriving at the National Mall in Washington early in the day and, it was stated more than once that the president by law had to take the oath of office by noon. So when Vice President Joe Biden took his oath I thought that, as it was so close to noon, President-elect Barack Obama would take the oath immediately following. But no, there was a musical interlude and shortly after noon, our new president was sworn in. Musical interludes can be nice, but I was thinking to myself, “So what happened to the law?” Further information revealed that the president elect becomes president automatically at noon by provision of The Constitution whether or not the oath has been taken. Noon is the appointed time. Time waits for no man or for musical interludes..

There are two types of time – chronos , from which we get our word chronology. This is the time with which we are familiar —the ticking of the clock, the realm of time and space we all inhabit, the means by which we measure time in hours, days, months and years; and Kairos, is the "fullness of time," the means by which God measures time, God’s time zone. And while seemingly two very different ways of measuring times, they actually intersect. You may remember from math that when two lines intersect it is at a specific point, and if those lines represent the kairos and chronos, then the intersection is a specific time. They intersect when God enters into human affairs..as God entered into the world in the fullness of time as the Christ Child; and when God calls us into service for Divine purposes.

Now while President Obama was ready to begin his duties, and everything was scheduled that he would take the oath at noon, Jonah was quite the opposite. From the scripture you could call him the reluctant prophet. As the Ninevites had ignored God, God was now going to destroy them. Jonah did not want to deliver this news and turned away from God’s call. He headed off in the opposite direction. So God spoke again to Jonah and this time Jonah went reluctantly or very unwillingly. Surprisingly, to Jonah, when the Ninevites heard God’s message they repented, immediately and most sincerely. And God, always merciful, changed his mind.

And in the fullness of time, Jesus began his ministry and he called his disciples. The disciples, hearing Jesus, immediately left their nets. Note the contrast. While Jonah was reluctant, the disciples gave an immediate response. Fishing

was hard work; pulling in nets full of fish takes muscle. The yield varied, and the hours were long, so it might be the disciples were ready to find alternative labor … discipleship is good work if you can get it. And most of us can get it, but too many of us are like Jonah.

Personally, I had a sense that God was calling me to ministry when I was in high school. It was almost 30 years before I answered with an unconditional “yes”.

Yet even in my hesitation God began equipping me for that “yes”. I believe that we do not respond immediately because we do not see ourselves as qualified, we’re afraid we’ll make mistakes. Well, we learned on Tuesday that even the most qualified men make mistakes; two Harvard grads managed to mess up the presidential oath of office.

Jesus didn’t seek out college or seminary trained persons to carry the word, and he also didn’t make them jump through hoops in board sanctioned interviews. These fishermen had one important characteristic for ministry: the willingness to follow Jesus. Jesus would give them on the job training.

God equips those who are called to ministry. Not everyone is called to ordained ministry, yet all baptized believers are called to some form of ministry.

Last week as we looked at some of the bad girls of the Bible in our UMW study, we discovered that several of them were used by God. After asking the question “Who calls them bad?” we determined that many were simply doing what was necessary to survive, and so if “bad” at all, they were redeemed. They were resourceful women, and God blessed them as they faithfully responded to God’s call. The scriptures aren’t clear about the background of all of the Biblical characters, but does tell us that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” [Romans 3:22-23] By God’s mercy all of us are saved, and all of us called to serve. We need only look at our gifts.

What is it you love to do? Where is your passion for Christ? Is it in showing hospitality? Is it in quiet conversation with others? Is it in teaching? Or singing? Or playing the guitar or tambourine? God can employ us in worship, God can employ us in the courts of kings and presidents. Maybe your passion is in the area of social justice… in litigation or finance… in feeding the hungry or reducing homelessness. God calls us to many places.

Dorothea Dix from Hamden, Maine to the streets of Boson and to the prisons of the mentally ill .

We may not all have such lofty callings – but we are all called to do something.

We are called and when we respond it is not to the be listed in Fortune 500 or the world’s top 10 billionaires or millionaires, but to empowerment for the sake of God’s realm, and to salvation.

Trust in God… trust in Jesus to lead you and teach you to; may we all trust in Jesus to equip us for the ministry God requires of us. Amen.

As I have heard this passage used in preaching it is always in reference to sexuality. Your body is the temple of Christ, therefore live a morally correct life not engaging in pre-marital or extra-marital affairs. Your body is the temple of Christ; honor God in all that you do. Now if I were speaking with youth, we would enter into some sort of discussion with them, sort of a give and take with questions trying to expand the their thinking about what it means to be the temple of Christ and how they might “just say no,” not allowing themselves to even get to the place where they have to make these decisions .

This morning though I want to talk about body language in a slightly different sense as we here in this place are the body of Christ. As human beings we do a lot of posturing. As Paul wrote to Corinth he was in part writing about their posturing as part of the body of Christ at Corinth. Corinth had been a powerful city and within its city walls several temples to the ancient Gods were erected: to Appolos, to Poseidon, and to Aphrodite. It’s this third temple that Paul is addressing in the passage today.

Corinth had an unsavory reputation, a city of immoral behavior with a libertine atmosphere, so Paul addressed this immorality as he was concerned with the young church. He spent more time in Corinth than any other place, and experienced more heart ache because of it. In addressing temple worship and continued participation in the activities surrounding the temple, he referenced the body is the temple of Christ. Each individual person who claims Christ as Lord is a temple unto him/herself; as is the collective body, the congregation, the body of Christ.

We do a lot of posturing as human beings and studying body language has been an art since ancient times. We’ve become experts in reading each other, so much such so , that we often employ experts who prepare us for job interviews, professional development , and campaigning.

Body language can help or hinder the desired outcome of our human encounters – if we sit or stand with arms tightly folded it is a clear indication we are closed off to any interchange of conversation or ideas. Trained negotiators sit with their heads held up, they make direct eye contact, use a modulated voice – their body language is clear.

This weekend we are on the verge of witnessing an important milestone in our nation’s history. We remember the life of Martin Luther King Jr, it is a long weekend across the nation, and we celebrate the work he did with many others in moving forward the cause of civil rights. What began in the Memphis, Selma and Montgomery grew into a national movement to restore the civil rights removed by the systematic disenfranchisement of African American people. Promises were made that this movement would not cease until all peoples in the United States had equal voice, equal participation in our nation’s government, and economic and social structures.

We have called ourselves a Christian nation but we have been divided and divisive, and have played the harlot as we have claimed Christ. We have in fact slept with evil and we have engaged in un-Christ-like behavior, immoral acts against humanity and human dignity. We have embraced prejudice, practiced racism, and done all manner of evil including using scripture to justify our actions.

In November we moved a step closer to restoring our God like image, as we voted our first African American President, President-Elect Barack Obama, and Tuesday we will take another step in restoring that image as he is sworn in as our 44^th President. However we still have a long way to go.

We posture in our body language and rhetoric regarding basic human rights – universal health care, education, and housing. Many of us have other hopes, dreams for the nation and world and often our voices are lost in the discussion. So this morning as we stand at this historic time, I thought we might take a few moments to lift up some of those things we think about, would like to see come about. What next is our step in restoring human rights, human dignity, our Christ like image? What would you say to our President- elect?

[conversation included focusing on individual rights and abilities to make decisions for themselves, and then being responsible for the decisions that are made; eradicating hunger, illiteracy, and homelessness; instituting universal health care that everyone may have access to equal treatment; children’s rights are protected under the law; ]

We have taken a step forward in our nation, one that I hope leads toward greater reconciliation, toward a peace as we have never known in this nation, toward God’s justice and mercy.

I do not know the source but a Quaker saying, based in the Gospel, points the way. "There can be no peace without reconciliation. There can be no reconciliation without forgiveness. There can be no forgiveness without giving up the hope of a better yesterday." If we hold on to the deep pain and bitterness of the past, it will prevent us from embracing a new future of peace. Nations do it. Families do it. Churches do it. Pray that we might all become peacemakers. Pray for the land we call "holy. And I pray that our black brothers and sisters in this nation will be able to forgive to sins against them and those who have engaged in them.

This morning you are invited to remember your baptism, or to remember the time you brought a child for baptism, or witnessed baptism here at the font. As with Jesus we are baptized with water and the Spirit. The Spirit is invoked to move over the water, calling to mind creation, as we are made a new creation in Christ. In baptism God’s love is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that is given to us. (Romans 5:5)

I believe it is our hearts’ desire to be in a personal relationship with God, with Jesus; but we don’t know what to think about the Holy Spirit. We know Jesus to be human and divine, and God we can imagine as male and female, life-giving and protective, holy and divine; and even though the Bible is full of references to the Holy Spirit we don’t always know what to make of this third person of the Trinity. God’s Spirit was active in creation (Gen 1:2), as the wind moving over the waters. The Holy Spirit was active through the prophets of Israel, was present at the baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:10), and active in the establishment of Christ’s church (Acts 19: 6). All of these are acts of the pure and unbounded grace of God.

The Holy Spirit is active today. It is the Holy Spirit that awakens or quickens the spirit within us, and draws us into spiritual communion with God in Christ. It is the Holy Spirit that also sustains us as we progress in our journey of faith, transforming us, changing us. She nurtures and nourishes our souls. Through spiritual communion with God, the Holy Spirit is empowering us for life – life in the community of faith, and life in the chaos the world, now and into the future.

The Spirit of God moved over the waters in the midst of the chaos of creation. In storms, as with this morning’s snow and ice, we can be thrown into chaos; we saw chaos in November of 1965 when the northeast power grid failed; in 2004 in the tsunami, and in 2005 when Katrina hit New Orleans. In the middle of storms we can grow closer to God. It was in such a storm that God’s Spirit began to make order out of the chaos in the life of John Wesley.

John and Charles were sailing on a small ship of 200 tons with 80 English emigrants and 25 Moravians. They were traveling to Savannah for the sole purpose of saving souls. They traveled for 3 1/2 months. Their days on board the ship were fully devoted to God. According Wesley’s journals, Wesley rose at 4 a.m. and engaged in personal and public prayer, Bible reading and teaching studying German, meetings, and worship until 10 p.m. They faced horrendous Atlantic storms with huge waves that crashed over the ship drenching it with water. It was impossible to hold onto anything. Wesley wrote that waves came every ten minutes crashing against the ship, which led many to believe the ship would tear apart. God used these storms to begin opening Wesley’s heart and mind to the power of the Holy Spirit.

John's own conversion came at the age of 35. On May 24, 1738 he had an experience that changed everything. He described the event in his journal:

"In the evening, I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

It was the Spirit at work in John’s heart. Out of the chaos of Wesley’s life God brought calm; because in the midst of the chaos God’s incredible grace was at work in the Holy Spirit. We have seen this as the church has grown embodying God's goodness and justice in the world. When Wesley died, by his own “statistical reporting” there were 294 preachers, 71,668 British members, 19 missionaries (5 in mission stations), and 43,265 American members with 198 preachers within this new denomination. Today Methodists number about 30 million worldwide. (ChristianHistory.net) The Holy Spirit turned chaos into prosperity.

The Holy Spirit also acts in the crisis and chaos of our lives. It is the Holy Spirit that places people around us to support us and pray for us and comfort us when we are most frightened and when we are most vulnerable. And it is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to move forward, faithfully serving God in whatever place we are called to be.

Wesley invited people to remember their baptism and to claim the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives, and annually invited them to renew their covenant with God in Jesus Christ. This morning I would invite you to do the same. In the bulletin you will find an insert with prayers and liturgy, this has come to us through Wesley adapted by Wesleyan scholars.

It was sometime in the summer or fall of 1980 that I met him. The church was holding a reception for Jim and his wife, Frances, as they were the new clergy couple serving my home church of Eastham and the neighboring church in Orleans. As I was introduced to Jim, I could see he was trying to remember names and before saying mine three times in conversation, I told him, “Don’t worry about remembering my name. You won’t see me that often. I work on Sundays at the flea market, and when I’m not working I like to sleep late.” Jim just smiled.

I remember walking away and thinking to myself, “Whew, thank you, God he didn’t challenge me on that one.” And the “Thank you, God” was more of a passing acknowledgement to a God that at that time was very distant in my life. I had grown up in the church, met some wonderful people and had had a place in the church that was meaningful to me, but in 1980 I was working several part-time jobs, taking care of my mother who was sick, and generally angry with God because the only reason I had moved back to the cape was for a teaching job I was promised and then fell through, after I arrived there. In the late summer of 1979 I had quit an office job in Newburyport where I had lived for 5 years and been active in a Baptist church, leading their youth program for girls and teaching Sunday School. In 1980 I was blaming God for messing up my life.

The teaching job was something I had dreamed of, trained for, and was going to be the way I could financially support myself and be close to my newborn nieces and nephews. And God was getting the last laugh, because working several part-time jobs left me no time to even see them! And Jim just smiled; if he only knew how I was feeling about God!

Paul wrote to the Ephesians that he was made a minister of the gospel by the grace of God. He was made a minister to proclaim the mystery of the Jesus Christ, made known to him on the road to Damascus, and given that he would bring it to the Gentiles, that they would know the boundless riches of Christ.

On this Sunday when we remember and celebrate the gifts of the magi, we remember and celebrate that the greatest gift given to us is the grace of God received in the person of Jesus Christ. In my more radical feminist years, someone gave me a sweatshirt with a picture of Bethlehem on the front and written in a little bubble above the star were the words, “Good news, it’s a girl.” I often think that if Jesus had been born a girl, her name would have been Grace.

Paul was revealed the truth of the gospel, for him the veil of mystery had been removed from his eyes. “Mystery” in this biblical context means secret, and Paul knew the secret…. so did Jim. That’s why he could smile that day. And while I had had glimpses, I didn’t know the fullness of God’s grace in my life. I was angry with God.

I’m sure none of you have ever felt that way…. or maybe you have. When our life plan doesn’t go the way we have scheduled, or when events happen to shake us up, we can’t always accept them as means of grace for God’s purposes. We put up barriers, obstacles that prevent us from experiencing the fullness of God’s love, God’s grace in Jesus.

When the magi approached the manger with gifts of gold, and frankincense, and myrrh, they probably weren’t viewed as the most practical shower gifts for an infant. But God’s plan was unfolding for the protection of the Holy Child and Holy Family, as God’s plans unfold for each one of us.

1980 brought a major change in my life. The flea market didn’t close until November; by Advent I was attending church again…. and Jim mentioned the need of a Sunday School teacher. Well, I could help him out for a few months. The flea market wouldn’t open again until April or May. Then my home church became involved in mission work by adopting a Laotian family. I trained to be a tutor. When they arrived in early May, Lois, one of the women in my church, knew I was trained as a teacher and unemployed. She put my name in to the superintendent…. my church family was at work. By summer Pastor Jim was looking for a Vacation Bible School director. By 1983 was employed in the job I had originally applied for, and was teaching Sunday School on Sunday and on Monday I was after school with the combined Eastham Orleans middle high class.

Later Jim asked me to be the chair of Christian Education…. and all the time there was Pastor Jim smiling.

It was about 1989, when his wife Frances was appointed District Superintendent of this district, that Jim and I got back to that very first conversation. I wanted to talk to him and as I often do things went in to his office unannounced. (I’ve since learned that a lot of ministry is like that.) As we sat in his office he asked me, “Do you know what God’s grace is?” and without missing a beat he answered his own question. He said, “It’s the totally undeserved love of God given in Jesus Christ. We can do nothing to earn it. We don’t merit it. We can only accept it.”

God’s gift of Jesus Christ was totally unmerited, is totally undeserved. Yet, God comes to us and gives us grace that we might be together with God forever. It is the single greatest gift we will ever receive – it’s the most important information any of us can ever share with another human being, and it fills a very important place in our hearts. There is a God sized hole waiting to be filled by the love of God. It makes no difference what we’ve done, or said, or left unsaid and undone. Paul tells us that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:28ff)

Jim was smiling because he knew the love of Christ, and the joy of sharing Christ. We know the joy in receiving Christ, and can know even greater joy in sharing God’s gift of grace with others. There are some who would advocate going out and knocking on doors to share the good news, and for some that works; but I would suggest that most of us have opportunities to share in simple conversation, with a smile, and one very important leading question, “Do you know what God’s grace is?”

This morning as we prepare to receive communion, our visible response to God’s invisible grace working in us, I would invite us to take a moment to reflect on God’s grace in our lives, where God has entered in and is waiting for us to receive the fullness Christ. May we on this Epiphany Sunday bow before Christ and ask him to be reborn anew in us today. May we live in God’s grace and walk in God’s way. Amen.

This was not just any teenage pregnancy. Mary was to be the mother of God. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was about to make his entrance into the world.

Over the past two thousand years, belief about Mary and the Christ event has varied; the Roman Catholic Church for years has venerated her, offered special prayers to her, and remembered her in music, art, and liturgy. What has been known about Mary in the Catholic Church - according to Miriam Therese Winter, a Medical Mission Sister who you may know better as the “Singing Nun” of the 1960’s - has been more from proclamation than from scripture.

The Protestant Church, on the other hand, in maintaining a focus on the believer’s need of repentance and forgiveness through Jesus “tossed the baby out with the bathwater,” or at least in this case the baby’s mother. We do not pray to Mary, we do not venerate her – in fact, for the greater part, we have ignored her. Unless, of course, you were one of the little girls who wanted nothing more than to play Mary in the church school Christmas pageant.

During the past twenty or so years , within the Protestant Church, there has been a movement to reclaim Mary – not to claim for her any special attribute, but to place her in our theology as she is in the scriptures, as God’s “most favored one”, and yes, as the mother of God. Jesus, the incarnation of God , was borne in Mary’s womb. There are people who reject immaculate conception, deny the virgin birth, and reject the view that she gave birth to other children. What we cannot deny is that at a very young age, 12 or 13, Mary conceived , she responded in obedience, and in very difficult circumstances, gave birth to a son, Jesus, whom Scripture has declared the fullness of God (Colossians).

What do we do with Mary? It’s the same question that Joseph, her betrothed, had to wrestle with. While unplanned pregnancies result in some very tense moments in families today, in Mary’s time it could result in death; and, it may have been for this reason that the angel’s first words to Mary was “Greetings most favored one. The Lord is with you.” “Do not be afraid.”

