Further Travels Along the Way

In June of 2010 I began working as the regular supply pastor at a Presbyterian church (PCUSA affiliated) in Northwest Indiana.  At the time, it seemed like somewhat of a cruel irony since I had left the PCUSA to become UCC after meeting and marrying my wife which put me at odds with PCUSA polity.  Nevertheless, this church seemed like the place God was directing me so I tried to stay open to where my faith journey and calling was leading. 

Among my first hurdles were those of ethics and transparency.  I am gay and my wife and daughter would likely come with me to church.  The exiting interim minister had known me for years and knew about my sexuality but I didn’t think she outted me to the church.  So, I had to make a decision.

How was I going to answer the questions?  Would I just go ahead and come out?  What was the right thing to do so that I had integrity while not opening my family to undue scrutiny?  Furthermore, I didn’t want to bring to the church additional turmoil in the midst of a time that was already fragile.

Very quickly I decided to answer any questions from congregants honestly but not bring up the fact that I’m gay.  I advised my family to do the same.  All the same, we did not necessarily go about drawing attention to ourselves in that way.  My reasoning for this choice was three fold.  First, I personally have borne much pain as some of my Christian sisters and brothers have hurled stones of hatred and fear at me over the years.  It’s been a tough journey that I still weep over from time to time.  Second, as a family, we did not have a need to be supported in that faith community so our transparency was not necessary for our well-being.  Likewise, we did not need the pain that would come with a negative outcome.  Third, and most importantly, I believed my time with them would be short and deemed the painful transitions of the church and the existing sorrow of its members to be more important to address than introducing an additional issue that would only serve to distract them from what they actually needed.  They had already been though too much to have someone “dump” an extra issue on them.  They deserved to grieve and grow through their existing difficulties before dealing with one more thing. 

With all that in mind I moved forward and what I thought was going to be a “few preaching gigs” turned into more and ultimately lasted 20 months before they called a full time pastor.

I didn’t realize it would happen but I quickly fell in love with the people at that church.  I saw in them such love for one another and a deep faith.  They could not have endured the kind of pain they had without it.  You see, in the past 10 years they had lost a much beloved pastor and then had a series of short lived calls and interims that introduced various conflicts and near scandals (the reasons for this are so complicated I will not even dare deal with it in this writing because I can never do their experience justice).  In the face of all this strife, the church and its programs survived... they even thrived in some ways.  It was easy to for me to admire and even love them.

It seemed that they loved me too.  They liked my preaching style of balancing teaching with practical ways of living faithfully.  They appreciated my reluctance to make grand claims on behalf of God in favor of journeying together.  Most of all, they loved the way I loved them.  For a group of people who had felt rejected and shat upon, they just wanted so badly to know that it wasn’t their fault and that they were still loved by God... and a pastor.  I could give them that.

One of my early sermons at the church was entitled “Along the Way” and was based upon Psalm 107:1-9, 43.  In it I said, “this is a passage about life happening.  Life includes the joyous and the tragic and all that lies in between.  Not all these events happen because of God but God is in the midst of them and still with us after them.  Our job is to be open to God’s help.  Our job is to keep journeying.  Our job is to share in the journey with others around us.  And we do this with hope knowing God is with us all along the way.”

“Along the way” became a phrase that I would utter many many more times during my service at that church.  It became my mantra to them as I sought to illuminate God’s presence and work in their midst.  It also became a mantra to myself as I experienced a home and sense of calling like I had not previously had or expected.

In my time there, I never did out myself from the pulpit even though I uplifted the justices issues associated with gender and sexuality.  I kept my emphasis on what they needed most.  Even as my sexuality became known to many in the congregation, what people stayed focused upon was what we had in common as people of faith trying to find our way forward.  With all the talk in our culture about what is wrong with the church, let me tell you that what is right was the people of that church staying focused on loving one another and honoring faith. 

Don’t get me wrong.  It wasn’t always easy.  I know for a fact, my sexuality became a catalyst for heated discussion amongst the Pastor Nominating Committee.  Also, I had many conversations with congregants who were unaware of my sexuality as they made their opinions known about Presbyterian polity, theology, and sexuality.  They said things that were insensitive and at times even hateful.  Yet, my response was always to broaden our understanding of love and keep us focused upon what God is doing and calling us to.

In the months since my time ended at that church, I’ve had time to reflect on what this journey meant and how it touched me in ways I never imagined.  I’ve come to believe even more in the mantra of God with us “along the way” because of the relationships that my family and I have formed with the people of that church.  Our lives are forever changed and better because of them.  Furthermore, the church’s constant affirmation of God’s gifts in me and my time with them served to heal old wounds that I thought would always be festering.  Honestly, I rarely know where God is leading me but I can say without a shadow of a doubt that God has been, is, and will be with us all along the way.  Amen.

Onward In Faith

Advent 1B - Sermon based upon Psalm 42 & Matthew 1:18-2:12

Good morning and welcome to Advent.  This is a season of expectancy and preparation. A season of joy, hope, and promise.  And given the themes of our advent devotional and sermon series, it is also a season of faith, peace, new life, and love.

You’re going to notice a pattern in the coming weeks that lead us all the way through Christmas.  Each week’s theme that goes with the devotional is going to be lifted up in worship in multiple ways.  The devotional theme is The True Gifts of Christmas: The Journey to Bethlehem. The music, prayers, liturgy, and even scriptures will go along with the weekly theme.  Each week we'll have a Psalm that captures the emotional experience of the theme and a Gospel passage that tells the story.

But for now, we’re here on the first week of Advent.  We enter with the theme of faith and the story told in Matthew about Jesus's conception and birth.  If ever there was a story of faith in God, this is it.

