08/21/2016 ~ Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost ~ Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Proper 16 ~ Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6; Isaiah 58:9b-14; Psalm 103:1-8; Hebrews 12:18-29; Luke 13:10-17 ~ Vacation Bible School Kick Off Service at the U.C.C. ~ A Union Service with the First Baptist Church and Emmanuel Episcopal Church.
Calling
“Then Yahweh put out a hand, / touched my mouth and said to me, ‘Look, I am putting My Words in your mouth.’” — Jeremiah 1:9
I think too often we, who are ordained types— that would be David and myself— talk about our calling— that is the calling to the ordained ministry. In our defense on that count, in the course of the process of education and the process of ordination a very specific demand is made on us. We are invited to state what that call is, what it feels like, how we first might have recognized its presence and even if we are comfortable with it.
However, it seems to me society, generally at least, somehow wants to sanctify a call to ministry, make it special, dare I say it— make a call to ministry holy. I’ve even heard pastors make claims like that. I beg to differ.
I think we can be called to many things in our life. Both David and I will tell you we are called not just to the ordained ministry but we are clearly called to be baseball fans! [1] (David responds “Amen,” so Joe responds, “Amen.”) That may not be particularly holy but it is a part of who we are. To turn that thought around, I think a call, any call, not just a call to ministry, is holy.
Let me explore that for a bit. The Rev. Michael Himes, who happens to be both a Jesuit priest and Professor of Theology at Boston College, has an interesting take on what a call is really about.
He lays out some thoughts concerning a call in a lecture. But the talk is not one given to those seeking ordination. In fact, Himes gives this talk to incoming first year students at Boston College— all the first year students. The title of the lecture is: “On Discernment: Three Key Questions.”
The first question about a call, a vocation: ‘is this a source of joy?’ The second, ‘is this something that taps into your talents and gifts, engages all your abilities and uses them in the fullest way possible? The third, ‘is this role a genuine service to the people around you and society at large?’
Then Himes restates those questions in a more vernacular way. First, ‘do you get a kick out of it? Second, ‘are you any good at it? Third, ‘does anyone want you to do it?’
Coming back to the first question about a source of joy— Himes says there is a difference between joy and happiness. Happiness changes from moment to moment and is affected by external factors— everything from sleep to illness to chance.
Joy is deeper and more central. This Jesuit defines joy as the sense of the rightness in the way in which one lives one’s life.
As to the second question: ‘are you good at it?’— Himes insists other people have to tell us that, help us discern whether or not we are good at what we are trying to do. You see, often we are not the best judges of what our talents are.
Last, ‘does anybody need you to do it?’ What does the community of people in which you live really need from your talents? I may be really good at herding sheep. But if I live in New York City, the community does not need someone who is really good at herding sheep, case closed. (Slight pause.)
We find these words in the work known as Jeremiah: “Then Yahweh put out a hand, / touched my mouth and said to me, ‘Look, I am putting My Words in your mouth.’” (Slight pause.)
As was said when this reading was introduced, this passage has been referred to as “The call of Jeremiah.” There are a lot of so called “call stories” in Scripture. But I think there is one thing we moderns tend to overlook in all the call stories.
In each of these stories about people who listen to and for God there is an implicit admission about the reality of God. After all, how can someone experience a call if God is not real?
This passage also expresses something seen in many of the call stories in Scripture— a reluctance on the part of the one being called. (Quote:) “I do not know how to speak for I am too young.”
For me these two somewhat opposite ideas— the reality of God and a reluctance to listen to God— intertwine in exactly the way Michael Himes suggests they might with the second question: ‘are you good at it?’ You see, Himes says others have to help us discern whether or not we are good at what we are trying to do.
Guess what? God is telling us we are— pardon the expression— preordained— by God to the place God might be inviting us to go. So God insists the call is valid.
And there is also this to consider (quote:) “Do not fear anyone, for I am with you to protect you...” God walks with us on the journey.
Last, God says (quote:) “Say whatever I command you.” You see, the call is not our call. We do not own it.
A call from God means God is working among the people of God. And the invitation God offers to us is that we participate in the call, participate in the work of God.
There is one more thing to note. Jeremiah is presented in the context of the events, the experiences of a specific time and place. The very life and the community of this prophet become a significant part of the work of God.