What do we do with Mary? Like every other Biblical personage, we get in touch with her spirit. Mary was like any other woman who has ever carried a child. She trusted God with the child’s safety and her own health – she probably had morning sickness, she may have had strange cravings, and there might have been fear around the delivery of her first child. Pregnancy was not easy, in fact it was dangerous. What she couldn’t know at the time of conception was that when she delivered her child she would be miles away from home, there would be no help no one to encourage her or support her from her family, only Joseph to care for her in the middle of the night.

“Greetings, most favored one.” What did that mean? In studying United States history, I was always confused by the most favored nation status afforded to various countries. I first heard the term in relation to China in the 70’s. It meant that the receiving nation would be granted all trade advantages that any other nation also received. In effect, a nation with most favored nation status would not be treated worse than any other nation with the most favored status. In other words, Mary was like any other woman favored with pregnancy. A woman’s identity was formed around her ability to bear children, especially boy children. A woman was considered favored by God when she conceived.

Mary was favored, but even more so than this. Her child would be conceived by the Holy Spirit. Her child would be the mystery, the fulfillment of the scriptures, of the prophets. Mary would birth the Christ Child.

This morning as we are gathered to celebrate the coming joy, we also celebrate a great liberation. For in the birth of Jesus all peace and justice, all wisdom and compassion was born. In the birth of this one little child would be compassion for the homeless and hungry, the sick and the destitute. Jesus would come bringing liberation to our souls, freedom from oppression, and we would again see with God’s eyes, and feel with God’s heart.

With Mary, this most favored one, we wait these last days focused on the mystery of this birth and on the liberation of human hearts. And we wait knowing that we too are most favored as we bring Jesus to birth when the promises of God are fulfilled in and through us. Whenever we bear the Light of Christ in the world, whenever we offer hope, whenever we offer the love of Christ – we too are God-bearers.

I invite you to bear the Christ child into the world as together we serve the one who has come and is coming again. Amen.

God has called us by name, each one to testify to the glory and honor of God our creator. May God’s bountiful and merciful grace receive us and deliver us , through Christ Jesus, who was, and is, and is coming again.

It was 1960 and we had just elected John F Kennedy as president. We lived in hope of the changes that were about to happen. We were living in a strange in- between time, living in anticipation of we didn’t know what, but later called Camelot. At Christmas we were just a month away from his inauguration. That year, 48 years ago, I had seen a beautiful doll in the aisle of the First National. From the first moment I saw her, I lived and breathed in hope of seeing her underneath the tree on Christmas morning. I knew she would be more wonderful than any doll I had ever longed for, and she was definitely better than the football equipment my brothers wanted. Thinking back on that Christmas, while I had heard the story of Jesus’ birth, I didn’t have a glimmer of understanding as to what the promises of the Advent and Christmas scriptures meant. I don’t think I was any different from most children at Christmas time. They can’t wait to remove the ribbons and bows and tear off Christmas wrap to discover what is inside all those bags and boxes. Living in this time of waiting and over flowing expectations is hard.

As adults we spoil our children, or nieces and nephews, and grandchildren at Christmas. We love watching their faces as they open their gifts and see their wishes come true. But as adults, our longings are very different. We long for the world to be free of oppression, poverty, hunger; we long for healing and wholeness, for comfort and joy. Our yearning is for the Christ who comes to “impart to human hearts the blessings of his heaven ”, “the wonders of his love”; as we sing in our favorite hymns, and the waiting is not easy.

These words of Isaiah were given when the Hebrews were returning from the Babylonian exile. They recall the Servant Songs of earlier chapters, and were given to offer hope, encouragement, and comfort. Judea was in ruins; their country was destroyed. Isaiah’s words were of liberation and salvation; of deliverance: and they were reminders of earlier days, when they had first gained their freedom from pharaoh and in the wilderness received instruction from the Lord as to how they were to live. They were called of God, were bearers of God’s word, and they would be redeemed.

These words are reminders, too, of the Biblical mandate of jubilee, from Leviticus 25. Every 7^th year the land was to remain fallow, and while today considered a good method in farming –resting the land – to the Hebrews it was to be a reminder that everything they had was from the Lord. In practicing stewardship of the land they would remember God’s blessings. In this seventh year all debts were to be cancelled, indentured servants set free; and after seven cycles of seven years, the 50^th year would be the year of jubilee. In addition to previous requirements all real estate, except within the walled cities, was to automatically revert to the family that had original ownership. Slaves were set free. Rabbinical schools and Christian scholars have debated whether it was the 49^th or 50^th year, but the point has always been the same: It was to reinforce 1^st -God’s ownership of everything and everyone, and 2^Nd God’s awesome grace. Isaiah’s message of salvation , of deliverance from the bonds that held them – both the physical and spiritual – was not held out as a future expectation, deliverance was a reality for their present day. For the Hebrews released from Babylon and returning to Judea, this was the beginning of hope renewed.

John the Baptist’s message, as strange looking as he dressed, was the same. He offered hope ; not claiming any greatness but pointing the way to the one who was coming – Jesus. John witnessed to the Light that was coming into the world. After his baptism and time in the wilderness, at the inauguration of his ministry, Jesus went into the temple and opened the scroll of Isaiah, from this 61st Chapter (Luke 4:18ff). “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” These verses framed his vision for his ministry; they frame our Christian mission and are at the root of our Wesleyan heritage.

It has been argued that John Wesley was the first theologian to understand that the church must be interpreted as mission, that the church is primarily a continuation of the apostolic witness. (Schmidt, “Wesley’s Place in Church history,” in The Place of Wesley in the Christian tradition, ed. Ken Rowe Scarecrow Press, 1976, p.81,91.) The church exists for the sake of others.

Both Isaiah and John witnessed to the reality of deliverance in this world – through the power of God and Jesus Christ. And this is to be our witness. We are living in a world that has suffered hard times, and I’m not speaking about the United States. There is massive poverty, sickness, and homelessness along with war and slavery, that is dehumanizing. Within our borders, we are confronted with a failing economy, a decrease in pensions, massive unemployment and greater demand for government bailouts. And people suffer from disease, and addiction, poverty and depression. The list goes on.

If the church exists for others then how do we offer hope to the world? How do we witness to the grace of God, especially as it pertains to jubilee? In what way can we see ourselves identifying with this proclamation ? Several people in the congregation have heard variations on this question during the previous two weeks as we have studied the Advent scriptures. The question itself emerged from a member of the Wednesday morning group. How do we practice the forgiveness of debt? Or restore sight? Or set free those bound by oppression?

According to Robert Kaylor, the writer of our study book “Come to the Manger”, jubilee was understood as a major leveling of the economic and social playing field.” (p.27) It was a major transformation for Israel, when enforced. It is a radical concept, and could be transformative for America. Corporations cannot take precedence over the human community, and ‘affluenza’ cannot win out over sufficiency. As John called people to repentance, we need to begin by asking ourselves, “How much is really enough?” “What do we really need?” I’m don’t know who said it, but there is a quote, “ We read the gospel as if we have no money, and we spend money as if we know nothing of the gospel.”

But we in North Kingstown do know the gospel, we are the body of Christ, called to be witnesses to the Light of Christ, to let that Light burning deep within to shine so that where people are blind, the church can shed light, and where there is need the church can respond.

I believe we are engaged in Christ’s mission. We are offering hope to the world, to this community. People find us, people know our name and knock on our doors. But there is still work that needs to be done – work that we are perfectly able to engage in. Through the provision of space for the food pantry we are impacting others. We could make an impact supporting a local shelter that would take men, women and children. We could make an impact for Christ providing a warm place for people to come and have a hot meal, or even a shower and cot for the night. I never thought of John as comfortable in his coarsely crafted outfit, but neither are the homeless who have not been able to shower or put on clean clothing. Whether we advocate for and create temporary shelter or work to make sure our towns provide affordable housing, our voices can be raised as John’s calling out to the peoples of Rhode island.

We are to be like John – announcing Christ by our words and actions that people would be transformed by his presence and be able to rejoice as they did in Isaiah.

The voice of the church is the voice that is working for God’s future, for the healing of the world and for the transformation of souls.

In a month we will inaugurate a new president, and we’ll have expectations, that may or may not be realized, but right now as we are living in between times – we are living in the sure and certain hope of God’s promise of deliverance of the faithful. And if there is anything we can learn from John the Baptist and from the prophet Isaiah, it is that the effectiveness of our ministry in this community and in the world will depend of a selfless commitment to Christ and the abundant grace of God.

As we are waiting in between times, may the world by our witness have every reason for rejoicing in Christ our Savior. Amen.

Both Isaiah and Mark speak of the wilderness, and that is what I want in part to talk with you about this morning. The Hebrew people had been taken in exile and crossed the wilderness into Babylon. In former days they had lived in the dessert wilderness; we think of it as barren land. What good could emerge from the wilderness? For many the wilderness is a scary place. Wondering in the dessert, people had to depend on each other for safety as wild animals threatened them and their flocks. They traveled by caravan or in small nomadic groups. Scripture depicts scenes from the dessert, the exodus, the valley of dry bones, as places of death and darkness – sometimes in the literal sense but most certainly as places apart from any hope. There are the vast desserts in our west. One of them, Death Valley, bears such an ominous name. It was one of the places our military trained in preparation for Dessert Storm,; later for Iraq. An army fitness trainer once told me temperatures range from 15– 130 degrees Fahrenheit. It is in the wilderness that we are often confronted with our fears, and at times our own mortality.

But the wilderness can yield surprises. Death Valley in the spring is a glow with color as dessert flowers bloom briefly, and there are certain species of wildlife that have adapted to the dessert. Adaptation is a process that accurately describes life in the dessert, especially for humanity. The Hebrews adapted as they were confronted by God; they adapted as they learned to depend on God , turning to God not only for guidance as they wondered but also for food and water. They learned to trust this mysterious God - who came to Moses in the burning bush; who guided the Hebrews in the wilderness in the cloud of smoke by day and pillar of fire by night; and protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire. Trusting this mysterious God to provide for all our spiritual and physical needs is humanities singular occasion on this earth.

For you and me, as individuals, it is a necessary occurrence that comes as a result of experiencing the Light within and responding to God’s claim on our lives.

Mysteries abound not only in the wilderness, but also in the ordinary events of our lives. The proclamation of John the Baptist is such an event as he recalled the prophet Isaiah calling out for the reclamation of the dessert highway that lead to the glory of the Lord. For there was one coming greater than he, who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. His voice crying out in the wilderness offered hope! John was announcing the presence of Christ, of God.

During our midnight Christmas Eve service three years ago our choir director, a young Korean trained in classical music sang “Comfort, O Comfort Ye, My People”, from Handle’s Messiah. I heard Isaiah’s message as I had never heard it before. I was surprised as in the time I had known Hyung Kue I had never heard him sing. This normally very quiet man filled the sanctuary with his rich tenor voice. I sat in awe of God’s presence among us. Listening to Hyung Kue Yi, I felt God near to me.

It made me wonder, how do we as ordinary people proclaim the good news of God’s presence with us? How do we proclaim the nearness of God? How do we offer hope in Christ to others? It’s a serious question because whether we believe it or not, this is the purpose of Advent and Christmas – offering hope to everyone that together we may be in relationship with God – a God who loves us and wants nothing more than our love and devotion.

Did you thank God for the snow this morning? Did you thank God for opening your eyes this morning? Have you thanked God for your neighbor sitting next to you this morning? Now I’m going to ask you a question I hope will not offend you - if there is no one sitting next to you, why not? Why did you choose to sit alone and isolate yourself? God calls us to community and it is in community God calls us to live, to experience God’s greatest blessings. In order for John to experience God’s greatness he had to come in from the wilderness, to the people. What good is it that a prophet, one who proclaims God’s message , to exist alone?

Like the tree that falls in the forest, does anyone hear the voice of the prophet when the prophet cries out alone in the wilderness?

Whenever I have experienced the presence of God it has been the result of two conditions – one when I have been intentional to seek God, and second when I have been in community. The pain always came when I was alone, or thought I was alone. Yet, it was in the middle of the pain God was closest. That’s the way it has always been with Israel. When they suffered, when they turned away, God drew nearer. Our favorite hymns that proclaim the nearness of God were written as people were in the depth of suffering. “Nearer My God to Thee” remember? Isaiah call s to us still “O comfort, O comfort ye O Israel, O Comfort , O comfort ye my people.”

I want to recommend for your reading two books: Rick Warren’s “The Purpose of Christmas”, and Wm. Paul Young’s “The Shack”? If you want to experience God in a new and dynamic way these are must reads, whether mourning or dispirited, or simply desiring a closer relationship with God, to grow in Christ and the Holy Spirit , these books will help you go deeper.

Young has announced God’s presence with us in this piece of fiction, just as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John did in the gospels. “The Shack” is about God being present with us in a profound way, and speaking to us in ways we can all understand. There is a quote in “The Shack” Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown.” John came in from the dessert. The scriptures say he had to decrease that Christ might increase. Sometimes it is we who need to decrease that Christ may grow in us. It is the Light within that we do not want to hide. It is the Light within that is burning to grow that we may be seen in Christ and that Christ’s love may shine forth in the world.

God is present in this broken world, in the broken and contrite heart – God wants us to redeem us – to restore us to wholeness and health, God wants us to be healed. The invitation is for us to open our hearts to Christ and let him in.

Christ is present with us this morning in the bread and in the juice. Christ is present in the Godhead – the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. I invite you to come to the table this morning that we may, as Christ’s community, grow closer in love and closer in the knowledge of God, that all our days may be lived in the hope and peace offered through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I was serving as an Associate Pastor in CT when I was called upon by one of my parishioners to go look in on a man she knew to be in the last stages of his life. He was in an isolated room of a run-down nursing facility in East Hartford. He had been there almost two weeks and he had only one visitor. She admitted she had only been able to see him once. She told me he had AIDS. He had no one to care for him and so a few individuals that had come to know him through social services had taken him to the only facility that would admit him. She also asked if, when the time came, I would say a few prayers at his funeral.

I’ll admit the word AIDS scared me. I knew its spread over the globe was pandemic and I knew that there was more than one way to contract AIDS, and no cure. I wasn’t able to go that afternoon, but went the next day. It was hard to walk into that building ; it was filthy. In my mind I kept telling myself, “don’t use that as an excuse”. What was worse is that when I got to his room there it was just as bad. He was awake, he was just waiting to die – alone. I asked if he was Robert , and when he nodded, I introduced myself and told him that someone we both knew had asked me to visit. I’ve never forgotten his reaction; he started to smile. I sat down in a chair next to him and we had about an hour long visit. He didn’t want me to leave but I could see he was growing tired. I promised I’d return. Before I left, I asked if he would like to spend a moment in prayer; when he said ‘yes’, without thinking, I took his hand in mine to pray. I noticed tears forming in his eyes. After the prayer I asked him if he were okay. Had I upset him with something I’d said? “No” he said. “The tears are because I didn’t think I would ever feel someone touch me again. No one has touched me since I have been here.” And then he added, “I’m not afraid to die. I just don’t want to die alone.”

Statistics vary according to sources, but the picture is the same. People are living in darkness, without hope, waiting to die.

Why talk about AIDS this morning? Mark was written at a time of intense persecution, about 65 A.D. It is the earliest of the four gospels to be written. A cloud of darkness was cast over the church in Rome. Mark chapter 13 is apocalyptic writing. Kathleen Norris, a popular writer of several Christian books including “Amazing Grace: A vocabulary of Faith”, wrote the word apocalypse simply means to reveal, to uncover. So in this case it is an unvealing, or a revealing of those things to come focusing on the end of time. Mark’s gospel calls for us to be watchful. It is not unlike the gospel reading we’ve heard from Matthew over the past several weeks – The Parable of the Talents and The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids.

Mark’s gospel is also the shortest. As we begin advent and hope to hear the story of the birth of Jesus, we won’t find it in Mark. Incredibly we hear instead a reading telling us :

"the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
²⁵and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken..”.

Mark’s gospel was meant to offer the early church hope. From the tradition of the early church, we believe Mark to have been with Peter in Rome, just prior to Peter‘s death. Christians in Rome were suffering, and Mark held out hope that after the suffering there would be resurrection. Mark’s warning to Christians is to “be watchful “ . Mark remembered what we may sometimes forget as we get caught up in our holiday cheer. Mark wrote about Christ’s second coming.

Christ has already come and is coming again. Just as Isaiah spoke to the people returning from exile, overwhelmed by the magnitude of their situation, he spoke of victory because of their faith: a faith that told them God is the potter and we are the clay. When things appear to be unbearable remember that God is still forming us. Yes, even in times of trial, when it may feel as though God has abandoned us, God is still present and working in us, around us, and through us –as we are faithful.

As we observe Advent we, too, are waiting for the return of Christ, “the coming as a thief in the night” or “coming in the clouds.” We await the second coming, even as we retell the story of Jesus’ birth.

People have tried to predict the end times – when they will come. You have read or heard of Nostradamus. Some have said we are living in end times now, but no one knows the time when Christ is coming. Watchful living is not about knowing when the end of the world will come. It is about placing our trust in a God who cares for us. If we live trusting in God and living according to Christ’s teachings, the date of the end times becomes irrelevant. We live every day as though we are prepared to die, that when we die we are prepared to live eternal life.

It was when Robert told me he wasn’t afraid to die, that I decided he wouldn’t spend his last days alone. I went back almost every day for the next week. We had wonderful conversation. He was originally from Florida, had come to New England to go to school and loved it here. He had a bachelor’s degree in business. He played the saxophone, but he’d had to sell that when he needed money for his medication. I once asked him how he had contracted AIDS. Sad to say the first thoughts that had gone through my mind when asked to visit him were “Not another drug addict.” I was embarrassed, ashamed when I heard his answer. I had pre-judged him.

People with AIDS aren’t bad people; they’re sick people. They’ve contracted one of the worst diseases known to humanity and they need our compassion; they need our help.