Here we have a young unmarried woman who finds out she's going to have a very special baby.  The scripture tells us that her fience doesn't want to disgrace her but he's still going to “quietly dismiss her.”  After transformative encounters, they both believe in God’s will for this child move forward to have the baby. 

From the Luke story of Jesus’ birth we also know that they had to make a journey to Bethlehem for census and taxation.  That must have been horrible.  Can you imagine setting out on a donkey, a man and a 9 month pregnant woman, in a time when life was so much more treacherous than it is now?

And even after Jesus is born, King Herod sends spies so that he can plot against the young Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us.  But they too had a transformative experience rooted in joy and did the right thing to protect this child.

And our Psalm this morning is also a true story of faith.  It is about the fear and anxiety we experience when we can’t quite feel God’s closeness to us.  We want to lash out as the Psalmist does with “Why have you forgotten me?  Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?”  But just as with Mary and Joseph, the Psalmist remembers “hope in God.”
These are some pretty powerful scriptures if we pause to let them capture our feelings and imagination.  So, what do they have to tell us on this first Sunday of Advent?

Well, I think one of the messages is that just because we’re journeying faithfully doesn’t mean that it’s smooth sailing.  It’s often an anxiety and fear filled path.  Even Joseph was going to leave Mary because he couldn’t understand how God’s plan for Mary included him and I imagine he felt a lot of social pressure as well.

How often are our lives like that?  Maybe it’s that we know what the right thing is to do but we feel the pressure and embarrassment of what others are saying around us.  Or sometimes it’s that we are not sure how we fit into God’s plan.  Or sometimes it’s more a feeling like the Psalmist had of wondering where God is in all this and how to remain faithful while it feels so dark.  When faced with loss, uncertainty, and other things that raise our fear level, our lives, just like Mary and Joseph’s are filled with moments that make our faithful walk forward feel more like a burdensome trudge. 

Whether it’s the journey of the PNC in search of a pastor or the daily work it takes to make relationships last, we are ALL journeying… and sometimes it’s a tough one.  But here’s where the story turns. 

God reassures Joseph of his part in all this.  Then God protects Jesus from Herod.  God even touches the wise men and they go on a different path.  Hope and joy healed them from their worries, doubt, and uncertainty.  In the case of the wise men, quite literally, the story tells us that they were overwhelmed by joy. 

I think this is the real heart of our scripture lesson for today.  We worry and struggle in uncertainty quite often. And it becomes a cycle that just gets worse if left to our own devices.  The more we worry, the more we drag ourselves down.  The more we drag ourselves down, the more we fret about digging back out of the hole of fear, grief, and depression.  The more we fret about those things, the more ashamed we feel.  And the more ashamed we feel… well, that’s just a terrible spiral downward. 

But God’s support and love for us is never wrapped up in fear or shame or overly burdensome toil.  God reaches out to us with hope and joy offering us help to put one foot in front of the other and continue our faithful journey.  That support comes in all kinds of forms.  In the case of Joseph, it came in the form of messenger from God and I imagine it also came in the form of support from people around him and most especially from Mary.  For the wise men, they found support from God to do the right thing through an intense sense of joy at the witness of a phenomenon in nature right before meeting Jesus.  And while most of us don’t have an experience of meeting and angel, I know that all of us have met messengers from God or had experiences that coincided with special event that invigorated our faith. 

See, this is what faith is about, whether it’s during the season of Advent or any other time.  We are on a journey and each and every day is another opportunity to keep moving forward toward the hope and promise of God while being open to the nurturing support God gives us.

Now, I’m not trying to make this sound easy.  I’ll give you a deeply personal example.  All my life, even as a little child, I’ve struggled with depression.  It seems to be genetic because most of my family struggles with it.  Depression has gripped me in ways that I’ve often felt forgotten by God.  The way depression chokes off the light is painful.  And after feeling the emptiness and darkness months on end, I’ve even thought that it wasn’t that God had forgotten me.  I’ve felt that God must be punishing or cursing me.  Now logically, I know that isn’t the case.  But depression is an illness that tells us lies about ourselves, others, and God.

Having struggled with this illness for most of my 37 years, I can tell you quite a few things about finding God in the darkness and what faith looks like when you barely have the energy to get out of bed.  But I can also tell you that faith cannot be stifled or destroyed by darkness, fear, worry, doubt, and uncertainty. 

Just like Mary and Joseph, I have found God’s support every step of the way.  Just when I thought I couldn’t bear the isolation any longer, God has sent messengers that reminded me who and who’s I am.  God has placed people in my life to help me when I couldn’t help myself.  When I needed a jolt to point me in the right direction, God has shown me great joy through phenomenon in nature.  God has called me forward in love all along the way. 

God’s nurturing love and my faith in that love have helped me journey forward every step of the way.  In fact, you’ve even been part of God’s work in my life.  As you know, I’m a chaplain and I work night shift at Children’s Memorial Hospital.  Working night shift is more than a choice.  It’s a metaphor for my experience with God.  Because I’ve had to work so hard to find God in the long nights of depression, I want to be part of God’s light to others in the night.  I never thought I’d work in a church because I thought my place was in the darkness.

But being here with you has shown me that God calls me into the light as well.  The way you’ve encouraged me and the relationships I’ve built here have shown me new paths in my own faith journey.  My faithful journey is not only that of holding people in the night but also that of proclaiming God’s radiance in the light and you’ve been the ones who’ve helped cultivate that in me and show me God’s way for which I’ll always be grateful.

Now I didn’t tell you all that to spew out my own story.  I told you about my journey because I believe it speaks to the struggles we’ve all had.  Advent, holidays, faith, journeys, family, church… all of these things are precious but they also stir in us anxiety and fear about the unknown.  But God is with us, each and every one of us.  God is speaking and leading and calling us every step of the way.

