SERMON ~ 06/29/2014 ~ “Traveling Together”

06/29/2014 ~ Proper 8 ~ Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Third Sunday after Pentecost ~ Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Jeremiah 28:5-9; Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42 ~ Note: Matthew 10:24-39 Got Used (Previous Week’s Lectionary) ~ Annual Organizational Meeting in Our 200th Year ~ Communion Sunday ~ Ceremony of Shalom for Cathy Hammons ~ Dedication of the Bells ~ A Ceremony of Recognition as We Honor Members in Long Standing ~ Women of the Church Will Provide Breakfast for Men ~ Communion.

Traveling Together [1]

“The student should be glad to simply become like the teacher, the follower like the leader.” — Matthew 10:25a

Many moons ago when I arrived at Bangor Seminary I knew right away I was where I belonged.  Why?  The Rev. Dr. Marvin Ellison, the Rev. Dr. Susan Davies, the Rev. Dr. Glenn Miller and Dr. Ann Johnston were known to everyone as Marvin, Susan, Glenn and Ann.

The only exception to that was when we wanted to pull Susan’s leg.  She had two doctorates, not one.  So we would occasionally call her the Rev. Dr. Dr. or the Rev. Very Dr. Dr.

To be clear, it was not the informality that pleased me.  What was evident is students were not studying under these teachers.  We were studying with these teachers.  We were studying, learning, growing together.  (Slight pause.)

Over time I hope I have made a number of things clear as I have stood in this pulpit.  Among the things I have tried to illuminate is that our own culture can get in the way of understanding what Scripture says.  In the case of these particular words we heard from Mathew, I think our culture prevents us from seeing something that should be obvious.

You see there is no question about this: we live in a top-down culture, a culture that tends to place someone in charge.  We, on the other hand, claim to be Congregationalists.

Unlike many denominations which are top-down, where only prelates have the final say, Congregationalists insist guidance and responsibilities are both shared and come from all parties, not just one.  Indeed, that is one reason we elect officers, as we just have.

Hence, what I need you to notice about the 25th verse in the 10th Chapter of Matthew is the expectation that the student becomes like the teacher, the followed like leader.  This is a situation of equity.  This is not top down.  I think too often our culture reads these words to say ‘always give deference to a leader, to a decider.’

That is exactly what it does not say.  Yes, we all need some guidance.  Yes, we all need to learn.  Yes, we all need to grow.

However, once guidance is offered, learning assimilated, growth launched, the expectation of the Gospel is we will travel together.  The expectation of the Gospel is we will together share guidance, responsibility, leadership.

Put another way, one thing which makes the Gospel challenging is it calls us to maturity.  Further, there is an expectation that our day to day living will be maturely acted out— acted out in love, in compassion, with vigor, with patience, with understanding, with calm, with wisdom— all signs of maturity.

Put another way yet again, that sense of maturity to which the Gospel calls us should be displayed to everyone with whom we come in contact.  Indeed, the Gospel call to us, therefore, is also a call to sense of maturity whereby we display a willingness to live in community with one another, a willingness to travel along the path of life together, a willingness to deeply touch each other’s lives.  Indeed, to be a Christian means to live in community— community with all its beauty and all its flaws.

So, as we travel together into our 201st year as a community of faith, let each of us make a commitment to each other.  Let us commit to being faithful to one another.  Let us commit to sharing with one another.  Let us commit to being a community willing to offer guidance to each other, to learn from each other, to grow together. Amen.

06/29/2014
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, NY

ENDPIECE— It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Congregational Response and Benediction.  This is an précis of what was said: “The bells we dedicated today are a good example of what I tried to illustrate in my comments.  We got more bells to fill out harmonies.  In short, one bell can play a note.  Two or more can produce harmony.”

BENEDICTION: May we love God so much, that we love nothing else too much.  May we be so in awe of God, that we are in awe of no one else and nothing else.  Amen.

[1]   Do note: given the activities mentioned above in today’s service, this sermon is brief.