Bishop Weaver has challenged the congregations in New England to help fight AIDS. He’s called upon each congregation to raise $1 per member. I personally think he set the bar low. We’ve challenged the children to take home a pill bottle and to place an offering in it of loose change, and we are challenging you to do the same. There are bottles on the tree, some in baskets at the door. I believe we can do better than $1 per member in this congregation. I also believe that in responding to our bishop’s challenge, we are doing more. We are offering hope to a people who have been living without hope. We are offering hope that there is a people willing to walk with those who are sick, willing to trust God with resources that a cure might be found, and that the world would be healed of this horrible pandemic.

I pray that as we wait for the second coming of Christ , Christ would enrich you in every way, that Christ would keep you guiltless for his second coming, and that Christ would sustain you in every need. Amen.

Our blessings are many and so is our giving of thanks. In his letter to the Corinthians Paul instructs them to recognize that God has blessed his people in such astonishing ways and with such abundance and we are to in turn give abundantly and with a cheerful heart. We are to go beyond the bare minimum of giving to the poor and we are to embrace a life and live it to our very best by being obedient to God’s way, to Christ’s living and that means giving thanks to God, having an attitude of gratitude and demonstrating our gratitude through generous living.

Thanksgiving as a child was a time of preparation and learning new things. I was blessed with a mother who taught me how to set a table, peel vegetables, make a pie crust and the miracle of timing all the cooking and serving of all the special foods that made up our family thanksgiving.

I remember the first Thanksgiving meal I attempted as a young married person with a 6-month-old baby and my mom was invited as our only guest. A snowstorm blew up the night before, my mom needed my husband to go and pick her up. I had made my pies the day before and started the morning in our little apartment by making coffee and toast, apparently I had never done this before at least not at the same time, I blew a fuse knocking out most of the electricity and heat. Our landlord was out plowing the streets and all the careful planning of this special meal seemed replaced by an impending disaster. My husband was able to get into the basement and flip the fuse and we were back on track. My husband left to get my mom a trip that would typically take 20 minutes would take hours. I sat Andrew in his little carrier in the middle of our small round table and talked to him as I began the preparations as I had been taught for so many years. With the disaster averted I no longer worried about how anything would turn out, I was so thankful to have heat for my infant and the ability to cook our special meal. We gave thanks.

The next year we found ourselves in a very different place, having completed my Ph.D the only full time employment I attained was a one year sabbatical teaching position at St. Lawrence University in upstate NY, 20 min. from Canada. My mom had recovered from her depression and was in Florida taking care of her mom and it looked like it was the 3 of us for Thanksgiving. The people in the psychology department asked about our Thanksgiving plans and if I was alone. I said no, my husband and son and I would be celebrating Thanksgiving, they said, you are not to celebrate Thanksgiving alone and their definition of alone was anyone sitting down to a table with less than 12 people. They had developed a tradition of inviting those who did not have extended family and we were invited to be with them on Thanksgiving. Over 16 people showed up, some were single, some were married whose children had moved away, there was our family and a family of 4 from Colorado. Everyone brought something to share, the table filled with food and the room with laughter and good cheer. I was overwhelmed with the generosity of these people who did not even know me. I thanked God for their cheerful and generous giving and made a promise if I ever could do what they had done for my family and me I would do the same.

From that position we made our way to southern CA in a full time position and near both of our brothers. We shared Thanksgiving for several years with family I had never met before and we gave thanks for the blessing of Samantha and all of our family But then one year all family plans fell through and I was disappointed with the last minute cancellation leaving us “alone” as defined by the St. Lawrence tradition. I had anticipated a large family gathering and so could not bear the thought of being in our little cement house on the edge of the desert with just the four of us. So I baked and cooked for 2 days and we packed our little family up and headed out to the deep desert, Joshua tree National Park and had one of my favorite Thanksgivings ever, a Thanksgiving picnic. The desert was alive with blooming flowers of unbelievable colors and the buzzing of bees and cactus standing tall. The desert was also alive with people who were hiking and rock climbing and all spread good cheer. We were thankful for all of God’s beauty surrounding us.

From southern CA we moved the Western PA seeking a better quality of life. We had moved to a place where we had no family, no friends, we knew no one. When I checked out the local church I discovered they were preparing to welcome a new minister. He was passionate about living for Christ and challenged us to open our minds, hearts and souls to the Word and to share that word. The warning was out, the new minister makes house calls…and he called on us. Few in that church were open to living for Christ, they were very stingy of heart and remained closed to God’s work and blessings. The Rev and his wife Anne and our family became fast friends sharing many meals and especially Thanksgiving together. We were blessed to find and grow each other in Christ.

Our next move brought us back to RI, economic times were difficult as we barely found a small apartment and storage unit to rent. Our kitchen was such that when you sat around the little round table for dinner, if you wanted something out of the refrigerator someone had to get up and push in their chair. The first year back was a struggle, selling furniture to buy groceries for Thanksgiving and it was just the four of us. Later that year we found this church and were filled with warm, loving greetings each and every time we entered these doors. You are open to God’s blessings and opened your hearts, minds and arms to us; you are our church family. Being filled up with your generous sharing of the Holy Spirit I was transformed and decided it was time to make good on my St. Lawrence promise. We invited a couple who would have been alone for the holidays and we invited by husbands single Greek bachelor friend, we ended up with 7 coming to dinner. Some in our household were worried, would we have enough food, where would people sit, did we have enough silverware, etc. That year was the first year Andrew, Sami and I came to this Thanksgiving service. The scriptures from Luke 12: 22 – 31 were read; Do Not Worry…

Luke 12:22-31

Do Not Worry

22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[a]? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

What a blessing this message was, it filled us up, we returned back to our little apartment filled with laughter and joy and happy in anticipation of our guests arriving the next day. It was a blessed Thanksgiving.

Today we continue the tradition of inviting those to our table and each person we are thankful for, each one is a gift from God, a blessing and it is generous of them to spend their Thanksgiving day with us.

God has blessed us with this time together; He is abundant and awesome in His giving. May you be filled up with the generous spirit of God and share your blessings cheerfully.

There are two things I’d like us to do this morning. The first is this: if you are a charter member of this church would you stand up. If you are a 40 year member of this church would you join them. I’d ask the rest of the congregation to take a good look and remember their faces. You may sit down.

Second, and I don’t usually begin my sermons this way, but I’d like you to close your eyes. And for a moment try to visualize the church 40 years from now, and if that’s hard to do, try 20 years from now. Take a moment … Picture it…What is the church doing? Visualize it…. Who is sitting next to you? Hold it in your mind…. Now open your eyes and tell me what you see.

[ Responses included: an education building, more young people, more visibility in the community, more outreach, no need for a food pantry, more parking, buying more land and expanding, more worship opportunities in this space, more diverse congregation, a new building somewhere else, more spiritual growth opportunities ]

John Wesley would have put these into two categories: works of piety and works of mercy: acts that lead to personal holiness and acts that serve others; acts that feed the spiritual body and acts that serve the physical body. And it is this second group that Jesus addresses in the passage we have just heard.

This passage of Matthew is labeled in many Bibles as “the judgment of the nations”. I like to think of it as “the reward of the righteous.” As Jesus spoke to his disciples telling them of end times, he used terms that would be readily understandable, words relating to their culture. The sheep would be gathered together at his right hand, be called blessed, and then invited to receive the inheritance of God’s eternal kingdom. The reward of discipleship. The goats at God’s left hand, would be receive eternal punishment.

What is it with goats? I’ve always wondered what happened that they were cast in this pastoral story as the sinful, evil doers. According to Jewish tradition, rabbis frowned on people raising goats. Goats were considered thieves: they would jump over fences, destroy plants not only by grazing much closer to the ground than sheep, but they also tore leaves, buds, and fruit from trees and vines. They were quite destructive. (Jewish Heritage Online)

Jesus gave his disciples two choices: Do the works of the righteous, be the sheep, or act as thieves, be the goats. And Jesus gives us the same choices.

In the gospel of Matthew we have a very clear indication of what Jesus wants us to be doing. Listen again to them: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, house the stranger, visit the sick, minister to the prisoners in jail, and bury the dead. Can the world, can other people look at our lives and say, 'I know who you are. You are Christian. I see Christ because of your love’? Are we walking the walk? At the core, these acts of mercy are an expression of who we are.

So in part my question this morning is how can we make these acts, those we have named, an expression of who we are, and whose we are? How can we more intentionally take part in ministries that are a blessing in people’s lives?

As I’ve been listening to the news this week, it has been bleak. There have been stories about Rhode Island having the highest unemployment rate in the nation. I’ve heard that Rhode Island is the first to suffer in a recession and the last to recover. (I’ve also lived in three other states that have said the same thing, so someone is going to have to explain this to me.) We’re seeing more people needing help. People are losing their jobs, and consequently not able to pay rent, consequently losing their shelter. People are sleeping in their vehicles, and its freezing outside. How do they get a hot meal? We see more people at the food pantry, and more people unable to travel because there is no money for gas, even though prices have fallen. These were the working poor, those on whom we depend on for many of our services.

As we look at that list again, you notice that Jesus is calling us to action – clothe, feed, visit, minister, shelter , give, even bury - investing ourselves in his service, working out our salvation and our gratitude for God’s blessing in our lives. This is not new to this congregation, nor are hard times. This church knows about personal investment – when 60% of the membership was lost - deployed around the nation and world when the naval base closed, in debt, and threatened with closing its doors – those remaining gave of themselves that this church would survive. And because they did, the church has kept its doors open and been a blessing to many in this community.

This is the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The tradition in my family, as we gather around my brother’s table, is to name something for which we are grateful. After I’ve said the prayer, my nieces and nephews remember the first prayer when as a seminarian fresh from school, I thanked God for absolutely everything… now they thank God for the nutrients of the ground, the rain from the sky and even the turkey that sacrificed his life…. And they are more serious and remember family and friends, health and home, jobs and other blessings. I would like to think that people here would have a similar tradition in which you name that for which you are grateful because there is power in naming. By naming that for which we are grateful we are empowered, we are blessed. And I would hope that near the top of your list you would include this church, our church family; first, of course, would be God “from whom all blessings flow.”

At the close of the passage, Jesus is saying on a deeper level that we choose heaven or hell… either the eternal life, or the eternal darkness. What he does not say in this passage is that whatever choice we make, that life begins here and now. Heaven and hell are here on earth now as we live or lives. Those things we name as blessings, those people and places we name that bring us even momentary joy or peace or calm are a glimpse of heaven, and its fulfillment will be, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.” What a glorious day that will be, and this is the reward of the righteous, the reward of discipleship.

I pray that in this season of thanksgiving you will remember the blessings you have received from God through this church, and through Christ’s universal church, and that you will with grateful hearts be a blessing to others. May you have a blessed holiday. Amen.

There are a few quotes and stories from our Hebrew and Christian scriptures that also appear in the writings of other world religions. This parable of the talents, with some variations, is one of them. Generally the parable is interpreted to encourage people to be industrious, to work and to excel. Laziness or sloth are not to be tolerated. These virtues of industriousness and success relate to our worldly endeavors , … and when related to wealth, well so much the better.

Max Weber, a German economist and sociologist at the beginning of the twentieth century, in his work The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism studied the interaction between various religious ideas and economics. He argued that Puritan ethics and ideas (and therefore Christianity) influenced the development of capitalism. Capitalism evolved when the Protestant (particularly Calvinist) ethic influenced large numbers of people to engage in work in the secular world. In his work, Weber quoted Ben Franklin who wrote , “Remember, that time is money. He that can earn ten shillings a day by his labor, and goes abroad, or sits idle, one half of that day, though he spends but sixpence during his diversion or idleness, ought not to reckon that the only expense; he has really spent, or rather thrown away, five shillings besides. “ (‘Advice to a Young Tradesman,' 1748)

The third however failed to invest the talent, choosing instead to protect the amount allotted to him. He buried the talent into the ground. When the master called him to account, he returned the same, saying he was afraid of his master’s wrath.

Much has been made of the increase in the talents. A talent was a lot of money. A talent was equal to about 15 years wages. Five talents would have been worth more than a lifetime of wages.

Three servants were entrusted with the master’s wealth. While the first two invested of themselves, taking a risk, to increase their master’s wealth, the third played it safe – he hid the talents, he invested nothing of himself in his master’s work. He was afraid of failure, afraid of his master’s anger; he feared for his own security. Fear prevented him from engaging in the work he was entrusted to do.

Have you ever been afraid? Have you ever experienced a paralysis because of that fear? Fear was a common house guest in our home. We never knew what to expect; with a father who drank, an alcoholic, and a mother frustrated and stressed in raising 5 small children, we never knew what to expect. Fear came home in a bottle. Later that fear would be manifest in other ways, different for each one of us.

The fear paralysis reflex is one of the first reflexes to develop, long before birth. (Reference to Kathy Brown’s “Balancing to Resolve Fear Paralysis Reflex” paper. Internet) Fear cripples and paralyzes us. It holds us back from fully engaging in life. Fear prevents us from giving totally of ourselves. This is not how God wants us to live. The one consistent message of the scripture is “fear not”. Every time an angel appears in scripture, the message is “be not afraid.”

Have you ever thought about where you fit into the parable? Which character in the story would you be? I would hope that no one of us would have the audacity to place ourselves as the master. But maybe the servant given the five talents? Maybe the one given two? Or one? As followers of Christ we would generally place ourselves in the role of one of the servants, investing the wealth God has given to us that we might return more to God. But this morning I would ask you to place yourself into the parable as the talent, the capital to be invested. The principles of investing our worldly wealth also apply to our spiritual life. We come from many walks of life with a wide variety of experiences, some with more some with less. God is not interested in our wealth, God is interested in what we do to care for what God has given us – our lives. When we invest our lives, or invest our capital, our “gain” is heaven.

Paul in writing to the church at Thessalonica was concerned that Christians were invested that they would be ready for the end times, when they would be tested, when their faith would be tried, and ultimately they would have to give account for their lives.

The servants were asked to give account of their lives, or investment, in their master’s absence. It is the same accounting that one day we will be required to give.

What will we say about ourselves? Will we be able to say we regularly invested ourselves for the sake of the kingdom? Or has fear held us back? With faith there has to be an investment of time and talent. Kent Millard, pastor of a 6000 member church in Indiana, challenged his congregation to be involved for 90 minutes at some point in a 90 day period. 90 minutes was all he asked – and when they did , that 90 minutes changed lives. They entered into the joy of the kingdom. I would extend that challenge to each one of you: 90 minutes invested sometime in the next 90 days for the kingdom of God.

We are not our own. Our lives belong first to God, and we are accountable for how it is we live. We have all been given something, each according to our ability, and God knows our ability.

Think of that investment in the bank : the interest grows at a minimal rate, but when actively invested the investment grows at a faster rate. It’s the same with our spiritual lives. When we invest ourselves actively in learning, in studying the scripture, engaging in caring for others we grow – in relationship with one another and in relationship with God.

God has given us life, not to be idle, not to be held back by fear, but to be fully engaged in the work of the fulfillment of the kingdom – on earth beginning now- that we may have joy.

Hannah Whitehall Smith , in her devotional classic The Christians Secret to a Happy Life, wrote that ‘we each have a responsibility to simply do that which we are called to do, nothing more’,… she also said ‘that many Christians make the further mistake of looking upon every act of service as a personal obligation.’ Just because we may have been led to give a tract to one person doesn’t mean that we forever have a ministry of giving tracts to everyone. We may take up a ministry for a while but it is not necessarily ours for life. Our investment leads to reward, to joy in God’s service; and if it doesn’t it may be more about what we want than what God is wanting for us.

Paul encouraged the early Christians to use their gifts. We need to encourage one another, to build one another up, not based on our more secular values, but on the gifts God has placed in our hearts – love, hope, and faith.

Note: For those who heard the sermon in church this will read differently as the sermon left room for interaction and conversation. In worship we were definitely off script.

Joshua was the young protégé of Moses…. and this story comes at the end of his life. With Moses he had led the people as they had wondered in the dessert for forty years. Think for a moment about their challenges:

The Israelites entering into Canaan had grown up in the dessert. When the time was right Moses handed over leadership to Joshua, and Joshua led them into Canaan. The only people that had lived in captivity that were allowed to enter the promised land were Joshua and Caleb, all the others were under 40. How many of us are under 40? //

Joshua led the people into the promised land, and he began a what we might call a transition government. That term may sound familiar… it is what is happening today…. young people forming a new government; young people coming out to vote because they have been given a choice. In an unprecedented election our president-elect called upon the young voters (actually all voters) to make a choice….. to make a commitment to the future of our nation.….. and Joshua was asking the people of Israel to make a choice. Realize though, that while president-elect Barak Obama is at the beginning of his executive leadership, this story comes at the end of Joshua’s life… after he has governed for 20 plus years.

As Joshua prepared to die, he led Israel in a renewal of their commitment to God, and he did so by publicly making his commitment. “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” /repeat/ Three times he pressed them for a commitment.

You might wonder how this compares with Jesus asking Peter about his commitment to Jesus. He asks three times, “Peter, do you love me?” Joshua was building a nation, Jesus was building a church. Joshua was a man of God, his name from the Hebrew means, “The Lord saves.” It’s the Greek equivalent is Jesus.

As a fisherman, Peter was spiritually formed as a disciple by his experiences with Jesus. It wasn’t easy, but Peter stayed with it. We know the story of Peter, when he failed, Jesus gave him the way back. Jesus was building the church with Peter as the ‘rock.’ Joshua was establishing a nation: the people had been spiritually formed in the dessert, shaped by their experiences of suffering, and of dependence on God - in battle, even in rebellion. And in Joshua’s time, they were fully committed to God. Never at any other time in Israel’s history would the people be as fully committed to God as they were at this moment.

It makes me wonder about our formative experiences and what are we doing to form disciples for the transformation of the world? What experiences are we providing for our youth, especially our under 40 ‘something’ and under. The Israelites needed to learn dependence on God, to worship God, to put God first. They knew the story of slavery. They knew the story of oppression. They knew how to serve pharaoh, now they needed to know how to serve God. They needed to grow spiritually.