Sisters and brothers, as we move forward in Advent, may we have faith that God is alive and well in all areas of our lives.  Even when it feels scary or burdensome, God is with us, offering us support wrapped in love rather than fear.  Our job is to keep putting one foot in front of the other on this journey taking the next step in faith and being open to all the ways God is supporting us.  Emmanuel, God with us… We welcome you!  Amen

Serving Together

Serving Together (off lectionary sermon series on the body of Christ based upon Matthew 28:16-20, Galatians 5:16-6:2, & G-2.0101)

Good morning. If you were here last week, you know that this is week 2 of a 3 week sermon series on being the church alive in the world. But as I said last week, don’t worry if you’re not here for all of them. They stand alone nicely so even if you missed it, you won’t be lost today. But just to recap, we looked at scripture and at a passage from the book of order and talked about how Christ is the only true authority in the church. Our job is to faithfully live out Christ’s calling. So we do not stand over or under one another in our workings and callings. No one calling is more special than another. Whether it’s my calling to be a pastor or someone else’s calling to put out donuts, we are faithful together… side by side.

So this week, we are taking the next step trying to unearth what those callings might be for each of us and as a church and our scripture for the day gives us a great place to start. But much like last week, I want to weave in another nugget of wisdom from the Book of Order that we might use as an outline for our thinking today. It comes from G-2.0101 and is entitled "Christ’s Ministry." It reads:

The Church’s ministry is a gift from Jesus Christ to the whole Church. Christ alone rules, calls, teaches, and uses the Church as he wills, exercising his authority by the ministry of women and men for the establishment and extension of God’s new creation. Christ’s ministry is the foundation and standard for all ministry, the pattern of the one who came "not to be served but to serve" (Matt. 20:28). The basic form of ministry is the ministry of the whole people of God, from whose midst some are called to ordered ministries, to fulfill particular functions. Members and those in ordered ministries serve together under the mandate of Christ.

Well, given what I just read, you might be thinking "isn’t that the recap of last week’s sermon?" Well, sort of. But we are going to go deeper in to 2 of these ideas and think about "Christ’s ministry is the foundation and standard for all ministry" and "The basic form of ministry is the ministry of the whole people of God." And I think today’s scripture lessons have some guidance for our thinking.

Our scripture passages are The Great Commissioning found in Matthew where Jesus calls on his followers to go out into the world and baptize, teach, and fellowship with others while all along knowing that Christ is always with us. The second passage is about the fruits of the spirit and reminds us what living by the spirit looks like. It also calls on us to be healers of one another as we struggle to claim who and whose we are.

So we have these very big ideas and as a big picture kind of person, these are the things that ignite in me curiosity and wonder about how it will all unfold. But I realize that for more detail oriented people, these open ended visions are somewhat anxiety producing. So, we’re going deeper today to look for the practical ways of ministry and our callings within it. We are doing so because some of us are curious. Some of us find comfort in details. Others of us need reassurance.

I raise this issue of what we are each getting by our study together because it has bearing on what we will uncover. See, if it is that "Christ’s ministry is the foundation and standard for all ministry" then a great thing to recognize about the life and teachings of Jesus is that he lived and taught in ways that spoke to people the way they each needed to experience it.

We are all very different from one another. Different gifts, different personalities, different interests, different struggles, different experiences… all of which come together to make us unique and yet somehow only made whole in the body of Christ. So to reach out to such diverse groupings, Jesus used stories so that people would zero in on the parts they each needed to hear. He also shared a lot of meals and living room time where people have their guards down and true relationships are built. He used symbols and metaphors so that people would have to think and stretch themselves to understand. And no matter where he was or what was going on, his starting place was that of love for God’s special creation… people.

Over and over again, he astounded people by loving them instead of judging them because he knew that judgment is God’s and the path to true healing is that of love. He didn’t walk up to the woman at the well and call her wretched names or think judgmental thoughts about her. His starting place was that of love for who she was: a child of God with gifts and struggles that was living a life of suffering. Harsh words would have just alienated her more but love heals and transforms.

And while we’re looking at Jesus as the foundation and standard for all ministry, let’s not forget his humility. He is the one who came "not to be served but to serve." Ministry that models Christ is that of service rather than status. Born in a barn, murdered for his faith… those are extraordinary bookends to a life. But in some ways, even more extraordinary are the pages between the bookends that tell of a life of reaching out in search of God as a young child and extending the love of God as an adult. What would our lives look like if we each had such love?

And that’s the question of the day. Christ modeled what ministry looks like and we are called to minister to the "whole people of God." So what would our lives look like if we each had such love? What does ministering to the "whole people of God" look like?

Last week we read scripture that talks about the body of Christ and the different callings. This week we see in Galatians different gifts that we are given by the Spirit. And all along we have Christ telling us to go out and do something with these callings and gifts.

So what does it look like? Well, it starts by taking the time to find out who God made us to be. Jesus invited us to look into ourselves to know and honor this special creation of God. Searching ourselves is critical to knowing how we can serve. God asked Moses to live beyond his skills and God still asks the same of us today but we can’t go farther if we don’t know where to start.

So we each need to consider what our personality is, what our interests are, and what we have to offer as we look to see how we each may minister in the body of Christ. For example, you wouldn’t want me to sing in the choir but thanks be for those that can and we welcome them back this year. And I would be pretty bad at serving on the budget committee because I get overwhelmed with all the numbers. But you know what? I love the bible and I love people so one thing I can do is weave those two together into sermons and worship leadership.

See, it’s pretty much as simple as that. We start with who we are and what God has given us and ask "where can God use me?" Lend a Hand Day, teaching Sunday School, greeting, serving on committees, and all those other forms of stewardship are servant ministry. And even talking and sharing with one another is servant ministry because we are building up the body of Christ as we extend ourselves to one another in fellowship. 