Thus, the history of the community and the biography of the prophet are joined. Therefore and as Himes states, part of the call has to do with what you have— what the community of people in which you live really need from your talents?’ (Slight pause.)
All that is well and good but this is not just any call I’ve been addressing, after all. This is the call of God. So is there something here beyond a very specific call to the work of God, for a lack of a better term, a call to ministry, as opposed to a call to be a ditch digger, a banker, a plumber, a lawyer, etc., etc., etc.? After all, part of my premise here is a call to ministry is not as holy or set aside as some would have it.
And that is the very place where the Rev. Himes has something to add. He says many of us live our lives as if we were a star in a movie and have the leading role— Himes the Movie! Therefore, everyone else in our life only plays a supporting role.
Yet, we need to see others as people, real people not as tools, actors in our movie. We should not project anything on them as if we were in their shoes. That’s because we are not in their shoes.
Further, we all have multiple vocations, says this Jesuit. (Quote:) “For instance I, Michael Himes, am a priest, an academic, a teacher, a writer, a friend, an uncle, a brother, a citizen, etc., etc., etc. I have private, public, professional identities.”
“It may be, in fact, that I have discovered my joy and that I know what my abilities are. But have I discerned what the people around me really and most deeply require? More importantly, have I got the courage and the wisdom to respond to their need?”
Himes then says this: “There is only one vocation that embraces all our other vocations: to be human. We are, thereby, called to be as intelligent, as responsible, as free, as courageous, as imaginative and as loving as we can possibly be within the context of what we do.”
“All of my other vocations, all of the many ways in which I live my life, must contribute to that one all embracing demand, that one constant vocation— to be fully, totally, absolutely as human as I can possibly be”— Michael Himes, Jesuit, College Professor. [2] (Slight pause.)
So, if our one and true calling is to be truly human, what does that entail? (Slight pause.) Let me speak for myself. First, I am flawed. But I think we need to realize and even need admit that we are all flawed. Not one of us is perfect.
Indeed, if you think you are perfect, please leave now. After all, church would be superfluous for the perfect.
Second, to be truly human we need to rely on the reality of God. Third, we need to rely on the grace of God. Fourth, we need to rely on the love of God.
That list, as you can probably imagine, might go on and on. Therefore, what I am really saying is a call is not a goal. We think of a call as a goal. But it is not.
So what is a true call, a real call? A true call, a real call is a process. It is the process of relationship with God and with one another.
Now, there’s a theological word, a theological term, which describes this process of relationship with God and with one another. This word, this term which is theological— I think you’ve heard it before. The word is love. Love is a process.
Most often in church we hear it said this way: love God; love neighbor. Loving God and loving neighbor is our one, real, true and only call— a process, not a goal. (Slight pause.)
Earlier, at the start of the service, I said this: “Our churches invited our brothers and sisters in Christ from Emmanuel Episcopal to join us in worship today, in part because they are experiencing a time of transition and in part because we wanted to find a way reach out to express our support for them after the death of our friend Chuck Taylor. The fact that we can worship together on this day is also statement of the obvious: we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.” [3] (Slight pause.)
And so, that is one way we have, on this day, tied to express our call to be human. We, thereby, acknowledge that God is real. We, thereby, acknowledge that God loves us and that we need to love one another. We, thereby, acknowledge that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.
And so, let us continue to be in and to maintain the process of loving God and loving neighbor. Let us never let human barriers separate us, for we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.
08/21/2016
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “Having mentioned Michael Himes and his lecture about call, let me offer two quotes he used in the course of that talk. The first one is from St. Augustine. (Quote:) ‘Dissatisfaction— restlessness— is not a bad thing… indeed it’s the best thing about us.’ The next quote is from The 20th Century poet Marianne Moore. (Quote:) ‘Satisfaction is a lowly thing. How pure a thing is joy.’ Then the Rev. Himes chimes in (quote:) ‘Contentment is an obstacle. Joy always pushes us forward. It’s a impulsion, a pressure to move forward, to do more, to expend oneself more deeply, more richly, to open ones talents even more widely than one had before.’”
BENEDICTION: May God bless us and keep us. May the face of God shine upon us and be gracious to us. May God look upon us with kindness and give us peace. May the God of joy fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit, that we may abound in hope. And 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] The Rev. David Spiegel, Pastor of the First Baptist Church, who participated in this service.