I believe our younger generation is a well trained generation. They are graduating from colleges and universities with all sorts of expertise. Many have interned in business or politics. They’ve had their field training, but in the midst of all that training many have fallen away from the church, from God. To be real many checked out right after confirmation. And we let them. We need to ask ourselves again today what do our young people need to grow spiritually? What do we need to provide our young people that they can grow in their relationship with God? What would it take for our youth to invite their friends to church? This is not a rhetorical question. Where are you? /get a recorder for answers/ I want to hear from them… //

How are we preparing to meet the spiritual needs of our young adults? What are we prepared to give of ourselves and our resources to prepare them to be disciples that are able to make a difference in our community and world. I’m not just talking about the youth sitting here in our pews. We have been placed in a larger community.

The last couple of days seven of us have been out in Bloomfield at the Walk on Water Conference. You know that story about Jesus and Peter. And there is one thing we learned …. If you want to walk on water , you have to get out of the boat. Let me ask a question: Do you want Jesus light to shine in the world?

Do you want that light to continue shining for all time? Then you need to fill your lamp. You need to be prepared. If you want to be light to the world, you have to fill your lamp - your vessel – your soul. And we need to find ways to reach and fill the vessels of our next generations. We need a vision.

My vision? My vision is to finish the vision begun by those who first planted this church 40 years ago. There is a third phase to this building – permanent classrooms for our children; a contemporary worship center; a place for our teens to come together to meet with friends, to just hang out; a place for our seniors to meet for informal fellowship during the day; a place for the homeless to come and get warm during the cold days of winter; expanding our food pantry.

Before Joshua could lead the people in the promised land, he had to lead them across the river. He had to lead them into the land, they had to walk the neighborhood. Once they were there God showed them what needed to be done. They had work to do and they did it! Never in Hebrew history were the people more together, more in sync, more ready to serve God than they were under Joshua.

The election is over and we are ready to move on. McCain has graciously invited his dedicated supporters to come together and help our new president elect. It is time for us to come together. It is time to come together, to walk our neighborhood, to serve God.

We as a congregation have been preparing ourselves to welcome the next 50 people who come through our doors, I believe God is preparing us to go out to the neighborhood to meet the next 500. God is preparing us to build a brighter future, filling our vessel that we would shine for Christ right here in North Kingstown.. that we would shine right here in Rhode Island, that we would shine for Christ in the world.

Are you ready to follow Jesus? Are you ready to commit yourself 100 percent to God?

This morning we are called. We are called to renew our commitment. To renew a commitment that began with Abraham and Sarah, renewed with Moses, renewed with Joshua, and would be renewed again with David. Repeat with me and renew your commitment, “ As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” Amen

Today we celebrate All Saints Day, remembering especially those saints who have entered into their eternal joy in this past year. And there is some confusion in the church, confusion as to who qualifies as a saint. Can they intercede for us? Can we intercede for them? What’s the difference between All Saints and All Soul day? And just what is a saint anyway? A lot of these question rise from a synthesis of beliefs among the religions especially Roman Catholicism and the Protestant Church.

As Protestants we believe in the communion of saints – the great witness of believers in Christ, living and dead. We also believe that while we may intercede for people as they are living, we do not believe in the efficacy of prayer to change God’s judgment as the dead stand before the judgment throne. We alone are responsible for our soul and our witness before God. Our witness in that moment is whatever our response has been to God’s grace through Jesus Christ - according to whatever ability we have been given: our soul, our witness, our response -ability.

We believe in the saints as those who faithfully follow God’s word; they live as best they are able according to the grace of God. Saints don’t have to perform miracles, but many do in large and small ways by their very acts. You might look around, you see the saints among us. Remember the saints you have known in your lifetime. One of those saints for me was a woman named Evelyn Christianson, a Sunday School teacher who recognized my gifts for teaching and invited me to teach with her, even though I was considered much too young by the church. She was an encourager, and she encouraged and blessed my life. She is a saint. The question is: do you consider yourself a saint? I would venture a guess that most of us don’t.

We live in a culture of conflicting values. The word of God tells us how to live a godly life, and culture often counteracts that word. We may feel conflicted. This passage from the Sermon on the Mount, that we know as the Beatitudes, is one of the best examples illustrating these competing values.. Since when does being meek get us anywhere? Or those humble, those who regularly live in humility, what purpose does their behavior serve in the greater society. Christian values don’t always help us get ahead in the world. As Jesus spoke to the multitudes, they were hungry, oppressed, down-trodden, living in poverty not only economically but also in spirit. Jesus offered hope for people to receive the blessings of God. It wasn’t just hope for the future but for blessings that they, and we, already had. According to the Beatitudes, those living under the reign of God, were already blessed by God’s gracious and redeeming love. To those listening, It may have been heard as a dream of some distant future they could hold out hope for, but what Jesus did in the beatitudes was establish a positive value system by which disciples of Jesus could live every day, because the reign of God had already begun.

I believe the challenge of Christian faith is in accepting and living in a life-sustaining, life-giving relationship with God and our neighbors, even in trying circumstances. If we practiced all the positive values of becoming meek, merciful, and pure in heart; if we actively promoted peace, how might we be different as a community? How could we transform the community? The church is a microcosm of the world community and what do we see? Divisiveness? Criticism? Persons of haughty spirit trampling the reserved, those reticent to engage in conflict? And what becomes of it?

Yesterday a book was mentioned during the women’s planning group, “How to Be a Mary in a Martha World.” Love the title, “How to Be… “ What I love about the beatitudes is that we don’t have to do anything. We’re already busy like Martha running around doing all that we can; what many of us need to learn is simply how to be… to be as Mary and just sit and listen at the feet of Jesus. We don’t have to do anything – just be.

We are living in a world where millions of our fellow human beings suffer from disease; they suffer privation and the fall-out of war, earthquakes and tsunamis, and economic disasters most of us haven’t experienced let alone imagined. Even the woes of our recent economic down turn can’t compare to the life situation of over half the population of the globe. There’s plenty for us to do.

Our works are as empty offerings if we are not “doing” with the right spirit. Why is it that the as a people of one of the wealthiest nations in the world, we are so sick with worry? Depression? Why is it that so many of our souls are broken? Some of the most joyous saints among us, have nothing.

In the spring I was privileged to host Maria Gonzoles from Nicaraqua. She is the wife of one of the ministers of one of our conferences sister churches, Peniel Iglesias de Christo de Nicaraqua. The people have so little, but they are joyful in spirit. Their blessing is not measured by things they have, but in life from God. They worship several times a week, and for more than an hour. These wonderful people understand the blessings that come from living with a humble spirit. This is typical of whom we term as “impoverished” nations. We need to lay on the altar our pride, our haughtiness, our poverty of spirit, whatever it is that keeps us from entering into full relationship with God that we may be healed.

This morning as we enter into communion I invite you to reflect on the question: How is it with your soul? During communion you will be invited to come and to take communion and then receive the oil of blessing as a mark of the cross on your forehead. Ask for healing, ask for joy, ask for deliverance from whatever is weighing on your heart. We’ll pray with you. May we turn again to God with humble spirits that we may know the blessing of God and be counted among the saints of God today.

Have you seen the bumper sticker that reads “Question Authority.” As many here are retired military this isn’t always desired, but I have generally believed it’s good policy, especially when that authority is used to promote self-interests. This was the case in scripture this morning. Those protecting their self-interests were challenging Higher Authority – Jesus.

The Pharisees and Sadducees made a regular practice of it. In the verses just preceding our passage this morning the Sadducees had been silenced in their questioning of Jesus, so the Pharisees gathered together to challenge him.

They “asked him a question to test him. ³⁶‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ ³⁷He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. ³⁹And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Whatever suspicion we have held over the years concerning the Pharisees and Sadducees , the art of questioning or debate has continued and 1500 years later Martin Luther employed similar methods in his attempted reformation of the Roman Catholic Church.

Today has been traditionally celebrated as Reformation Sunday in the Protestant Church. Martin Luther, a catholic monk in the early 1500’s, wanted reform within the Roman Catholic Church. He challenged the authority of the pope believing that the Bible was the only infallible source of religious authority. Luther believed in the universal priesthood of all believers in Christ and further believed that salvation is a free gift of God. His 95 theses were objections to practices in the church. He claimed it was “scholarly searching.” [Internet]

Martin Luther had taken up study in grammar, rhetoric, and logic – and had a life long love-hate relationship with Aristotle. He learned to test everything himself by experience. Philosophy proved to be unsatisfying; it offered assurance about the use of reason, but nothing about the need of loving God. Reason could not lead men to God. Luther believed, reason could be used to question men and institutions, and therefore the Vatican, but not God. Further he believed, humans could learn about God only through divine revelation, and Scripture therefore became increasingly more important to him. When Luther posted his 95 theses on the church door at Wittenberg in 1546 he birthed the protestant church. This was not his intent.

Nor was it Wesley’s intent to begin a new church apart from the Church of England, yet with colonization of North America, and then the revolution challenging the authority of King George and the right of parliament to tax colonials, a new church in the Americas was born: the Methodist Episcopal.

Wesley differed from Luther in that he believed in four standards for faith development – Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience. Wesley’s ‘quardrilateral’ held that all four were necessary for theological reflection. For United Methodists, “Scripture is considered the primary source and standard for Christian doctrine. Tradition is experience and the witness of development and growth of the faith through the past centuries and in many nations and cultures. Experience is the individual's understanding and appropriating of the faith in the light of his or her own life. Through reason the individual Christian brings to bear on the Christian faith discerning and cogent thought. These four elements taken together bring the individual Christian to a mature and fulfilling understanding of the Christian faith and the required response of worship and service. (A Dictionary for United Methodists, Alan K. Waltz, Copyright 1991, Abingdon Press.)

The act of questioning is not always a welcome response to authority, however reasoning is vital to the process of discernment and logical thinking. It is necessary for faith development. How can we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind unless we actually engage our mind in critical thought?

Coming to faith and entering into the membership of the United Methodist Church does not mean following the stated doctrine and beliefs of the church blindly. It does mean loving God, and trying with the grace of God to live together in love with one another. John Wesley believed we could agree to disagree, but on that which is most important, the love of God, he said “If your heart is as mind, take my hand.”

“Love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” And the second commandment is like it, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This is the foundation of all of life in the Christian church and in our United Methodist Church. It’s not about conforming to a fixed set of rules, but of loving God. It’s not about forms of worship – whether traditional, contemporary, or around a campfire - or how often we take communion = quarterly as it was in the 50’s or monthly or weekly - , or of how many committees we may serve on. It is about loving God and responding to God’s word in community.

Kent Millard, one of the speakers at the WOW conference coming up, has quoted Mother Teresa saying , “ Love in action is what gives us grace. Small things, done in great love, bring joy and peace. “ He goes on to say , “We all hold the power to bring joy and peace to others around us. We can do it through small acts of kindness. But we need to make ourselves available if we expect to heal and transform the world we live in.”

Loving God means growing in maturity and responding to the love of God through our worship, our prayers , our gifts, our presence, our service, and witness. Does this sound familiar? When many of us became members of the MC we were asked a question: Will you support , your prayers , your gifts, your presence, your service? These four we said “we will” to. Notice there is added a fifth promise - our witness. Remember the song we learned as children.. “This little light of mine, I going to let it shine…” General Conference of 2008 got it! They have added ‘our witness’ to the membership promises. “This little light of mine, I going to let it shine…” We are going to take our witness out to the streets, to everyplace we go and we are not going to hide it. By our words, our actions, in whatever way is appropriate, we are going to let our light shine for Jesus - in our community and every place we go.

A final note: Wesley believed that religion is not a solitary act. Solitary worship is not Biblical. [“Remember you cannot serve him alone; you must therefore find companions or make them; the Bible knows nothing of solitary religion." [From Quotes of John Wesley, Internet] When we love God we want to join together to offer our praise and our thanksgiving. It is in that spirit that we come to join in membership in the local church. This morning we are receiving new members, by restoration, transfer, and profession of faith. We come desiring to join in a worshipping community that we may continue to grow in faith and grow closer to God.

Growing closer to God and one another in our faith and witness is the heart of the matter.

In my home church newsletter there is a column or box entitled , “Good Better Best”. It generally contains some famous quote, and then a better quote, and finally, the best: a word from scripture. As Christians, as a people of God, we not only want to hear the best word possible, we also want to do our best for God. Needless to say, we fall short from time to time. We may sing a note off key, forget a cue to do something, or the preacher may get tongue-tied on a phrase or two, - but these are the mechanics of worship. What is most important is invisible to the eye; what is most important resides within the human spirit, and can only be seen with the heart.

God was looking into the hearts of the Hebrews as they made their golden calf. Now there is some argument among scholars concerning their hearts – some say they were trying to create a visual reminder of God –giving of their best, their gold, so they would not forget God – as they thought YHWH, and Moses, had forgotten them, being up on the mountain so long. And there is the traditional interpretation that says they were creating the golden calf to worship as an idol.

Whatever was going on the Hebrews were stuck – they weren’t moving forward. They had stopped in the dessert and with Moses on the mountain, they grew tired. Wesley noted in his journal, “they grew weary”, weary of waiting and “weary of waiting for a divine institution of religious worship among them”. The divine word would come, first with the stone tablets , and then in the Mosaic Law given in Deuteronomy.

They grew weary…. Does that sound at all familiar? I’m just waiting for November 4^th. Two years is too long for a political campaign. Our national media feeds on negative campaigning especially on candidates that call themselves Christian. I’ve grown weary of media that is stuck on the shortcomings of Christian public figures. There are major issues and I sometimes feel forgotten.

Do you ever feel forgotten? Do you get tired – tired waiting for Washington to finally address health care? Or tired of waiting for Washington to really do something concerning the economic crises? Do you feel you are not being heard? That you have been forgotten? Maybe you get tired for reasons closer to home – with personal relationships, your job, or simply with day to day living, maybe with some hidden addiction. Whatever the reason we have a choice: to either continue being get stuck or to start moving forward.

The Hebrews were stuck; we don’t have to be stuck because God has given us Christ. And when we are moving, the church grows through the example of the common people. People see us when we gather to worship. When our parking lot is full people know something is happening here. Our faithfulness can overcome the negative image many people have of Christianity. As long as we follow God's will, we will help others to grow in faith.

The Hebrews were looking in the wrong place. They were focused on themselves. They built the calf, not because God had forgotten them, but because they were forgetting God. They were forgetting what God had already done for them. This God of liberation had brought them out of slavery, out of oppression. And regardless of the stressors of our day, God can deliver us - we have been promised God’s presence with us – going before us in everything - and we have been promised strength and peace in Jesus Christ.

In seminary I had a classmate who always prayed “God, you go before us, behind us and beside us, above us and below us,..” Sometimes we take that for granted. We don’t consciously think about God’s presence. There is no place we can go, where God is not already there. I’m not sure the Hebrews understood this. They were waiting for Moses, and they were waiting for God before they moved on. So they made the golden calf and roused God’s wrath. Had they remembered what God had already given them, done for them, and focused on giving of best of themselves, their talents, and their gratitude, they would have recognized God was already in the midst of them – not removed and high up on the summit. Because they forgot , they suffered the consequences.

The church from time to time has been likened to the theatre, with actors, director, and an audience. When we come to worship we are giving of ourselves, we are the actors, God is our audience…listening and waiting to respond. And sometimes it’s hard to come to church on Sunday isn’t it? We come to be refreshed, to be nourished for the week ahead. We do this by interacting with each other, and with God. We come to have an experience of God, to be filled with the Spirit before going back into the world for another week. It seems counter to what I said about God being the audience, if we’re the ones needing sustenance. But when we gather for worship, and we give the best of ourselves to this worship, there is an energy – a Spirit that fills us. We are enriched in fellowship, when we truly offer ourselves to one another in the Spirit of Christ. And the God of our Sunday morning worship is the God with us Monday through Saturday, just waiting to be called upon, waiting for our praise.

“…stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. … Rejoice^* in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.^* ⁵Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved,^* whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about^* these things. ⁹Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Keep on rejoicing, in every place, in every time. If there is any excellence, let it be in our worship together. Whether on the summit at Sinai or Philippi or right here in North Kingstown, God expects our total worship and devotion; nothing is to come before God. We have a God that goes before us in everything. Amen.

Imagine for a moment a dimly lit room in London, where a middle aged John Wesley is waiting to greet a new class of young leaders. Alone he reads the scripture as he prepares to greet each person. Several men will gather, each one already having put in a full day’s work. As they arrive there is lively conversation. These men have been in the fields, in the city, in many areas of service, as had Mr. Wesley. But now they were coming together to read scripture, to hear Biblical story, to sing and pray together, to encourage one another, to account for the weeks activities especially for the care of souls in their keeping. Pastor to this group, the Reverend John Wesley would then ask each one present, “How is it with your soul?”

This would become the model of the early class meeting, after hearing their accounting for the week he would pray with them offering them encouragement where they had discerned need. Before sending them on their way he would end with the collections of offerings they had gathered for the poor.

The early class meeting, in Wesley’s experience, was vital for the sustaining of men’s souls as they not only worked to bring God’s word to those who desired to grow and mature in faith, but also to those who struggled to make ends meet in their daily living. In the class meeting they could attend to the Word of God.

And if so far if this seems a model just for men, liken it to the gospel story of Martha and Mary. Where Martha busies herself with the preparation of the meal, Mary sits at Jesus feet listening to him teach through the telling of real life stories.

The stories told in both situations were meant for the spiritual growth and encouragement of each believer. As people gathered to hear the stories they were being intentional in what one author has called ‘soul tending’. Stated another way, soul tending is the intentional spiritual formation and care of the spirit, and it goes well beyond Sunday morning worship and Sunday School. The spiritual care of the soul is of everyday importance, because every day our souls, our spirits, are exposed to a variety of temptations that may, and often do, deplete our spiritual energies. How is it with your soul this morning?