But ministry is about far more than what happens inside these walls. The real work of Christ is out there in the world. So again, let’s ask the question, what would our lives look like if we each had such love as Christ? What is our ministry in the world? When we look at our gifts and skills, how do we serve in the body of Christ beyond these walls?

The answer to those questions are as varied as can be. But I think our scripture can guide us. Galatians 6:1 reads, "My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness." What does that have to do with our servant ministry? Well, most of our work both inside these walls and beyond is about healing. Almost everything we experience boils down to the brokenness we encounter within ourselves and around us. So much of our ministry and ministering is about being conduits of peace, healing, and reconciliation through the love of Christ.

Our charge is to heal with a spirit of gentleness. When we see wrong doings, we’re not called to judge, we’re called to restore. Sisters and brothers, each and every one of us struggle. When we think about the things we do wrong, we see a chain of events where we didn’t set out to hurt anyone but it all made sense at the time. As Paul said, "why is it I do what I don’t what to do?" As parents, as teachers, as ministers, as friends, as business people… we all struggle because we all have broken places in us and all need the grace of God and the love of Christ. The surest path to healing is not by wagging a finger at ourselves or others. Changing our behavior out of guilt isn’t really living in the Spirit. Healing comes by modeling Christ and loving the wounds away.

So if our lives are at the intersection of brokenness and love, who are we each called to be in the world? For the person who’s a little shy but always watching, maybe part of their calling is to be the one who always extends a kind smile. For the one gifted with leadership skills, maybe servant ministry looks like being a business person of respect who looks out for how employees are treated. For the ones with a mind for numbers, maybe it’s being a beacon of integrity so that wealth is not used to corrupt or squash others. For those who cook well, maybe it’s offering a meal to someone struggling or bringing the cookies to a meeting that reminds us of what’s important. Perhaps for those of us with old wounds that have been healed, it’s about sharing our path with those in need. If one of our blessings is extra time, maybe servant ministry is about volunteering.

And when the big stuff like 9/11 happens we still see the same things. Firefighters being firefighters and caring about people, even at the risk of losing their lives. Everyday folks dropping everything to clear debris because it serves and restores hope. People far away donating money, blood, and other resources because they love enough to want to be a part of the healing.

See, we get caught up in thinking of our daily lives as work, chores, and strife but if we look deeper we’ll see the way we are functioning as the body of Christ and honor that. And when we look deeper, we might even see new and different ways of sharing our gifts and callings. And that’s what we’ll talk about next week.

But for now, Christ invites us to see who God made us to be and offer that back to creation. As we go from here this week, may we look more deeply at who we are and what we can be in the body of Christ. And most importantly, may we live that calling each and every day. Amen.

Of Body and Spirit

Pentecost A – sermon based upon 1 Corinthians 12: 3-13

Good morning. It is so good to be with you on this day of Pentecost. I’ve missed you over the past month but I’ve kept up with some of the happenings and you’ve always been close to my heart and in my prayers. I wanted to make a joke about how long it’s been by how quickly my hair is growing back but I couldn’t really think of anything witty to say so let’s just jump into this scripture.

Today’s scripture passage around the gifts and the body of Christ offers us a familiar image and calling. But like most scripture, we are blessed with a new hearing each and every time we encounter it. So, on this day where we celebrate the birth of the church, Pentecost, what does God want us to hear with newness?

Well, the passage is pretty straightforward and there isn’t much in the way of controversy in its meaning. The passage is very clear that there is one Spirit, one Christ, and one God and that all gifts, services, and activities flow from the one triune God. God is the breather of life, author, & initiator of all gifts and services. Verse 7 tells us, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” Verse 11 says, “All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.”

All of our gifts and callings, every last one of them, come from God and are activated by the Spirit to work in the body of Christ. When we survey our lives, it can be so easy to pat ourselves on the backs for what we’ve done or achieved. But when we use our intuition or wisdom or compassionate heart, we must know that those things flow from God for the glory of God. Actually, the scripture said specifically they are “for the common good.”

This brings us to another point of this passage that reminders us that there are many different kinds of gifts and callings in the body of Christ. Verses 8 through 10 give us a litany of gifts and fruits of the spirit. But why is it that there are all these amazing gifts from God… compassion, healing, empathy, wisdom, leadership, faith, insight, tongues, hope, prophetic voice, and so many more… yet, we each only get a handful?

Well, most of us struggle to master even one or two of the gifts and callings in our lives let alone a bunch of them. As friends and neighbors, it takes hard work to use our particular gifts… the listening ear, perfect timing for distraction, asking intuitive questions, bravely challenging problems. Whatever our deepest gifts are in our friendships, it takes lots of effort on our part to use them well.

And what about our other relationships and roles like work, family, and even our faith community? Pure and simple, it’s just hard to develop a few of our gifts well and get them on the path God is calling us to. And even more difficult than that, when we do master a few, it becomes especially challenging to stay humble and remember from whom these gifts came.

But there’s more than the obvious “human” limitations going on here. We are not called to be individual gods, possessing all gifts and wholeness of the one God. Scripture says, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” The common good... we are called to be joined together for the betterment of all. When we join all our gifts together, we become Christ’s presence in the world… God’s love reaching out.

If we each had all gifts and roamed about as our own mini-gods, we would become increasingly self-centered because we lacked the need to open ourselves to what others can teach and give us. Instead, God wisely gave us each differing gifts in various combinations. That would mean that we could each have some special function but that function is only made whole in the presence of other parts. It is for the common good, the greater good that we have these gifts. And if they are truly made whole by joining together, we will be compelled to reach outside of ourselves.

So what do I mean by this? Take for example the gift of compassion. It is an amazing gift that can produce healing, connection, and fill voids in people’s lives. But how do we have it? Well, a seed of it is planted in us. But to grow that seed, we must water it with the experiences of others. We grow compassion by extending ourselves to others and growing in our ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. What about leadership? Leadership is usually a combination of gifts that come together. Some do it through honing their gifts of good planning and charm. Others lead by being able to articulate big visions and ideas. Regardless, the point is that no one ever became a great leader overnight. It was by extending one’s self to others that the experience was gained to develop that gift.

And the church should be a safe proving ground for such gift cultivation. When we volunteer to set up tables, we’re practicing gifts of stewardship and mutual support and we’re deepening relationships. When we participate in worship, we are doing so in a community that is founded upon grace so we don’t have to get it perfect. We just need to be faithful and the gifts will grow. And when there’s a loss or other crisis here, we can respond knowing that we are part of a community where don’t have to fix anything by ourselves because it can only be healed together.

This brings me to the last point I want to share from this passage. Gifts of the spirit are just like the many members of the body of Christ. It indeed does take all the parts to truly fix or heal or change anything for the better. The scripture says, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body… and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”

We are completely and utterly bound together. Not just us inside these walls, but all followers. And as awe inspiring as that can sound, it’s also a tough one to swallow sometimes. Think about it. As people of faith, we have spent a great deal of time, energy, and money fighting with one another. For complicated reasons, we get more riled up with one another than we often do with people of no faith. Christians from other backgrounds, people that use different gifts like speaking in tongues, or even other Presbyterians become the object of our frustration and scorn. We think to ourselves, “how can they believe that?” or “they are just sinners.” We try to cut off parts of the body of Christ.

But verse 3 began by telling us “Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Let Jesus be cursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.” So our utterances of wanting to dismiss or even push away those we don’t understand in the body of Christ do not come from the Holy Spirit. The Spirit calls us together, even when we don’t understand all the parts… even when we can only see one another’s flaws… even when we are tired of listening… even when our beliefs stand in outright conflict with one another.

But we are not called to belief. We are called to faith. Faith that is bound together by the Spirit because we were baptized into one body and drink of one cup. We, all people who have faith in Jesus, are the body of Christ. When we want to dismiss any part of the body, our job is to seek more understanding rather than getting defensive or closing off. When we can’t figure out how someone can call themselves Christian, our calling is to spend time listening. When we’re frustrated with people we don’t understand, a better use of our time would be helping develop our gifts and theirs by working together on what we do agree on… things like poverty and being with the lonely and suffering. When someone tries to cut us off from the body, our calling is to keep living the mission and reaching out.

These acts of reaching out to one another to understand and connect as I said before are the proving grounds for our faith. If we can’t figure out how to work together as a living body of Christ then our witness to the world is also diminished because we’re not working as the whole body. But when we do join together, history shows us over and over again what amazing things can be done. Consider the Civil Rights Movement, the works of the Red Cross, and even close to home think of the amazing ministries of this congregation. Living out our callings together always leads to bigger things than we could have ever done on our own.


Sisters and brothers, This is a huge calling both inside and outside these walls. But lest we get too burdened by this, come back next week and we’ll be talking about our refuge, strength, and nurture inside these walls. But for now, we wear red on Pentecost to symbolize the flames of the Spirit so this quote from St. Catherine of Sienna is fitting. She said, “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”

On this day where we celebrate the birth of the church, our calling is to develop the gifts that are given to us and to work hard to support the gifts of the Spirit given to others. When we do this, we become a full and vibrant living body of Christ. When we do this, we set the world on fire. Amen.

A Moment, A Life

A Moment, A Life: <-- Audio file of Transfiguration Sunday sermon based upon Matthew 17:1-9.


Good morning. Today is transfiguration Sunday and if you’ve spent much time at church in your life, you’ve probably heard more than a few sermons from the gospel texts that recount this event in Jesus’ life. It’s a dramatic scene of Jesus, Peter, James, & John climbing to the mountain top. Then Jesus’ face shines with brilliant light and his well-worn robe suddenly glistens with a brilliant whiteness. As if this isn’t startling enough, suddenly Moses and Elijah appear and start talking with Jesus. Now, I don’t know how Jesus stayed so calm in the midst of all this but Peter, James, & John were filled with awe. Peter wanted to stay there and live in the glory of the moment forever. But he had barely said that before the voice of God booms from a cloud affirming Jesus as his son that he is so proud of. At this, Peter, James, & John were absolutely overwhelmed and fell to the ground. Then Jesus comforted them and led them back on their journey… and a remarkable journey at that.


So what is it we’re supposed to get from this story? What is transfiguration? Miriam Webster dictionary defines transfiguration as “a change in form or appearance; a metamorphosis; an exalting, glorifying, or spiritual change.” So transfiguration Sunday marks a moment of spiritual change in Christ. Something big happened on that mountaintop and we mark and honor it. But just as Peter wanted to stay and the moment and found out he couldn’t, we must also recognize that transfiguration Sunday is but a moment that points to something bigger going on. Transfiguration Sunday is about a moment in Christ’s life. But I think it tells us something about our lives as well.


To be transfigured is a moment in time that changes us. It’s a moment that stays with us in ways that we remember. It reveals something of who we are, who we’ll become, or sometimes even what we don’t want to be. To be transfigured is to be open to the moment and letting what that moment has touch us and leave us forever transformed. To be transfigured is but a moment in time but a moment that we can use to push us forward and compel us onward as we gather the energy and direction that it gives us. And I want to suggest that transfiguration happens in our everyday lives.


So as I thought about transfiguration this week, I spent some time looking thinking about how we’ve tried to capture this biblical moment, the transfiguration of Christ as well as how we experience transfiguration in our everyday lives. So, I want to share with you a PowerPoint of some images that capture the transfiguration in many different forms.


I could fill a whole afternoon with artwork where we’ve tried to capture the transfiguration of Christ. But here is just a sampling of a few… like this one from the 1300’s were we see the climax of the scene.