Wesley believed in gathering together during the week for study, and fellowship, and soul tending. For Wesley fellowship was an important element of spiritual growth. We need to help each other, encourage and care for one another, not only through the prayers we may lift to God, but face-to-face in our daily living. Shared life in a spiritual community means developing trusted, small group relationships. Wesley followed the model of Jesus, 10 -12 members in a class. If it grew larger then the group was split and each group encouraged to bring in new persons so that they would know Christ. It was an intentional, continual practice.

This is why Paul was writing to the church at Philippi, encouraging them and instructing them in growing as mature believers, that they would know Jesus.

This morning we have with us the second and third grade Sunday School Class. They have in the first few weeks of Sunday School this year been learning about the meaning and practice of communion. They know that as we celebrate communion today we come remembering all that Jesus has done for each one of them, and done for us. We remember his birth, his life and teachings, and we remember the last meal he ate with his disciples when he broke the bread and told them that each time they ate the bread to remember him, and each time they drank from the cup to remember him. “Do this in remembrance of me”, Jesus said. So we remember his death on the cross, that we would live and have life abundantly. And we remember his resurrection. Our children are beginning to hear the stories that they my know Jesus, and remember.

Wesley believed as Christians we ought to commune as frequently as possible, not withholding our presence from gathering to commune as this was a primary means of feeding the soul. Our children are here today to remember all that Jesus had done to care for them already, and to take responsibility for caring for their own sprits, although we recognize as a community that we share in this responsibility together for a lifetime. Whether 9 or 90, or any age in between, we still need help, in the community of faith.

Several of our spiritual greats have spoken of the faith community as the beloved community: Jesus, Paul, Nouwen, Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King Jr . Every one lived in turbulent times, whether under rule by a foreign regime or by economic oppression each one had a vision of people at the community (or grassroots) level participating in creating new values, truths, relationships, as the foundation for a new society, with Christ himself the “cornerstone.” This new community is inclusive, it’s non-judgmental, welcoming everyone who desires to know him.

King called for programs that would involve young people in “self-transforming and structure-transforming” direct actions “in our dying cities.” He called for a radical revolution in values and a new social system that goes beyond both capitalism, which he said is “too I-centered, too individualistic,” and communism, which is “too collective, too statist.” ¹

Intentional faith development is not something we can do by ourselves. There is an African proverb that states it takes a whole community to raise a child. It takes a whole community to spiritually form an individual. Our Christian community today includes 1/3 of the planets population. 2.1 billion people claim the name of Jesus Christ. This morning we are sharing with our brothers and sisters in Christ around the globe in World Communion Sunday. That means that potentially 2.1 billion Christians will come to the Lord’s Table to be nourished spiritually.

2.1 billion people have said ‘yes’ to life in this great community of faith and their hope is transformational.

As children we begin to know Christ… spiritual growth requires constant nourishment of body and soul. Paul was encouraging the early Christians at Philippi … to know Christ. Philippians is one of the most joy filled letters of Paul and of the New Testament, and as Paul wrote he was encouraged, expressing confidence that God would complete the work of faith and growth of those who believed in Christ. He knew life in Christ to be transformational.

There are a number of experiences in our faith community that will add to the feeding or nourishment of our spirit: Disciple Bible Study, Monday evening prayer and Bible study, a Wednesday morning study, the Men’s monthly breakfast, along with the many opportunities to be in service through mission and worship. May we be engaged in faith development that is intentional and lifelong

Let us celebrate communion remembering Jesus Christ and the life abundant he has provided for us. Amen.

1. “The Beloved Community of Martin Luther king, Jr.”, Yes Magazine, Grace Lee Boggs. Spring 2004.

^“21For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. ²²If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. ²³I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; ²⁴but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. ²⁵Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, ²⁶so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. ²⁹For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— ³⁰since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”

"In that case I must tell you a marvelous story," the coal mouse
said. "I sat on a fir branch close to the trunk when it began to
snow. Not heavily, not in a raging blizzard. No, just like in a dream,
without any violence at all. Since I didn't have anything better to do,
I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my
branch. Their number was exactly 3,471,952. When the next snowflake
dropped onto the branch--nothing more than nothing--as you say--the
branch broke off."

The dove, since Noah's time an authority on peace, thought about
the story for a while. Finally, she said to herself, "Perhaps there is
only one person's voice lacking for peace to come to the world."

When you hear the word ‘sacrifice’ what comes to mind? Hard work? Service to country? Giving up something that is dear? Maybe your life? How about using your voice for peace?

Today, September 21 the United Nations has declared to be an International Peace Day. Begun as a grassroots effort , the resolution was passed by a unanimous vote.

The focus of the day is to build a culture of peace. That peace must begin within ourselves. Each person must come to the sense of peace that Paul had found. He said that ^“21For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” Live or die, Paul’s life belonged to Christ. Knowing this he could travel into areas where people were hostile to the good news of the gospel, he was able to endure imprisonment, and die as he was persecuted by Nero’s government.

Paul knew the peace of Christ; I suspect his experience on the road to Damascus had a lot to do with that… but we should not forget Paul knew life from both sides of the faith – as one who had persecuted Christ’s disciples and then as an apostle. He knew the hardships and therefore wrote, “live your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” In Paul’s mind that meant with boldness, our witness is not to be timid, nor is it to be disrespectful or divisive.

We have been engaged in a political campaign for what seems eternity now, and at least in my opinion the rhetoric seems to have been milder, but over the past several campaigns the rhetoric has been disrespectful and mean- spirited. This is not how we are to behave as Christians, and it is not how we are to live if we desire a culture of peace. Assassinating another’s character, name-calling, arrogance, and exercising a lack of civility does build Christ’s kingdom. Paul said, “striv[e] side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸and [be] in no way intimidated by your opponents.” We can disagree on things of the world but strive for the kingdom of heaven by being of one mind. As we press on for the kingdom without intimidating or being intimidated by those we disagree with and we build a world of peace.

How do we build peace? How do we build community? By caring for one another, exercising sacrificial of love that is rooted in listening, respecting and understanding. As Jesus called out those who misrepresented “godly” living, who corrupted gospel living; he listened and spoke from reason after having listened. He drew lines, as Ghandi drew lines. Both were well differentiated individuals and we are to be the same. When the person we are speaking with may raise their voice or come at us on the offensive , we are to practice compassion, because for some reason, we may discover, they are hurting.

Stanley Hauerwas wrote in his book The Peaceable Kingdom, “The gospel in not a ‘truth’ or philosophical theory that can be appropriated by an individual in the hope of giving some meaning to his or her life. On the contrary, we find ourselves part of a community with a very particular citizenship. As citizens our self-understanding may change, but this occurs as we acquire the virtues necessary to sustain a community of peaceable people through history.”²

The world is hurting. This past week I’ve been listening to the news, hearing the top stories on the nations’ economy, listening to the news out of Pakistan, and out of the gulf coast & Galvaston. There is poverty, homelessness, increased crime. Our times are not easier than Paul’s, and the terror and destruction is just as real. Hurricanes or earthquakes, terror or persecution, failed banks and insatiable greed – the times are not so different.

Where community used to be limited geographically we today experience world community and we who have been given much have a greater responsibility in the world. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in Life Together, wrote about how we are to live in the greater community. In human behavior we are constantly posturing, looking for a strategic position to hold over the other. Bonhoefer, Paul, and Jesus, all tell us to stop. People are strong, they are weak, and it makes no difference we are all human and of one human family and as such we treat one another with humility. Sometimes in order to minister, we have to hold our tongue. It is for God to judge, not us. We are justified by God’s grace and God’s grace is sufficient. God’s grace is the governance of our Christian faith. If we can listen and minister using whatever resources God has given to us that is enough. The rest we leave to God. And sometimes the load will be heavy, we will suffer for the sake of the gospel. Is it not better to suffer for the sake of the gospel in the hope of God’s peace, than to labor under the fear of destruction and war.

Many of us lived through the cold war era. We have lived in fear. Our fears today are not only of war though; there is real fear living in poverty, homeless, on the street.

Are you willing to raise your voice for the sake of the gospel? Are you willing to risk for those persons you do not know – that may be either today or in the future – a brother or sister in Christ? And even if they are not Christian, but simply a brother of sister in this greater human race, are you able to listen and follow Jesus’ teachings and example. Would you raise your voice to be the good Samaritan? Would you raise your voice to raise those dying, to offer new life in Christ? Are you willing to raise your voice to end injustice in whatever form it presents itself.

Let us go out and practice Christian discipleship – work for Habitat for Humanity, work at the Open Table , of volunteer for service at the Domestic Violence Shelter, mission to Sierra Leone, how ever it is that the Holy Spirit leads you to serve.

Paul wrote whether or I live or whether I die, I am Christ’s. May we live in this world that people will know our Savior by our sacrifice of love. And may we add to each other’s joy as we serve Christ. Amen.

Peace for the world and healing of the nations….. May peace prevail upon the earth.

For the promotion of a culture of peace that everyone may know your grace; and grow to celebrate the milestones in their lives surrounded by your love, mercy, and peace. Amen

I want to talk to you today about extravagant generosity. This not exactly the topic most people would think about after hearing the gospel this morning. The Gospel of Matthew relates the conversation between Peter and Jesus, with Peter asking how many times he should forgive when another member of the church sins against him. 7 times? “No,” Jesus says “seventy times seven.” It’s about forgiveness, right? Most of us would think so, but I want to stretch our thinking this morning to include something more: before we can forgive there has to be a seed of generosity of the spirit. And to forgive 70 times 7 there has to be extravagant generosity.

What do I mean by extravagant generosity? “…generosity that is extravagant in response to God’s abundant grace.” That’s the way Bishop Schnase describes it in Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. When Schnase writes about this extravagant generosity he writes about it from the view point of tithing. Being generous in our giving, striving for the tithe of ten percent, and going beyond it as we are extravagant in response to God’s grace. No matter what amount we give to God for divine purposes, God always gives us so much more. Extravagant generosity has the power to free us of any fears we may have for our future; when we are faithful God will provide. And when we give generously we are freed of all those things that would paralyze us in our ministry and lives.

Schnase wrote that we need to give, and when we do the blessings return to us. Everything he wrote about in terms of this extravagant generosity was about money –and when Jesus talked about forgiveness he used the example of the unforgiving servant,who when forgiven his debts by his Lord, would not forgive others the debts they owed him. The King then asked him, “Should you not have shown mercy as I showed you mercy? “

In order to forgive anything there first has to be a generosity of Spirit. How do we extend forgiveness, how do we extend mercy or compassion if first there is not a seed of generosity planted within us? Generosity is a mark of the Spirit’s power to change lives – other people’s lives and our lives. And it is the mark of the Spirit’s power to change our daily living, our practices.

Corrie Ten Boom tells of the time after World War Two when she was speaking before an audience. It was a packed room. She was speaking that night about forgiveness. She had been imprisoned with her sister Betsy, and her father. Her father died in captivity and later Betsy died in the camp. Corrie found it very difficult to forgive the guards that had made life so horrible for then. As Corrie was speaking about forgiveness in this room full of people she saw him, one of the guards that had been at Ravensbruck. She said she felt a fear inside her, it seized her. As soon as she finished speaking she wanted to leave, but people made their way toward her and soon she found herself face to face with the guard. He spoke to her and said how he was glad that she spoke about forgiveness and then putting his hand out toward hers, asked her forgiveness. She said it was one of the most difficult things she ever had to do, but she knew God had forgiven her and she had to forgive him. God had planted a seed of generosity within her that blossomed into a forgiveness that changed her life and the guard’s life. ¹ She was released from the terror she felt inside of her.

Before we can practice compassion we have to have that same generous spirit. Sharing Christ’s compassion isn’t always easy. In a conversation with a colleague this week we spoke about how easy it is to practice compassion with those we love, but when the unlovely, the drug addict, the ex-con, the manipulator asks for help it is hard, especially when as Christians what we want to share first is the gospel of Christ, the love of God. Unless the Spirit of generosity is planted first within our hearts how can we reach out with any degree of integrity?

In 1994, during President Clinton’s administration a crime bill was passed by congress. In it was a provision that if you are caught and convicted of committing crimes three times, you go to prison. As in baseball with three strikes and you are out, the criminal is out of circulation for life. The same sort of provision is found in the Old Testament in a fundamental principle of proportionality (lex talionis, so Peter in essence was being very generous when he asked Jesus if seven times were enough. 70 x 7 is so much more extravagant, because God’s very nature is extravagant. 70 x 7 sounds like an equation, some of us have already done the math. 490. With God’s love there are no limits, because God’s compassion and mercy and love is not an equation, its not about math – it is about relationships.

Failure to practice God’s principles results in relationships that are severed. Practice these virtues and the relationship are healed and made stronger.

In 1987 there was a murder in Connecticut. A young man, Scott Everett, lost his life when he was shot by a life long bully. The murder was caught almost immediately but struck a deal and received a very short sentence for this horrific crime: five years. Scott’s father was devastated; he was lost and saw no way out of the grief, feeling powerless. He was also a United Methodist pastor. It took Walter Everett a full year before he was able to face his son’s murderer at his sentencing.

Mike said nothing except , “I’m sorry.” But in those two words Walt heard something, some seed of remorse, that began to heal Walt’s rage and horror, and he said his mind cleared. He began to write Mike a letter, and after several pages closed with the words “I forgive you.” In those three words a very strange healing and friendship began.

His oldest son Scott was gone, but Walter was among the living and had to move on with his life. The only way he could do that was to forgive. He could not have done so if there was not a seed of generosity planted with in his soul.

Just a few years later Mike came up for parole and Walter stood with him. He was paroled and in 1991, at Everett’s church in Bridgeport, Mike married his fiancé. Walter Everett presided at the wedding.²

Forgiveness? Yes. Extravagant generosity – absolutely! Bishop Schnase describes generosity as “the Christians unselfish willingness to give in order to make a positive difference for the purposes of Christ.” Extravagant generosity describes practices of sharing and giving that exceed all expectations and extend to unexpected measures. It is lavish sharing, sacrifice, and giving in service to God and neighbor. ³ (P.112)

There is no limit to God’s love…. As Christians we are to study God’s word and reflect on its’ meaning for our lives, to write God’s laws on our hearts, and put on the mind of Christ that others may know God through us. It’s hard to understand the depth of Christ’s compassion, God’s extravagant generosity unless we have been in a position of debt and having it forgiven, or needing compassion and having it extended to us. I think it must be confusing to those who become recipients of such grace; as Christians it’s not hard to understand when we look at it in light of the cross where Jesus gave his life for our redemption. Jesus died that we would have life, and have it abundantly. Generosity doesn’t get any more extravagant than this. Jesus has paid our debt. This morning as I close I would like you to think of someone you can minister to this week either by offering them the same forgiveness you have received from God, or by offering them some other means of generosity.

Please don’t mistake this as a random act of kindness, it is an intentional act of grace. I pray that as we go out to serve this week by our acts our faith would be made stronger, we may be healed, and God’s love shared that Christ may be praised. Amen.

“Welcome home”. Those were the first words I heard when I returned from England a few years ago. As we moved from the plane to baggage claims, personnel at Kennedy International welcomed us home. We had only been away two weeks but it was so wonderful to hear those words and know that we were safe on the ground again, on American soil.

And I welcome you home this morning as we are gathered in God’s house, because whether you have been away for the summer or for the week, it is my hope you have that same feeling of being safe, of being secure in God’s grace , surrounded by people who care about you and are eager to share their faith and love of God with you. If you are new here with us this morning, worshipping with us for the first time, I want to say to you “welcome home.” We hope you will be blessed in your worship with us this morning and that you will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

We are celebrating Ministry Sunday today… God has given each one of us a ministry, and basically it’s the same ministry. That may sound a bit contradictory to what I said last week - but it isn’t. We each have different gifts, talents, passions, but one ministry and that ministry is to keep God’s love light burning, to offer hope and offer Christ to everyone today. We have nothing more important to do than to keep God’s love alive and burning bright that everyone would be assured of God’s presence and peace. We have nothing more important to be than in love with God and with one another.

Paul’s writings are challenging… sometimes they are simplistic, and sometimes they are complex. We are probably most familiar with Paul’s writing to the Corinthians. Paul lists the spiritual gifts, and calls upon people to use their gifts for the common good of all. And he talks beautifully about love…. What he described as “the more excellent way.”

Romans is a bit more difficult. There’s a bit of a paradox in Paul’s writing because in many of his writing he refers to behaviors, or “rituals”. Paul was not as concerned with fasting, or holy days…the external practices, yet he continually uses the phrase “put on”. Paul in many of his letters speaks of the gospel as a garment, something we wear. I’m not sure he intended to create a metaphor for dressing but several times he uses the words ‘put on’ …. “Put on the whole armor of God” [Eph. 6:11], “put on the new man” [Col. 3:10], put on Christ [Gal. 3:27]; in Col 3:12 he writes, “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience,” and in verse 14, “clothe yourselves with love,…” There are places his letters read like a Biblical GQ.

We have heard this morning from Paul’s writing, “put on the armor of light”, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul is telling all Christians to be a revelation of God’s love. As Christians we are to keep love’s light burning in the world. While the verses contain the “shall nots” they emphasize putting on the armor of light, Jesus Christ. I would suggest that for each of us this will mean something different as we are each equipped by God differently, but whatever we do, we need to let God’s love light shine through. This is Paul’s “more excellent way.”

Following Christ is not about the externals but an affair of the heart. When God’s love burns within us it can light up the darkest places of our lives. I’ve had the opportunity during the past month to spend some time with a childhood friend. Melissa lives in Florida but is here in New England as caregiver to her sister as she is dying of cancer. Misa has remarked several times how her sister’s smile lights up the room and lightens the grief that everyone is feeling. It is confirmation that as we serve out of the love God has placed in our hearts, that love’s light would shine even in the most difficult and darkest of times. Yes, there is a deep love, they are sisters, and both are women of faith.

It’s easy to help someone we love; it’s a lot harder to help those who may be different than ourselves. God’s love does not discriminate. The New Testament calls us to radical hospitality, welcoming everyone.