… or this one from the 1800’s

… or this one from a more modern time.

Even look at the cover of your bulletin. Artwork from this event has captured our minds and imaginations for a long time.


But capturing the transfiguration of Christ is only worthy if we can also capture it in our own lives. So here are some images that may resonate with you on a more personal level. Images of moments that transform and give our lives deeper meaning.


See, sometimes we have moments were we realize that we are but small players in something so much larger than us, yet we’re called to be a part of them…

we look on not sure what this moment will bring but we know it will forever change things.

Some moments speak for themselves.

There are moments we never imagined but once we’re there, we rise to the occasion

… there are the moments made in the midst of sorrow

… and the sorrow made better by a comforter.

There are the moments that a whole country will never forget

… and the moments that a family would not be the same without.

There are moments we could not have imagined

… and connections that will have meaning for a long time to come.

Transfiguration is about the experience, the understanding.

Some moments call us to something bigger and hold out a vision

… while others make dreams come true.

There are moments of liberation and pure joy

… and joy

… and joy

… and joy. Joy that takes hold of us and makes us the people we want to be, children of God.

There are moments of triumph to get where we’ve never been

… moments of getting back up when we’re down.

Moments made beautiful by the friends around us.

Moments of attaining what we always wanted

… worked for

… ran after.

Moments no one imagined for us

… moments only before held in our imaginations.

And there are times when no one thought it could be done.

And as we prepare to go into Lent, we should consider all the moments of self reflection where we see beyond the shadows into who we are

… We take who we are to God

… And we climb to new mountaintops literally but mostly figuratively.

We wait for new dawn to show us something new

… something amazing

… or sometimes something quiet yet bold.

And from those Lenten experiences we have new found curiosity about God’s creation

… we wonder what could be or become of our lives.

And we take these moments with us, setting out on a journey, not knowing what will happen and not always realizing that we’ve been in the midst of something transforming.

We journey not knowing what moments will come

… and not always having the answers in those moments

… but always knowing that those moments will forever be with us compelling and moving us forward.

Sisters and brothers, Jesus went to the mountaintop and was transformed in that moment but he came back down the mountain and used the blessing of his father and energy of the experience to compel him forward. We must also do the same. Our lives are filled with moments that impact us and change us spiritually. Our job is not to build houses and try to live in that moment but rather to make a life where the moments lead us and let God lead us to something even more extraordinary. Amen.

Let It Rain

Audio podcast of sermon

On this day, I scrapped my sermon based upon Joel 2: 23-32 at the last minute and preached a somewhat awkward sermon from an outline because I kept hearing an little voice say, “if they can’t see God’s faithfulness in their own lives, then they won’t be able to see or connect to it in people from such a different context and time.”

Hearing that enough made me realize that the act of integrity was to go way out of my comfort zone and produce the following outline that can be found in it’s entirety in the audio file. The audio file is from the first time I preached it. Personally, I was so far out of my comfort zone that I felt like it was horrid. But people from both services said it was precisely what they needed to hear. So, I trust that God used the words well even if I felt like I stammered.

Also, folks didn’t share as openly in the first service about God’s faithfulness but they were more interactive in the second service. Nevertheless, I could see the wheels turning inside people. Many people were crying tears of remembrance, joy, and longing as they remembered God’s presence in their lives.

Sermon Outline
What does God’s faithfulness look like?
• The history, context, broader understanding of the book of Joel
Characteristics of God’s faithfulness
• Covenant, promise (there’s a whole history of God making good on covenant/promises)
• Presence (in good times and especially in tragedy)
• Nurture (gifts, healing, comfort)
• Love
• Guidance
• Justice
• Relationship
Invite people to share their experiences of God’s faithfulness




text of original sermon 101024 - Ordinary 30C – Let It Rain

Good morning. As always, it’s a delight to share with you in this time of worship and today is no exception. Today is UN Sunday. It is a day to recognize Presbyterian involvement in the UN’s global advocacy and work for justice, helping the poor, and making peace a reality.

The two scripture texts this morning have something in common… they both tell us of God’s grace and faithfulness that is bigger than our ability to comprehend or understand. When we look at the text from Joel specifically, it would be easy to break out into a chorus of “Great is thy Faithfulness.” We are hearing about how God is with them. But it’s not naive praises of an ideal life that God has in store for them. No, this is the praise of a people who found honor for and relationship with God in the midst of famine. They found their deepest connection with God during the times of unknown, strife, and challenge.

See, when we read the lectionary text from Joel, we’re taking a sneak peek at the uplifting part. We’ve bypassed a famine and the loss of their livelihood and hope. Truly, it’s hard to understand Joel unless you read the whole book. But it’s a short one so let me summarize.

This is still in the period of exile for the Jewish people that we discussed the other week and you may recall how I said that being in exile was a fragile state. The passage we studied that week reminded them that their welfare was wrapped up in the welfare of others. Well, this text is picking up on what happens when disaster strikes.

Joel is writing in response to drought and famine that have left people starving. Even their seed for a new harvest has been destroyed and locusts have decimated the land. In a time when life was so fragile, this famine could not have been more painful. It must have been wretched to watch the people they loved die because of the earth shriveling up.

But at this dark time is when Joel calls the people of God to be most faithful. Joel knows that for most people, nothing motivates and focuses us on what we need to fix or change so much as pain and discomfort do. Joel points out that part of why they are experiencing the bleak, joyless life is because they had stopped caring about God and doing what is important to live righteously. Through God, Joel calls them to repent and live faithful lives even in the midst of all this heartache because he is sure that God’s faithfulness will see them through.

This is where our passage picks up. Joel is delighted that the early rain has come. He writes:
O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the LORD your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before. The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the LORD, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame.
To people who had lost their children to starvation and their hope had been eaten away like the locusts ate their land, this must have been sweet music to their ears.