I am reminded of another welcome. She stands with the lit torch in her hand, welcoming the poor, the homeless, and the weary. The Statue of Liberty stands in New York harbor to welcome the least and the lonely. It’s a wonderful welcome, yet as God’s people our practice of love and call to radical hospitality requires of us something more.. For some of us that may mean being just a little bit uncomfortable-

During the summer I have been reading Bishop Schnase book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. ¹ One of those practices is “radical hospitality”. When we put on the armor of Christ, and are the light of Christ, everyone is welcome … and everyone is invited to use the gifts and graces given them for the common good. Now that means putting personal agendas aside, because with Christ there can only be one agenda, being the light of Christ, demonstrating the love of God.

Bishop Schnase wrote, that Christian hospitality means having an “active desire to invite, welcome, receive, and care for those who are strangers so that they may find a spiritual home and discover for themselves the unending riches of life in Christ.”² Let me repeat: invite, welcome, receive and care for those who are not a part of the faith, we care for those different than ourselves, and demonstrate love that is adaptable and open. Worship and Christian hospitality and welcome is radical - sharing Christ is an affair of the heart. Everything we do demonstrates our love for God and one another.

It may mean being a bit uncomfortable in our worship that we may be truly hospitable to those who may need something more than what we offer in worship now. Our worship take on a different form….. our e-culture hears, talks, and relates differently than the boomers who were different than the generation before. Rather than worship in a sanctuary, we offer worship a coffee house.

Bishop Schnase started out with the example of the mother with the young baby, a little noisy from time to time and not bothersome to the congregation, but slightly unnerving to the self-conscious mother. The congregation felt it important that the mother be comfortable and feel welcomed. So they added a rocking chair at the back of the sanctuary where she could sit and be comfortable, with her child in worship. Soon that congregation had to add a second and third rocker, because they had become known as the friendliest congregation around! But radical hospitality is more than adding a few rocking chairs or gliders…. Everytime we unwittingly draw a circle that keeps someone out, Jesus tells us to draw the circle wider to invite them in.

I want you to look around this morning – notice who is missing, think about a neighbor waiting to hear the message of Jesus Christ, if you have a new neighbor call them this week, speak with them, and offer them an invitation to so they can find for themselves the riches of Christ in this congregation.

As Christ welcomes us to the table, let us welcome those we meet that they may be invited to find the riches of Christ’s communion – the unity of the spirit and their place in the family of God. Amen.

1. Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, Robert. Schnase. Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2007.

In 1965 I first began to sense God calling my into ministry. I was a freshman in high school and I sensed quite profoundly God wanted me to serve within the church. There were two problems: My understanding of serving God in the church was as pastor. There was just no other way to do it. The second problem was, there were no women pastors, at least that I knew of. I was left with the thought I could not do it. I struggled with this through school, and finally settled on teaching as a career. However, in ‘settling’ in this path, I kept within me strong desire to do whatever I could each weekend – teach, sing, help at the church fairs. I would just do whatever needed to be done. Obviously God had the wrong number when calling me to ministry…. At the very least God didn’t have me on speed dial. It took me almost thirty three years to respond, or so I thought. What was God thinking?

I would imagine Moses had the same reaction. What was God thinking when out of the burning bush God called out to Moses, saying, “Moses, Moses.”? (Exodus 3:4)

Moses had run away after murdering a man. He had hidden himself in Midian, where he married, raised a family and tended to the herds of his father-in-law. Moses, raised a prince in Egypt, had left everything behind when fleeing into the wilderness. In all truth he was a man of no means, and yet God called him, to send him to Pharaoh and to bring the Israelites out of slavery.

We know that voice inflection and body language communicate a lot about how we may feel, or what we fear or find agreeable. I’ve often wondered about Moses’ response. As we read it Moses questioned, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?”(Exodus 3:11) But was that the voice he really used, humble and self-effacing? Or was it, with fear and shaking in his sandals, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?”

I tend to think it was the second, because immediately following, God reassured Moses saying, “I will be with you….” Moses still wasn’t eager to follow, offering other scenarios for possible failure for which, BTW, God has already made provision.

Bishop William Willimon suggested that “it is odd that God needs someone, particularly someone as inept as Moses, to do the work.”¹ Well, Moses was fairly confident he wasn’t the man for this job; as I had my own doubts. Yet, as another theologian observed, “it is one of the delights of the Old Testament that one can be difficult and challenge God and a passive deference is not necessarily an acceptable trait for a divine call. Indeed, God could be seen as taking incredible risks with humans who are very vulnerable and not very reliable at times.”²

With human vulnerability and lack of reliability, we could also add our misconceptions. In an article in Christian Reflection, from the Center of Christian Ethics at Baylor University, Dr. A.J. Conyer wrote about being called by God. “'Vocation' is distorted by two disastrous misunderstandings: a secularized idea of 'career' and a monastic concept of the religious life."¹ We are skewed in our thinking when we separate the secular and the religious. Our vocation is not an either/or, but a both/and. Early in the process of discerning my call to ministry I did not have a clear understanding of “the ministry of the laity” or “the ordained ministry”; nor had I even heard the term “ministry of all believers”. I taught Sunday School, I served on church boards, I sang in the choir. I did not view these as ‘ministry’; I just did them for God.

Let me tell you that being called to the vocation of leading God’s people is an awesome calling, and I know there are a few people in the congregation that are exploring their call to ministry, possibly the ordained ministry, possibly in another area of ministry. Dr. Conyer offers four considerations in the discernment process:

“First, [paraphrased] the call comes from someone outside of the one who is being called. The one called responds to this summons.

Second, the summons is often against the will of the one who is called into service. [And I would add is very uncomfortable.] … Moses complained that the Israelites, to whom God sent him, had never listened to him and therefore neither would Pharaoh, “poor speaker that I am” (Exodus 6:12).

…the calling involves in almost every case hardships that must be overcome in order to answer the summons.

Finally, from the point of view of answering to the summons, the greatest danger appears not in this kind of resistance, but in the possibility of being diverted or distracted from the goal. … their promise to “serve the Lord” and to the warning against being tempted by other gods.”³

I would encourage anyone attempting to discern their ministry to read this article online. Lest these words be a bit daunting let me be clear about God’s provisions to enable us on this path. There are four I find in this story of Moses :

First, when God calls us to ministry, it is too a particular ministry. It may be ordained, it may be as a specialized minister of music, or of youth or camping, of financial management or trusteeship, of teaching or of nursing… the list goes on and no one ministry or individual is more or less important than another. Moses was called to lead the Israelites to freedom, taking the first step of representing their plight before pharaoh and delivering God’s message of liberation. Moses’ skill was not oration, he said so; I believe it may have been organization. His ministry would be a long time in forming. I’ll come back to this in a moment.

Second, when God calls someone to a particular ministry, God equips them for that ministry. I’m pretty sure the concept of lifelong learning originated with God. God is always preparing us. We may not always recognize the particulars, and there may be all sorts of hardships with the blessings and growth, along the way, but God is constantly at work making us into new creations. As a young prince in Egypt Moses would have been educated, he had opportunity to observe pharaoh’s rule, and had privy to the everyday workings of government and management – building the cities Pithom and Ramses. Later, in Midian, he was given charge over Jethro’s flocks, where he learned the land; he learned how to survive in the wilderness. He was well prepared to lead. It’s been suggested that Moses life can be divided into three 40 year segments: 40 years in Egypt, 40 in Midian, and 40 leading the Hebrews in the wilderness and shaping them into a unified and confident nation, ready to enter the promised land. When we follow Christ, as Moses followed God, we become new people - different today than yesterday, different this year than last year. God prepares us and gives us the tools we need to fulfill the ministry given to us, regardless of how ‘inept’ we may perceive ourselves to be. As we serve in the church it may be our ministry; or it may be out training ground, preparation for where God is leading us to ultimately serve.

Third, God provides for our assistance. Moses did not go to Pharaoh alone. His older brother Aaron was his spokesman. God also provided him with the words to say , and the “signs and wonders” along with the ten plaques. As Miriam watched over him in the river, she helped watch over the people, assisting as they crossed the Red Sea - dancing and singing and playing the tambourine. Miriam was both prophetess and leader. And later when the people grumbled in the dessert, and Moses grew weary, God sent help and counsel through his father-in-law, Jethro . Numbers 18, especially verses 17-21, is an important lesson for everyone in ministry. “…you can not do it alone.” Therefore teach everyone the laws, and train those who present themselves as trustworthy, are of able body, and love God. God does not send ministers to congregations and expect them to do the work alone. God raises up the ministry of the laity to assist in this awesome calling. And God raises up the ministry of the laity to lead in new areas of service; areas the ordained ministry is to encourage the laity in pursuing.

And finally, God has promised to be with us. God was recognized as present in the cloud and pillar of fire with the Hebrew people. God is present in our lives waiting to be recognized. And wherever God is present, that is holy ground - in the burning bush, in this sanctuary. God first appeared to Moses out of a burning bush, unconsumed by the fire. God comes in a still small voice, and in the lightening of a storm. God comes to us in the blessing of a child, the challenge of new mission, in the dark night of the soul and in the dawn of each new day.

Will we hear God’s call and turn aside, as Moses did, to hear and to respond to God’s call? Will we like Moses say to ourselves, “I must turn aside and see what thing this is,”(Ex. 3:3) Where ever that new understanding comes, where ever we turn aside in response to God’s word, to serve our neighbors for the transformation of the world for Jesus Christ, that is holy ground! To whatever area of ministry we are called in this ministry of all believers, when we respond, the ground on which we are standing is holy ground – be it Mount Sinai or Jerimoth Hill⁵– where ever we stand for God’s righteousness –in the work place, in construction or counseling, at the supermarket, at school, the sports arena, or Capitol Hill – it’s holy ground & it’s a holy calling.

We are all called by God to this great ministry of all believers. May God bless us in our holy calling. Amen.

1. “Back to the Burning Bush”, William H. Willimon, Christian Century, April 24, 2002.

3. “The Meaning of Vocation,” A.J. Conyer. Christian Reflection , The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2004. From the Internet: http://www.baylor.edu/christianethics/VocationarticleConyers.pdf

5. Jerimoth Hill is the highest natural point in elevation in Rhode Island, at 812 feet (247m) above sea level, located in Foster off Route 101.

I would like to begin by again welcoming our visitors, and especially Brooke. She is much too young to understand her participation in the service today, or in God’s plan for her life. Today she has been baptized into the family of God, and she is in this respect like Moses; both placed by their parents under God’s protection, both drawn from the water, both children of blessing. As God walked with Moses and guided him, we know that God will be with Brooke and guide her throughout all of her life.

Can anyone tell me the name of Moses’ mother? Given that she played a huge role in the Hebrew’s salvation history, it seems we should know more. I cannot imagine the thoughts, the pain in the depths of her heart , the mix of apprehension and trust, that Moses’ mother had as she prepared to leave him at the river. Having carried a child through nine months of pregnancy and labored to give him birth, how do you give up a child, especially in a culture that calls you blessed when giving birth to a son? It really was the lesser of two hardships. We know the greater picture, the context of this personal sacrifice. Israel was suffering under the whip of the Egyptian taskmasters. As the Hebrews had grown in number, pharaoh, threatened by their numbers, ordered all the Hebrew male newborns to be thrown into the river to drown. Jochebed, that’s her name [Ex.6:20], could do everything she could to protect him, or see him drowned by Pharaoh’s decree. She was clever, she put Moses in the river, but only after she had woven a reed basket, water proofed it, and had securely placed him in it with his older sister Miriam to watch over him. She also chose the location, near to the place where Pharaoh’s own daughter was known to bathe. Any other protection would need to be from God; Jochebed had done all that she could do.

There might be some people who would question the depth of her faith as she went to such great lengths to protect her child. I would suggest that she had a deep faith. It was her commitment and faith in God that allowed her to take the risk she did. Why would I say this when so little is known about her?

When Moses is born the text relates, “ Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman.” [Ex.2:1] Four chapters later, in the genealogy of Aaron and Moses and we learn their parents names: Amram and Jochebed, which is later confirmed in Numbers 26:59. Consider too the Book of Hebrews, in the New Testament telling of the faith of Israel, where we read, “By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. [Heb. 11:23] Though they lived as slaves in Egypt, when taskmasters were set over them to oppress them, they held on to their faith. They kept their faith in God and made the choice to do everything they could to preserve the life of this their youngest child.

I would suspect that, as Moses was a newborn, most of the work fell to Jochebed and her daughter, Miriam. The scripture verifies this, as they carry out the plan. Jochebed seemed to understand that God would act through human agency, placing great trust in pharaoh’s daughter. She exercised tremendous faith, as we need to do in our important decisions, actions, and risks; everything we do [and don’t do] testifies to our faith in God. Our words without works are empty; without works our faith is dead. Jochebed was severely challenged but, with courage, acted on her faith. Where it is we are being challenged as we practice our faith? Where are we being called to risk and be courageous? And in whom or what are we placing our hope?

Very little is known about Jochebed, but there is much that speaks clearly to her faith. Given that she was enslaved, given that she was suffering under oppression, she was able to give up her son. And in giving up her son God saw to it that she was able to get him back. She was able to nurse Moses and influence him in the process. Jochebed was intelligent, too. She managed to be paid and be under the protection of Pharaoh’s daughter. She had just a few short years to teach him as he was weaned, probably by the age of three. As she nursed him, she most likely sang to him, teaching him the lessons of faith, and his heritage. Educators are quick to tell us a child’s most important years for learning are in their first five years, and some would even say their first three years. Psychologists would add that a fair percentage of our personality and character are formed at this early age as well.

The lessons we learn in our youth, though often tossed aside in our rebellious teenage years, often return to us as we face the trials of adulthood. I would suggest that Moses’ early lessons stayed with him, because we know that later his heart was stirred in such a way that he answered the call to free his “kinsman”. Moses had left Egypt in fear for his life after slaying the Egyptian task master, what had led him to commit such a drastic act as a young prince in Egypt? What was it that drew him to the mountain to enable him to hear the voice of God? I think Charlton Heston was a little too simplistic in answer detailing this in “The Ten Commandments”. I want to believe something had taken root from those early teachings.

Jochebed had raised Aaron and Miriam as Levites , trained in the ways of God. There is no greater work given to parents to do. There is no greater “treasure” a parent can give to their child than a training and faith established on a firm foundation, which is God. Aaron would become a priest, and Miriam a prophetess. Later, Aaron would serve as spokesman for Moses, and Miriam would serve as his advisor. She would earn the loyalty of the Hebrew people as they moved through the desert. Aaron, Miriam, and Moses were three remarkable witnesses to the presence and power of God available to those willing to answer God’s call. It is no different today.

So, what would Jochebed have to say to parents and the church today? First, she would say, children are a blessing from God; even in the midst of horrible suffering they bring us joy and laughter. Secondly, she would say they are not ours. They belong to God, and we have a sacred duty to raise them according to the Word of God, so that they will return to God to love and serve in God’s new world to come. God will ask for a full accounting of how we parent our children? Lest those of us who are not parents think this word is not for us, remember Jesus’ word to his disciples when he said that “it is better to have a millstone tied around our neck and be thrown into the sea than to lead one of these little ones astray.” [ ] If you are blessed to be an aunt or uncle, or a family friend, you are called to be a holy witness, supporting parents as they train their children to know and love God. When we meet God face to face we won’t be asked about how many gold medals did we win, or what honors have our children won, but “Do they know Jesus?” “Did you teach your child to love me?”

I was blessed to be able to help my younger brother and sister raise three of their children. Both siblings went through divorces and I was close by to help when they needed help with my nieces and nephews. It was precious time spent with them. It wasn’t until another nephew was in church one morning with me when I understood my role in their lives. He was 2 years old and standing on the pew beside me as Pastor Jim began to pray. Zach looked around and then quite loudly in his two year old voice said, “Aunt Lori, like this or this?” He was looking around, paying close attention. He saw that as people prayed, they held their hands this way [ hands folded with fingers intertwined] or this way [hands held with palms and fingers pressed flat together]. Whoever coined the phrase the terrible twos? He was so sweet, and so earnest. He wanted to pray ‘correctly.’ Even our youngest children are learning and eager to follow our example. Four years and a pastoral change later, he asked to be baptized, and I was privileged to baptize him. Today with his cousins, he is a wonderful young man. It takes the entire faith community to raise a child!

As I watched my nieces and nephews grow, coming and going between houses as is the case with children caught in divorces, it became clear that while these children blessed my life, they were entrusted to us for a very short time, they are not ours to keep. Every day they grow to be more independent . It’s a slow process, but as parents, as aunts and uncles and grandparents we cannot hold onto them forever, except in our hearts. They will grow and leave, and even when they don’t, when other circumstances exist, we ultimately have one primary task – to give our children a firm foundation on which to live their lives, beginning with a foundation of faith, a foundation centered on the love of God. It wasn’t my responsibility as an aunt to just help them grow up safe and healthy, but also to help them grow as children of God. It’s not always an easy task.

I’ve questioned how well I’ve done, as I’m sure we all have from time to time. I really questioned it a few years ago when my nephew asked if I would officiate at his wedding and then told me they didn’t want a ‘religious’ service. They had a plaque or card with a saying they liked and we could use to create the service … you know, “Love is kind, love is patient”..…and there was something else, that come to find out was also from the Bible. So then I asked if I could include a prayer or two, as a minster that’s what I do… they said, “Of course.” It was a beautiful service and one that gave glory to God. (Did you know that is the meaning of Jochabed’s name? Glory to God ) Who would have guessed that when their first son was born they would name him Jacob! I believe we did okay.

Every time a child is presented for baptism, we promise as a congregation to help the parents raise the child in a supportive community surrounded by love and forgiveness, and we promise to provide Christian Education so that one day the child will be able to profess their faith on their own. We have a responsibility and a duty before God to help them grow – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And we have a responsibility to make sure that every child has the same opportunities for that growth and happiness, to know God and Christ.

It is my prayer that all our children will be able to unabashedly profess their love of God; that they will stand firm in the values taught in the Bible, especially as they live in the world in a culture of materialism, and that in fact our children will be leaders in discipleship. Our children are blessings from God. They are given to us for such a short time, let us use this time to teach them God’s ways.