But there are 2 things we need to recognize about what’s going on here. First of all, this is part of an interactive encounter with God. Throughout this book, not just this passage, Joel and God are speaking in an exchange. God invites the repentance of the Israelites and promises salvation. I point this out because when disasters happen in our own lives, our fears and feelings of unworthiness often go to the place of asking “Why did God do this to me?” or “What have I done to deserve this?” Likewise, when something good happens, we can quickly slide into the thinking that we earned God’s favor by being better than or good enough. So when we read a passage like this, it’s not a farfetched connection to say, “well, they earned the rain so if I do enough good things, God will help me get a better job.” But friends, that kind of thinking really isn’t how God interacts with us nor is it what’s going on here.

This really is a direct dialog where God has something bigger going on. The reasons for sending rain are not in exchange for salvation but something else. This brings me to the second thing I want to point out about this passage. It talks of the rains being given as vindication and so that they will never be put to shame. This dialog is not about them being good enough to deserve rain. God has been with them and faithful throughout. The rain and healing of shame is about proving to non-believers the power of God and a healing salve to their faithfulness for enduring persecution.

Remember, they are living in exile amongst people of many different beliefs. What was most striking about the Jewish people is that they were the only monotheistic religion at that time. They had the one God, not many gods. They worshiped a God of covenant, love, and ever presence while others worshiped fickle gods demanding obedience in exchange for their favor. So, the idea of a one all-powerful God was very odd during that time and so the Jewish people were mocked and treated badly. But God sends these rains as a balm for their spirits, to not only restore the land but to vindicate them in the eyes of others.

Now, we’ve walked down this road of looking at the background story for some very important reasons. We need to know the bigger story to get what was going on here. And more importantly, we need to know what’s not going on here. There is no bargaining for favor with God and the people did not earn God’s rewards. God was with them and would continue to do so. God had promised them restoration and God was delivering. So, ultimately we go through the background story to help us make sense of what it means here and now.

See, even though we’re not really going into the whole text of God’s spirit coming down upon them and an apocalyptic day of the Lord (I’ll save those for another day), there is still a lot here for us. I think our take aways from this passage are 1) God is faithful 2) God’s restoration meets our whole needs, and 3) our involvement matters to God.

Okay, God is faithful. What does that mean? Well, it means that God always makes good on God’s promises. If there is one thing that is clear from studying this book (hold up the bible), it is that God holds fast to what covenant relationship means. Presence, nurture, love, guidance… all these things are part of how God reveals and abundant faithfulness. So, when we have turned our backs on God, God is still knocking at our doors nudging and calling us back. When we feel in the darkness of sorrow, God is still there with support along the way and a light to guide us toward healing. When we are in the good times, God is still there nurturing a bigger love in us by opening our eyes to the ones that aren’t so privileged. God is faithful to creation by never leaving us and never letting us be. Faithful relationship always calls us to more.

Next, God’s restoration meets our whole needs. What does that mean? In this passage God’s rains restore their physical world full crops and plenty of harvest but it also restores their spirits. You see, God’s restoration does not just seek to put a quick fix on it or offer a hand out to make it better for the moment. God’s healing in creation is for our whole selves. So when we are suffering, God is working to heal all the parts of us. We can experience both a relief in our emotions and a healing of our spirit. We can find healing for both our bodies and our minds. No part of us is too damaged or unworthy of God’s healing and restoration.

Finally, our involvement matters to God. Just like God went to the people in this passage calling them back to faith, God calls us back every time we turn away. This is kind of part of God’s faithfulness but the part we often need to hear the most. God has not made a creation to tend to like a garden and control what is in it and prune it to look a particular way. God set in motion a world of relationships and calls us to relationship with God. Whether it’s because God delights in our relationship as a creator or the way we live out being God’s hands and feet in the world, God is always calling us to interact. Whether we’re being healed or doing the healing, God is reaching to and through us. God acts for the betterment of us. God acts to make creations whole. God acts to get us to interact. Calling us, holding us, reaching for us, teaching us, healing us… God’s actions are extended in hopes of our response.

So, here we find ourselves at the center of a relationship where God’s faithfulness is bigger than our ability to earn favor. It’s full of love and hope for us. How will we respond? How will we interact with God? In the places where we’ve gone astray will we turn and face God? When disasters in life strike, will we receive the hand of God as it’s extended to us? When we see others who suffer, will we be God’s hand extended in the world?

Sisters and brothers, we are a beautiful, loving, and creative people who are also broken and fragile. But we are not alone. We are the children of God made for relationship with both God and each other. God’s faithfulness precedes and will extend long after us. The rain that we need to heal the brokenness is in God. The rain that we need to cultivate the love is in God. God wants to drench us in love and relationship. So today I ask you, what rain does God want to pour out on you?

Amen

Remember Who You Are

Remember Who You Are <-- Audio file of sermon based upon 2 Timothy 1:1-14

Good morning. I’m excited to be here for the next 4 weeks with you because what you don’t know is that they are my favorite designated days in the Presbyterian Church. You know we have Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter. We have many holidays that are deeply meaningful in our faith tradition. But in the Presbyterian Church, there are also designated days of recognition that are not holidays but times of awareness, honor, and remembrance. It happens to be that my favorite 4 happen all in a row beginning today. Today is World Communion Sunday, next week is Domestic Violence Awareness, the 17th is Children’s Sabbath, and the 24th is United Nations Sunday. Somehow you’ll find this themes woven into the worship services.

So, here we are today with a great scripture lesson from 2 Timothy to get us going on World Communion Sunday.

That apostle Paul, he sure had a great formula for writing letters. All his letters and the ones attributed to him by his followers start out with such love, support, and affirmation. Even though this letter foreshadows Paul’s death while imprisoned, he never wavered in wanting the best for those he loved. Paul always believed that God’s vision for them would come into full bloom if they were true to their faith and gifts.

So here we are today. It’s World Communion Sunday of First Presbyterian Church in Crown Point. What does it look like to be true to our faith and gifts? Which is another way of saying: Who are you and who are we?

As we read this letter and the salutation is over, Paul began his letter to Timothy by remembering. He remembered Timothy’s tears. Verse 4 begins, “Recalling your tears, I long to see you…” We don’t know why Timothy had cried in Paul’s presence but whatever it was, it was cause for remembrance. Paul cared about what Timothy felt. To me that says a lot. Many teachers and leaders care about how we perform or what we do but not how we feel. Paul opened up by saying that those things which are most personal and emotional in your life are meaningful to him too.

Paul goes on to remember Timothy’s faith and family in verse 5 which reads, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.” So Paul not only cares about Timothy’s feelings, he cares about his family and where he came from… he is truly connected to Timothy on many levels.

Next Paul tells us that he cares about what Timothy does by turning his own remembrance into a reminder for Timothy. Verse 6 begins “For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you…”

Now, I find myself wondering why Paul wanted to both remember and remind Timothy what was most fundamental to him… his faith, his roots, and his gifts. I don’t mean why as in what were the circumstances around Timothy at the time. I mean why is it important to remember who we are.

In asking this, I did some remembering of my own. Do you remember the Disney movie the Lion King? It centered around a young lion cub named Simba whose father, the king of the pride lands, was killed. Manipulated by his conniving uncle, Simba believed he himself was responsible and ran away. He grows up away from all he has known and is content but not fulfilled. Soon, Simba encounters a shaman like monkey who knew him as a baby. The monkey takes Simba to a lagoon to show him his father. Simba sees his own reflection in the water dismisses the monkey as a fool. The monkey says “Look Harder, he lives in you.” When Simba looks again he hears the voice of his father saying: “Simba, you have forgotten who you are, you are more than you have become, Remember who you are...”

This of course is the turning point in the movie and I believe the point Paul was trying to make. Paul knew that without staying grounded in our core, we are adrift. Though we may find contentment like Simba, we will be far from fulfilled. And we definitely will not be participating in the blossoming of God’s vision for us.

As we read further, Paul goes onto talk about living in the grace that has been freely given to them and living out the gifts that have been implanted in them. Throughout the rest of this letter that spans well beyond what we read today, it shares much wisdom about the lived faith. But much of it is anchored to making sure that they are well grounded in their faith and the things that are most core to them… their faith, gifts, and experiences.

So taking in all of this, I felt inspired by the Holy Spirit. I wondered what it would look like if Paul wrote a letter to you… to the people of First Presbyterian Church of Crown Point. And I answered. Based upon the style of Paul and the principles he set forth in this second letter to Timothy, I wrote you a letter from Paul in modern language and form. Here it goes.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Paul, dedicated apostle of Christ, living by God’s grace am writing you, my much beloved friends at First Pres.

I am so grateful and thank God every time I think of you. You are truly such special people. I know it has been difficult for you of late. Many of you worry about finding a new pastor and about how to move forward as a congregation on many issues. Do not be ashamed of your journey. I share in your struggle and want you to know that your concerns are holy and faith filled. But trust in the presence of God and the gifts you share as a body and you will find your way. There is no need for worry, only diligence.

I think back to people I knew in the church many years ago and about baptisms of children that are now adults. I wish I could be there with you. So much has happened. You have remained faithful even in times of not having a sanctuary of your own. You have been present for the needs of the community. You have grown great programs like Soup & Serenity and the food pantry. You have raised up vibrant children and youth who reach out to others through mission trips. And you continue to share in fellowship with family hayrides and coffee time between worship services. I hope you take the time to celebrate who you are together. You deserve joy, the same joy God delights in from creating you.

And to you individually, I know that congregational life is full of great blessings and great struggles. Being called into the body of Christ is a calling of both wonder and work. I hope you are finding meaningful ways of living out your God given talents both inside and outside the church walls. Since last we saw each other, I imagine you have learned even more about all that God has knitted into your frame. I trust that you want to continue to grow and become all that God envisions for you or you wouldn’t be here. Do good things for yourself to nurture your gifts. Reach out to help others to nurture their gifts. And most importantly, be grace filled with yourself and others during times of struggle just as God is grace filled with us. We only know the fullness and wonder of God as much as we are closely working with all the parts of the body of Christ.

Today is World Communion Sunday. If there was ever a day to recognize just how vast God’s fullness reaches, it is today. As you gather around Christ’s table, I hope you will pause to remember all the others around the world who are doing the same thing, other people who are full of questions, worries, and hopes. I hope you will also take a moment to remember all those who came before you and made this table possible. Remember with gratitude and honor all those who taught you what this table means, your family, friends, teachers, pastors. They helped cultivate in you the gift of faith.

And speaking of the gift of faith, as you gather around this table, I also want you to remember those who suffer under circumstances like poverty, violence, and discrimination that stifle and squash faith. Hold them most dearly in your heart. Pray and work for their justice and liberation. It is for them that you dedicate part of today’s offering to the Presbyterian Peacemaking programs. They do not enjoy the liberation of Christ that we experience when we gather around this table and God’s work will not be complete until they can remember who they are too.

Sisters and brothers, I leave you with the same hopes found in your mission statement. At First Presbyterian Church of Crown Point, all are invited to know Christ, To grow in Christ, and to show Christ to the world as we love one another. Go forward from this time, remembering who you are. Go forward from this place knowing that who you are is part of God’s good creation. Go forward from this place sharing boldly the love, faith, and gifts God has freely given to you.

Your most faithful and loving advocate,
Paul