As we consider the vows that we have promised today let us do all that we can to keep them. Amen.

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August 17, 2008 Sermon:

The Cry of the Stranger

By The Rev. Lori Eldredge

Scripture: Matthew 15: 21 -28

The last time I preached on this scripture was when I was preparing for Elder’s Orders, about 12 years ago. Every other time it has come up in the lectionary the lead pastor in the church I was serving was scheduled to preach; so, I’ve had a lot of time to think about it. There are two women in the gospels that have held a particular fascination for me. We don’t know their names, but we know that when they met Jesus they were strangers. The first is the woman of Samaria , or the woman at the well; the second is this Canaanite woman.

Peter Hawkins, of Boston University, writing for The Christian Century asked the question, “What do you do with a pushy Canaanite woman who won’t shut up?” ¹ She was a lot like Jacob; she was persistent. I like her moxie, her passion, her ability to rise above the situation. Instead of taking offense at what seems to us an insult, she engages Jesus in a teachable moment. The disciples wanted to send her away, but she wasn’t going anywhere. There is irony as she properly addresses him saying “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David” and he answers, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” When she persists and he tells her, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” Who’s is he calling a dog?

There is one school of thought that said when Jesus used the word ‘dog’ it was in the diminutive in Hebrew, making more endearing; like that would make it acceptable? He’d already ignored her once. There’s another school of thought that says it was a test; Jesus was testing her faith, but why insult her? And there is a third way to look at this story: it was Jesus, the teacher, who became the student. A ministry that was given for the lost sheep of Israel, will now shared through the Canaanite woman, and her daughter, and subsequently with all humanity. What did he learn that day? I would suggest compassion, because as I read the story there isn’t any compassion in his speech. He may have had compassion for those of the house of Israel, but on this day his concept of compassion was broadened. In essence this meeting became a point of conversion.

The Canaanites, according to ancient Hebrew scripture, had long been cursed by God. As Matthew tells this story he uses the term “Canaanite” to describe the woman as the worst of outsiders. The Canaanites had been the are the enemies of Israel, the ones whom God had commanded them to exterminate because their sins. God wanted them eliminated so as not to contaminate the Israelites leading them into idolatry and immorality. It was the Canaanites who were most closely associated with Sodom and Gomorrah. Another bit of irony exists in that Matthew cited in Jesus’ personal genealogy three Canaanite women: Tamar (1:3), Rahab (1:5) and Ruth (1:5). Yet the Canaanite woman represented a people who were God’ enemies.

She cried, “Lord have mercy on me.” She pleaded for a mercy that God had expressly told the Hebrews to deny the Canaanites in earlier history. What we are witnessing in the story is a reunion, reconciliation. Not only is the woman’s daughter healed, but it is also the beginning of the healing of a breech between God and a people, a people who are part of the family of God, but early in their history disowned. This reunion was not automatic; there was a cry for mercy.

I also want to leave room in the story though for the place in her heart that may have held a little anger, maybe about the unjust situation in which she lived, maybe for some sin of her heart. She needed to come to Jesus, as much as Joseph’s brothers needed to go to Joseph. Forgiveness was needed by everyone. Forgiveness is needed by everyone. No one is above repentance when we stand before God; we all need God’s mercy. I can’t help but think that maybe this woman was the one preserved of the Canaanites to keep alive the hope of those who remained after many years of hardship.

Matthew placed this story just about midway through the gospel. The wonder is that at this point Jesus has come to understand that he does not have a ministry exclusive to Israel, and whatever compassion he has shown Israel, he needed to extend to everyone, even the enemies of God.

If the Canaanites could be restored to God, then what does that say about us? What does that say about those who may be our enemies? And if we are disciples of Christ then how do we extend Christ’s compassion to those who cry out to us for mercy? How do we share in Christ’s healing ministry? Healing the whole person?

As humans we tend to classify people in an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality. Often it’s quite subconscious, but it sets us apart none the less. In the household of God it is our inclusiveness and mercy that makes God’s love real. What God has first given us we are to in turn offer to the world: love, compassion, hospitality, healing, grace, generosity. As Jesus learned to eliminate a barrier, we also need to remove barriers, whether based on race, gender identity, economic status, geographic location, or our man-made religions. There can be no categorizing of peoples; no judging on our part.

It is such a joy to see people from different cultures, different walks of life, come together to work for a common cause. How many of you have been enjoying the Olympics this week? Watching young people come together, yes, around sports and trying to be the best they can be, but in a spirit of cooperation and camaraderie? And how much greater is it when we come together to worship our common God!

This past week I did a little reading on our church website, reading Safiatu’s story, her journey to health and healing, and I saw the pictures of her baptism. How many more stories are there waiting to be told?

Who are the widows and orphans we might reach out to?

Who are the hungry? The homeless? The sick? The lonely? Thos experiencing hardship or persecution? Who are the Canaanites of our time? Christ was moved to compassion; are we able to love more fully?

This week as we go out to serve I pray that God would help us to be more aware of those we meet, and more aware of their needs. I pray that people would see Christ in us because of our compassion. And I pray that we would be open to the ‘outsiders’ and ‘outcasts’ who help reveal God’s grace to us.

1 The Christian Century, August 9, 2005, p. 18.

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August 10, 2008

Sermon: Reach Out Your Hands

By The Rev. Lori Eldredge

Scripture: Matthew 14: 22-33

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It is a wonderful image, Jesus reaching out his hands to Peter. Consider the moments before. The disciples, in a boat being battered by waves, see a “ghost” - Jesus walking on the water. They cry out in fear and Jesus spoke to them to reassure them that he was near. Then Peter, impetuous as ever, said, “Lord, If it is you command me to come to you on the water. “ Don’t you love Peter? He asked Jesus to enable him to do what Jesus was doing, walking on water. Peter, confident and trusting one moment , got out of the boat and started walking to Jesus. But then he noticed a problem, the strong wind, or at least he perceived it to be a problem ; and he became frightened so that he began to sink into the sea. He called out to Jesus and Jesus reached out to save him.

There are several themes possible from this morning’s reading: the first juxtaposing faith and fear. Our fear short-circuits faith. At 40 years of age I was invited to participate in the high ropes course at Camp Aldersgate. It’s not that I am afraid of heights, I’ve always liked climbing trees, but I never saw the sense of jumping out of a tree 40 feet up in the air. When someone told me it was like flying I muttered something about God forgetting to give me wings. Jumping at forty feet meant riding a zip line to the ground and depending on people at the bottom to catch me. Immediately fear began to enter into my thinking. Unfortunately I had promised one of the youth that I would at least try to climb the ladder, and you never break a promise to the youth. Well, I climbed the ladder , and did it wrong. I began to shake, fear literally possessing me, and crossing to the first cable I felt faint. I told Christine, the person on the other end of my belay line, that I was coming down. She started to tell me, “ No, ”When I fainted. I remember coming to on the ground; she had caught me… but so had fear, and I was unable to complete the task. It wasn’t until a year later when I had talked myself into completing the high ropes course that I tried again. This time I took it as a personal challenge. Granted I had a very intense 45 minute relationship with tree, but I did finish and I rode the zip line to the ground. I could only let go when I clearly pictured myself held in the hands of God.

I believe that a lot of our worry comes from either self-doubt or basic insecurity….both of which lead to fear, and in which we aren’t completely trusting God. Remember what Jesus said to Peter? “Why do you doubt, you of little faith?” I love it when he answers his own question! We worry, we become fearful or frightened. … and we start wringing our hands and sweating in anxiety.

It makes me wonder, when do we draw on our faith in God? Do we practice our faith all the time so that we are in constant conversation with God? In seminary we read a spiritual classic, Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, a medieval monk and dishwasher. That was his job in his order, washing all the pots and pans. It can be a very lonely task, providing lots of time to talk with God. As he was in conversation, he was also in communion with God, deepening his faith and drawing closer to God. Or do we call upon our faith only when we are faced with adversity; independent and self-absorbed until we are confronted with or are challenged by something we can’t handle?

There’s a second issue here. Do we ask Jesus to make us be like him? Do we ask Jesus to enable us to do the things he does? Peter asked Jesus to command him to come to him and therefore walk on water. Peter, in that moment, was wholeheartedly committed to Jesus. Do we commit ourselves to Jesus, keeping our eyes on God’s purpose for our lives in any given place, or do we allow ourselves to be sidetracked by looking at the problems we encounter.

Do we really want to be like Jesus? Jesus was a first century itinerant teacher, healer, and preacher who performed some incredible deeds – you could call him a miracle worker. Do you want to perform miracles?

Maybe in this day and age that’s not a realistic question to ask. Miracles? Do we even believe in them anymore? I believe that if we were to ask Jesus to help us perform a miracle he would respond by telling us to reach out our hands. Reach out to someone else and help them by whatever means we can. Remember Wesley’s words? “Do all the good you can, in whatever ways you can, for as long as you can.”

This image of Jesus, with Wesley’s notes, we have a clear indication of how we are to live.

I read an article this past week about a woman and her husband who were deep in dept so they turned to a financial manager. Their financial manager was not the typical one: she would agreed to work with them only if they committed to her first two rules. The first was that regardless of how much money they earned each week, they would give 10% away to a charity or other non-profit. Her second rule was to bank another 10% until they had $10,000 they could securely invest. The 80% left would pay whatever bills they could. The couple was a little reluctant but went ahead and agreed with her. Why, you might ask, these two rules? Well, the second was so that they would begin to build something to fall back on, and consequently give them some assurance that they had something to fall back on. It wasn’t having the money per see, it was the peace of mind.

The first rule, though, was even more important. In giving the ten percent away, they would have to give some things up. So, yes, it would be sacrificial; and, it would instill in them a heart of gratefulness, or put another way – an attitude of gratitude.

With such an attitude how much more could we do? How much more could we do as the hands and feet of Jesus in ministry in North Kingstown, in Sierra Leone, or Nicaragua? Build a clinic, build a chapel, build a school? We who follow Jesus are being transformed into his likeness, we might practice a radical hospitality of not only loving and caring for those who know and are like ourselves, but also by loving and embracing our enemies, or by absorbing the anger and fear of persons who are different than ourselves, who openly profess values and morals different from ourselves without responding in kind.¹ Following Jesus we might live more transparently [or openly] acting courageously and faithfully, and in the process providing hope for others.

Are we willing to go where Jesus sends us? Isn’t this the Christian’s journey? From Matthew Henry’s Commentary we read, "...Peter walked upon the water, not for diversion or to boast of it, but to go to Jesus; and in that he was thus wonderfully borne up. Special supports are promised, and are to be expected, but only in spiritual pursuits; nor can we ever come to Jesus, unless we are upheld by his power."²

As we walk with God in Christ, we learn dependence, and we learn gratefulness for what we have.

Paul wrote to the Romans, “How beautiful are the feet of those who carry the good news.” [Romans 10:15b]

Real miracles happen when we with Peter are truly focused on Jesus and we are able to remain above water. When we focus fully on our call to work for justice, mercy, and walk kindly with our Lord, we have the resources to remain above water in community. The good news is that Jesus comes to us and reaches out his hands saving us, transforming us, and holding us in his loving hands. Jesus does this for each and everyone of us. Amen.

This morning we are going to take a few moments to look at Jacob. Did you know that there are twelve chapters in the book of Genesis devoted to Jacob? It is more than practically any other personage or event in the scriptures, with the exception of Jesus . He makes a good character study because we meet him as an infant, we get a peek at all his family relationships, and we are able to stay with him through his death and final burial. Jacob has been described as being tenacious. The thesaurus lists some synonyms for tenacious: stubborn, resolute, obstinate, firm, and persistent. Jacob was persistent from birth – grapping hold of his brother’s heel, tricking his brother into giving up his birthright, working for Laban almost 20 years for the bride of his choice, and ultimately wrestling with a “man” until he had received his blessing. Now there are a few other adjectives I haven’t mentioned, such as deceptive and conniving, and it could be said he learned these from his mother, but they are properly applied to Jacob as all persons at a particular time in their lives must accept responsibility for their own behaviors. I believe it is exactly at this moment we meet Jacob in the scriptures today.

Jacob is fleeing from his brother-in-laws for what they believe is deception of their fathers, his father-in-law. So he has taken his wives and children, and flocks and is headed directly into the path of his brother Esau, who by the way has brought 400 men with him. Jacob has received word of this and on the eve before this meeting is found wrestling with a “man”. Later we discover this “man” is God, but at this moment we don’t know his identity. Was Jacob wrestling with his own conscience? He did have a lot to answer for.

The Monday evening book study has been reading C.S. Lewis’s “Mere Christianity” and in it Lewis suggests that our struggles with God are related to issues of conscience – moral and ethical issues that surround our relationships. - He wrote that the great moral principal with which we all wrestle is how to fulfill the Golden Rule, an old simple principle: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. [Book 3.3, p. 82 ] Lewis said that Jesus wasn’t teaching anything new, just reminding those who listened of what they had learned before. The great teachers of morality do that – they remind us of old simple principles. Jacob wrestling is one of the oldest scriptural examples, as he tried to discover the fate that lay before him.

Esau could harbor revenge, or offer forgiveness and reconciliation. Jacob couldn’t know his brother’s intentions. Humans judge one another, and themselves, by their actions and Jacob had stolen his brother’s birthright; and for this he was answerable to Esau. But God holds us accountable for our moral choices; the choices we make in our hearts even before we begin to act - and this is where we find Jacob.

Wrestling is an apt metaphor for this accounting: Jacob knew how terribly far he had fallen. He had been deceitful in his family relationships as he had stolen his brother’s birthright, as he had deceived his father. And now Jacob wrestled in the dark of night. Have you ever spent the night awake, restless from anxiety or fear, from just unknowing?

This wrestling with God is what St John of the Cross of called the dark night of the soul, when we lay our deepest feelings and thoughts out before God. The desolate soul, crying out to God, comes to purify itself from selfishness and desires in order to clear the way for greater wisdom and joy; and the process, the wrestling or crying out, allows us to develop a new ability to perceive and understand. With this new perception realization we, with Jacob, are able to gain a renewed tenacity to hold on to whatever we are able to recover, including God’s blessing.

For some, we have to revisit the wrestling match. We face the same battles within ourselves. We may repeat the same matches and in the doing, in the repetition, learn new ways of doing things or of being in relationships.

As students in the classroom, we are introduced to new lessons, then given opportunity to practice, generally assigned homework to reinforce what we have practiced, and soon find the lessons mastered.

What we are developing as we wrestle with God are habits of the soul, and they require the same practice. Aren’t they more important? We face the same battles, face the same temptations. And how many of us, each time we face those moments grow stronger…. Not in power over others, but in strength and confidence in ourselves.

Jacob came to a turning point – letting go of the old self, facing his opponent, and asking for a blessing. He was injured in the hip, so that forever after he limped. It may have been a mark of humility, to remind him forever of his dependence on God. He was also given the name Israel. Jacob was restored in relationship with his brother; beyond that he was given the blessing of 12 sons who in became the twelve tribes. Jacob was not spared trials. His favorite son, he believed had died, and only in his old age did he learn of the deception of his sons when he found that Joseph had been sold into slavery. In his old age Jacob could see the saving grace of God at work to preserve the heritage God had promised.

Our blessings may be many along the way but it isn’t until we gain the clarity and wisdom of age that we truly understand the awesomeness of God.

As we prepare to come this morning to feast at our Lord’s table, we know the blessing we have received through Jesus Christ. We do not all understand the fullness of this grace. Let us approach in humility and thankfulness for this blessing given by God for our salvation. Everyone who loves the Lord, and everyone who is wrestling and searching, is invited to the feast. If you have not invited Christ into your life, we invite you this morning to join with us, as this is Christ’s table and Christ is calling to you.

Let us pray: Holy God, we come before you at all times of the day and night, knowing that only you can see through to the depths of our hearts. You know all that we wrestle with and these we lay before you. We invite Christ now to be present with us, to enter our hearts, as we open ourselves to your great love and mercy. Bless us in this holy feast. Amen.

I think that when most of us think off buried treasure we think of pirates and Spanish galleons. Certainly the big screen has promoted such ideas leaving little to the imagination, as pirates, and their swashbuckling adventures, have been featured in everything from the 1922 “Captain Kidd” to Peter Pan, to the 2007 release of “Pirates of the Caribbean III.”

Yet, I suspect, that several of us would associate buried treasure with the rare find they have in their attic. I am a fan of the Antiques Road Show, not that I have any great treasures or family heirlooms, but I am interested from an historical perspective. I love to listen to the histories of the various objects, and the travelogue that often begins a program. What I find most fascinating though, is the reaction of the owner of the object: sometimes great joy, sometimes an expression of gratitude to a dear departed ancestor, and most often a stated desire to keep the object in the family and a vow never to sell.

I would love to know what happens after the show…. Once they know the bottom line on how much the object is valued, generally at auction value, how many actually sell?

These antiques, be they vintage Civil War swords or uniforms, Chippendale or Queen Anne furniture, first edition collections of maps or books by Dickens bound in leather, or pearls set in antique jewelry - their value is ultimately determined by what a person is willing to pay for the object, [and, parenthetically, by what the owner is willing to sell the item for].

When Jesus told these parables he had a single point: the kingdom of heaven is so incredibly valuable that people would gladly, joyfully, sell everything they owned to possess it. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” [Matthew 13: 44]

There was a time when I worked at a flea market. When I had time for a break I would make a quick trip to canvas the booths. Occasionally I would find something of interest, and then proceed to bargain for an acceptable price. I confess I’m not very good at it; I really don’t like bargaining at all. And maybe because I know I don’t like bargaining, I tend to walk away.

Imagine for a moment one of those vendors as God? There in the flea market are all the treasures of the kingdom spread before you. What would you be willing to pay? Would you sell your home? Would you sell your car? Or boat? As you are considering such a sale, you look, and there is a sign by the side of the God’s booth. On the sign there is a word written so that only you can see. It is the word “Free”. These treasures are not for sale but to be given as a gift to you. I haven’t quite figured out about life here in Rhode Island, but in Concord where I have just moved from, if you put out a sign that reads “Free” one of two things happens: 1) The object disappears in a heartbeat, only to be later sold or traded; and 2) people look at the object and wonder what’s wrong with it and then drive away not wanting to be bothered.

Isn’t this a lot like the experience of faith for so many? They grab it quickly to possess it, but then in a very short period on time let it go? Or they look at it briefly, see what ever fault they want to find, and then walk away.

In the parable, those finding the treasure went and sold all their possessions… they did something, they made a commitment of time, of finance, and of talent. I say talent because bartering was big in Jesus’ day. They took time to consider the value, and they made a commitment. To possess what was most important they let go of everything else they owned.

I’ve just moved, and there is nothing like moving to take stock of what you own. I believe, to be more accurate, I should say, what owns me. Possessions require care. [At the very least they require dusting at least once every few years.] When you own something you have to care for it… and it takes time away from the treasures that God wants to give us. Now I’m not saying that we should go sell everything we own. John Wesley was not adverse to private ownership, but we do need to ask ourselves what “stuff” occupies space in our lives that detracts from giving totally of ourselves for the treasures of the kingdom.

I want to say a word about the word ‘kingdom’. The concept of kingdom is based on a cleverly designed hierarchy – with the king at the top, and as the hierarchy develops, the servant/slave at the bottom. We in the United States have never really liked the concept of kings, and it is to our shame that we didn’t apply the same dislike to slavery. While the male language and hierarchy was rejected by the feminist movement of the seventies, it was ethisist Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz in her theology and praxis used a term much more amenable to current thinking. She used the term kin-dom. Kin-dom connotes relationship of family: as kin we are brothers and sisters, all related through Christ in the family of God. So while Jesus and the disciples referenced the political reality of their life situation, we might think outside the box to envision a realm in which we are family.

How does all this impact our understanding of the parables? Rather than envision the treasure of kings, we might instead envision the treasures found in our “field”, this body, the church. We can’t any one of us own it: we do all have stock in it. We have stock in our extended family - valued by the friendships we share, valued by the encouragement we give and receive; we have stock in the church’s reputation in the community by our association with it; we have stock in its future… and therefore in the kin-dom of God.

While the stock market may rise and fall, the value of our antiques grow or diminish, our stock in God’s kin-dom does not change. It can’t be bought and sold, it can’t be devalued; God’s kin-dom is the same yesterday, today , and forever.

God is waiting to gather us in, not just those of us sitting in this room this morning, but all of those who would make room in their hearts for Jesus. God is calling us today to rededicate ourselves to the kin-dom, to the family of God.

What things do you need to let go of? What habits, or addictions, what objects and behaviors that keep us from the joys of the kin-dom, from total commitment to God through Jesus Christ?

God, we do not always value what you value. We do not always choose what is best for us and for your kingdom. This morning we rededicate our lives to you that we may draw closer to you and know your free gift of grace. This we pray in the name of Christ Jesus. Amen.

Three years ago, in July of 2005, I traveled with a friend to England. We crisscrossed the countryside from East Anglia to Bath, London to Kent, Canterbury to the Plains of Salisbury, often passing through the country villages. Almost every single home, no matter the size, showcased beautiful gardens. They were creatively arranged in rows, by color and height, with stone walks, and topiary, and geometric designs. Whether at Sissinghurst or Windsor Castle, or in the villages of Felixstowe or Mildenhall, each design perfectly fit its space, with containers and statues; and absolutely no weeds. No weeds to distract the eye, no weeds to choke the life out of the garden.

Sadly, these idyllic English country gardens do not represent the world we live in… our world is full of weeds.

In the parable, Jesus likens the weeds to evil, with the wheat to that which is good and godly. As gardeners, we want to remove those weeds that would rob the soil of the resources needed by those seeds we have planted. We learn the difference between the sprouts of the flowers or vegetables, and those of weeds. When we speak of good and evil in the world, however, not everything is as easy to recognize. What may be good for one, may be considered evil to another.

As Jesus spoke about the weeds he referred to the tares, a species of rye-grass that is almost identical to wheat. It grows prolifically in the near east. The grains left after the winnowing were put through large sieves. The wheat and tares were identical, until they ripened and the difference discovered. The wheat turned a golden yellow; the tares a midnight black. They tasted bitter, and would cause dizziness and sickness if eaten.¹As young plants their roots grew intertwined; to tear one out of the ground would mean uprooting the other.

Jesus said, “Let them grow together until the harvest…” As he later interpreted the parable, he told the disciples that just as the harvest is gathered in and the reapers collect the weeds, so will the angels collect all the causes of sin and the evil doers our of his kingdom.

Notice that no statement is made about where evil comes from….. it just is. Like the weeds, evil exists; and as with the weeds, we don’t always know the difference between what might be evil and what might be good.

Take the example of the dandelion. Considered a weed by many, with sprays developed and millions spent to eradicate these nuisances from our lawns, they take on a very different character when proudly presented as a bouquet in the tiny hand of a toddler to his or her mother. This bouquet rivals any bouquet of long stem roses.

And long stemmed roses , while considered highly prized to one, may be horrific to the one who is deathly allergic to them.

Dandelions, attacked by every owner of the manicured lawn, are highly prized by naturalists. In the spring they are valued for their greens; a wonderful source of iron. Who are we to deny their nutritional value? Or the milkweed, notorious for spreading and taking over, was considered by native Americans a food. Young pods were boiled and eaten as part of their diet. You won’t find either of these foods on our tables.

For those who are not gardeners but resonate more with the sea, I wonder if you can you remember a time when no one in New England of any respectability would have been found serving mussels or lobster to their guests? Lobster was food for paupers, it was served in colonial New England for prisoners. Protests in Massachusetts led to a restriction of not having to be served lobster more than three times a week.² Mussels until the 1970’s were just plain trash. It’s a value judgment, and a value judgment subject to change.

The late Dr. Jung Young Lee, one of my theology professors at Drew, told of a time in early spring when he went to his front door and just stood watching events out of doors. Things were starting to live again, the birds were returning from their winter away, the grass was turning green. He was thinking to himself about how beautiful the lawn was when he saw it. In the far corner of the lawn was a spot of bright yellow. He said he kicked open the storm door, and running in bare feet to the corner he picked the dandelion. He tried to grab the roots, but it broke loose. And then he held the flower in his hand for a while , looking its bright yellow face; and as he looked at it thought, “Why don’t I like you?” He said it seemed as though the dandelion smiled back at him and cynically stated the message: “You hate me because I represent you.”

Psychologist Carl Jung, would appreciate this parable. The dandelion, for Dr. Lee, held all the memories of growing up in North Korea, of the sadness and joy, of hopes and dreams along side all the realities of life, of being a child with a vision of finding the courage to leave his home and beginning again in a far away place: and, in doing so, remaining a man of integrity, being true to himself and the deepest teachings of his culture. In the foreign place, there was his shadow side, that he needed to be comfortable with; there is the shadow side of ourselves that we need to be comfortable with.

God tells us not to judge others, rather look into our own hearts and live in love with one another. Our value is not dictated by who or what other say we are but is deeply rooted in who we say we are, and whose we say we are. We are God’s and God alone will be our judge. We are to love one another, and let God’s love be our rule of life. Who knows, that by our example, our love, another may be won for Christ.

John Wesley, in his sermons, wrote that “the merciful man can not avoid knowing many things that are evil, he cannot but see them with his own eyes and hear them with his own ears…. Neither does it [love] take away his understanding, any more than his senses, so that he can not know that they are evil…. This is what true love absolutely destroys. It tears it up, root and branches, all imagining what we have not known. It casts out all jealousies, all evil surmising, all readiness to believe evil. It is frank, open, unsuspicious; and as it cannot design, …. ”³

We cannot always know what good or evil may come of something or someone, once begun…but we can know that in the end times God will separate the good and evil. In the meantime let us look to our own hearts and live in love with one another, and with God. Amen.

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July 13, 2008

I know there are a few gardeners in the congregation. It doesn’t matter if you plant flowers or fruits and vegetables, you know the soil has to be fertile. I have always cared for the gardens in my mother’s yard on the cape…. I planted most of them. I started with green beans, and then added tomatoes and later herbs and other vegetables – summer squash and zucchini. I usually had a fair degree of success except in this one spot in the yard. No matter what I planted in this 3 foot diameter space, absolutely nothing grew, not even crab grass. I tried everything. Aerating the soil, giving them plant food, trying a variety of plants – some wild, some that required little if any care - but they all died. I tried watering more, watering less, and still all the plants died. I consulted all sorts of garden books and still nothing.

I don’t usually give up very easily…. and this was no exception. After about three years we made a few changes to the front property, adding a post fence, some flowers, and I decided it was time to do something drastic about that dead zone. . I started digging; removing one wheelbarrow full of soil after another. Holes were filled in the driveway, and in the fields where we had played as children, all sorts of areas were filled. Finally, when I thought enough old soil had been removed, I found some fertile soil from an old asparagus farm and reversed the process, digging and filling in the hole and, finally, planted a shrub. I am pleased to say that the shrub survived, and today is joined by a King Crimson Maple. The problem had been the soil. My conclusion was something had been in that spot, and had poisoned the ground.

In the parable Jesus points out four basic “soils” - the hard ground or path, rocky ground with little soil, the thorny ground, and the good soil. If Jesus were telling the parable today he might add the polluted soil, destroyed by toxins and waste. And while Jesus was speaking about soil he was also speaking about choosing God’s abundant life.

Daniel Deffenbaugh, In Seeds of Shalom, writes “as any gardener knows, seeds can only grow well when a commitment has been made to listening, and laboring, and tilling, and weeding, and weeding, and weeding. In short, seeds can bear abundant fruit only when a commitment has been made to preparing a proper place.”

So the question becomes: In the process of choosing life, the abundant life God has promised, how do we prepare ourselves so that God’s word finds fertile soil or fertile ground within us? Let’s take a moment to examine each of these soils.

The seeds sown on the path are snatched away by the evil one . At Camp Aldersgate we would take the children and youth on night hikes. The youth would follow the staff leader using their only night vision. On the very dark nights we would move slower and we discovered one way to test whether or not we were still on the trail, or path, would be to lightly step down on the ground. If the ground had a slight spring or spongy feeling, we knew we had left the path; only if our footsteps met no resistance did we determine we were still on the path. Ground must be broken up, tilled and aerated to allow the seed to grow and take root. When there is no depth, the seed remains in a vulnerable state, likely to be carried away by the birds, or whatever would eat it up. Soil needs to be able to absorb water. When the word of God comes to us, there must be receptivity; our hearts and mind open; there too needs to be a depth of spiritual ground in which to receive it. Grounded in prayer, grounded in the spiritual discipline of daily engaging God’s word , of regular worship and spiritual formation - these provide the depth of spiritual ground needed for growth as faithful and fruitful Christians.

Seeds planted in the rocky soil may thrive for a moment, but are short lived and they perish. They may thrive for a time, but soon lose their hold. Have you ever seen a tree growing out of a rain gutter. The seeds sprout and grow, they thrive for a moment, but don’t get the foothold they need to fully develop. Too little soil, too much heat, and either a deluge of water or none at all, they soon die. They get their “15 minutes of fame”, but come to nothing. One of the popular shows on television right now is America’s Top Talent. One of the judges in making up their mind as to whether to move a certain contestant up in the competition said they liked what they had just seen, but wondered what new this young woman could bring to her particular talent in her next performance. When the initial resources are up what new does the young plant have to thrive in. In order for God’s word to grow and bear fruit, there must be a good foundation.

Children, persons new to the faith, need to have multiple and meaningful opportunities to learn and practice faith. So how do we connect people with resources and opportunities meaningful to them? Your spiritual formation mini-academies are one means, are there opportunities for serventhood? Mission? Outreach? Developing particular God given talents?

The seed planted among the thorns is choked out. What competes for the ground of your faith? It seems no matter where I serve there is always something… maybe its sports, or work – that was my favorite in the summer time working at the Flea Market in Wellfleet. More likely, in our culture, its our addictions - drugs, alcohol, overeating, shopping: our excesses of materialism and commercialism - we like our toys and our spending power. It chokes out the abundant life God has already provided for us, that we choose to turn away from. Many of our addictions are substitutes for what we desire most – meaningful relationships. The most significant relationship we will ever have is with God. We make the choice to turn away and we can make the choice to turn back. God is always more willing to hear us, to receive us, than we are to turn to God.

Do we really trust God to provide what is best for our lives? As a young teen I used to think church was boring. At least that was until we had this one pastor come into town. He was a playwright and an actor, Rev. Richard Waters. He engaged us in theatre; he brought the word to us in interactive ways. As a result we grew closer to each other as a group, and we grew closer to God. We traveled to New York, we traveled to special workshops, we became engaged in mission. If someone had told me that I would go to New York City or to rural Maine to be in mission I never would have believed them. And I wouldn’t have believed them that I would find the experiences wonderful. I have received so many wonderful friends along the way. . When we choose to let God be the fertile ground of our lives incredible things can happen. First we have to allow God an opening.

Where the seed is planted in good soil, where there is depth and substance to feed the growth, there will be fruit. God calls us to be fruitful. Where is your life bearing fruit? Is this church bearing fruit?

I’ve wondered why does the gospel takes root in some persons lives and not in others? Like planting seeds it takes commitment, and trust. Our task is to plant the seeds, to spread the gospel by word and deed. We do not know when the ground of a person’s heart is fertile, but God knows.

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July 6,2008 First Sunday at North Kingstown

Matthew 10: 40-42

‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. ⁴¹Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; ⁴²and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’

It is a joy to be with you. I want to thank you for your welcome and hospitality as, in these first days, you have provided meals, and offered your help with your time and energy. In many ways it feels as though I have come home. RISEM is my home district and I spent several summers traveling Route 4an 1 to Scarborough Beach, usually though at midnight. I directed Night Camp at Camp Aldersgate: and while there in 1993 I worshipped here. I have remembered this congregation with fondness. I hope in the coming days to be able to meet you either individually or in small groups that we may become better acquainted. :

Pastor Beverly has been a faithful pastor as she has served with you in North Kingstown. She will always hold a special place in your hearts, and we will honor that. I want to thank you for your faithfulness as, in these first days, you have provided meals, and offered your help with your time and energy. I am blessed to be here and to be able to serve as your pastor.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight O God, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

In 1993 I was ordained as a deacon, then a probationary member of the conference. We were at Springfield College Auditorium and it was very hot. Bishop Skeete had presided. Roger Ireson, then the chair of the United Methodist Church’s General Board of Higher Education, was the key note speaker. I had forgotten that until just recently. We had knelt, stood, taken our turns… and when all the deacons had had holy hands placed upon them to take up the work of the deacon… soon to be elder… we sat down… we nearly fainted… it was that hot. Immediately, Rev. Bing Scherer approached us wearing his alb with white sneakers, carrying a pitcher of ice cold water with paper cups. One at a time he poured them full of water and they were passed down the row. To this day I cannot remember a word Roger Ireson spoke in the ordination sermon, but I will never forget the sermon Bing preached, without every having spoken a word.

This cup of water was a blessing… it was also the first act of welcoming I experienced in this new New England Annual Conference. Appropriate too. That cup of water represented not only the physical care of one another in the moment, but also our covenant to care for one another spiritually in our ministry. It was , and is, a blessing.

Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. [Matthew 10”42]

The blessing of welcoming can never be underestimated. My prayer for the church is that we might always practice radical hospitality, welcoming not only those who walk through our doors but those whose lives we touch everyday.

Jesus often spoke of the “the little ones”. Sometimes it was a reference to the children, but in this passage we might consider it a metaphor - “the little ones” being those new or young in the faith.

The church was established to be a blessing, welcoming and caring for “little ones” in the faith, and witnessing to the hope of Jesus Christ offered to those living on the margins, in a dark, despairing , and often chaotic world.

A year and a half ago several clergy attended a weeklong continuing education workshop “Tending the Fire”. While there we looked family systems operational in the church. There are three basic circles: the congregational family, pastor’s family, and the individual families that make up the congregation. The reason its important to understand these basic families is that each represents a system and each affects the other two. At Annual Conference, in June, we watched a video clip from Pixar’s “Monster Inc.”, The Birds. A number of small birds land on a telephone wire where they take time to adjust. Just about the time they finally get settled a larger bird, seemingly lost, lands on one of the telephone poles nearby and after an exchange in communication joins the now highly anxious birds on the wire. They readjust and remain anxious, as we watch the wire slowly stretch and bend toward the ground, crowding the birds as they sink inward. A few start pecking at the larger bird, resisting settlement of this bird with them. Finally the larger bird slowly loses grip. Now two things happen. First, as the larger bird is slowly pushed out it lets go of the wire, sending the birds on the wire flying in every direction, feathers going everywhere, throwing the entire system into chaos. Secondly, the larger bird, once on his feet, flies away.

I relate this to you because of the humorous way it addresses some of the anxiety of those who may be new to our community – however we chose to interpret the term: the town, our workplace, or our faith community. And it addresses some of the anxiety of change. North Kingstown, along with many other churches in our conference this morning, is in the midst of change; [ and I have been told there is a little anxiety , especially around Easter sunrise services. So let me reassure you, that while I am not an early morning person, for me the most meaningful sunrise services are always timed to allow us to watch the dawn break over the horizon, at the waters edge.] However, change can lead to transformation.

When we welcome the stranger, it is not with the thought of making them a clone of us, it’s not even with the thought of adding to our membership, but of helping another person develop a relationship with Jesus Christ and one another that each may have the freedom and support to grow as faithful and fruitful disciples.

Welcome in Jesus’ day was a matter of survival. The stranger depended on hospitality for protection, but welcome today has some important implications.

It requires that we hold one another close while allowing space, without taking over. We give and receive, allowing for the stranger among us to use the gifts they have been given. Whether a member of the congregation, a pastor, a district superintendent or bishop, refugee, non-Christian, Hispanic , rich or poor - we open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit within us, Welcoming the stranger is risky business. When the welcome is based in Jesus Christ, God’s power and presence will be made known and we will all be changed.