[2]
http://www.visitationmonasteryminneapolis.org/2010/02/on-discernment-three-key-questions/
[3] As this statement indicates, this was a Union Service with the members of First Baptist Church. It was also a service with Emmanuel Episcopal Church who are now in a transition period and whose pastor died several months ago.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Sunday, August 14, 2016
SERMON ~ 08/14/2016 ~ “The Cloud of Witnesses”
08/14/2016 ~ Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost ~ Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Proper 15 ~ Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19; Jeremiah 23:23-29; Psalm 82; Hebrews 11:29-12:2; Luke 12:49-56 ~ Service in the Founder’s Room ~ Note: Used Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, 39-12:2a.
The Cloud of Witnesses
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside everything that impedes us and the sin, all that destroys, which so easily entangles us. Let us run with perseverance the race that is laid out before us.” — Hebrews 12:1.
In my comments a couple of weeks ago I regaled you with what might be called a short resumé of my background as a writer in theater and theatrically related projects. Today I’d like to, at least a little bit, say something about how I got there, some of my steps on the journey toward being a writer.
These steps started fairly early. I was probably somewhere between the age of eight and ten when I came down with the measles— not uncommon when I was a child.
Needing to be in bed for about a week, I asked for a pencil and a notebook. I was determined to outline a novel. I did not get very far since I found writing in bed quite uncomfortable.
My point is the desire to write was already there, if not the skill. And yes, writing is a talent but, if you have that talent, it is also a skill which can be honed.
Speaking of skill, I’ve always said the difference between someone who just writes and a professional writer is how the first drafts— that’s drafts, plural— the difference between someone who just writes and a professional writer is how the first drafts come into existence. Put differently, ‘where are first drafts really done?’
A professional writes all their first drafts in their head. Hence, a professional is working on a third draft before they begin to write things down in a place someone else can read the words. Someone whose first move is to write things down where someone else can read those words just writes.
So, how did I learn that skill of writing in my head first? When I was a junior in High School at least once a week there would be five topics on the board when the students arrived at English class. The assignment: write an essay on one of those topics. Take no more than 20 minutes to fill up only one side of a loose leaf sheet.
If you went over to the other side of that sheet— points off. If you fell short of the last line at the bottom of the sheet— points off. That exercise taught me something about organizing before writing— writing first drafts in my head. Interestingly— since I am a writer of lyrics— it also taught me something about brevity of form, lyrics being a fairly brief form.
Now, a milestone I mentioned in my comments a couple of weeks ago was being asked to become a member of the ASCAP Musical Comedy Workshop, a master class in writing musicals run by Charles Strouse, the composer of Annie. The other large music licensing organization is BMI, Broadcast Music Incorporated.
One composer I worked with was a member of the BMI Musical Comedy Workshop, the same kind of master class for writing musicals. These sessions were run by Lehman Engel, a well known conductor of Broadway shows.
I actually attended the BMI workshop with this BMI composer before I attended the ASCAP version, even though I was not a member of BMI. Perhaps because it came first, for me the BMI workshop was an invaluable experience. It prepared me for the ASCAP workshop and I really learned a whole lot at BMI. Specifically, I learned two necessary, intertwined, skills.
The first skill I call focus— make sure you know as much as possible about where you’re trying go before you go. Perhaps that way you can get there. Second, I learned the necessity of what Mr. Engel called familiarity with the lexicon, familiarity with the literature.
Lehman said you needed to know about the great composers and lyricists of musicals— Kern, Berlin, Gershwin— Ira and George, both (we just heard from them) [1]— Porter, Rodgers and Hart and Hammerstein, etc., etc., etc.— you needed to know what they had done. You also need to know what shows broke new ground— Show Boat, Porgy and Bess, Pal Joey, Oklahoma and why they mattered. Learning about these writers and shows helps immensely when you try to figure out where you might and can go.
Last and in the same way, you needed to know what was current and why that mattered. To be clear, when I was attending the BMI workshop A Chorus Line by Hamlisch and Kleban and Chicago by Kander and Ebb were the big hits on the Great White Way.
In short, you need to know where you’ve been and where you are before you can figure out where you’re going. Clearly, what has gone before and what is current offers guidance and example. Mr. Engel put it this way (and I am quoting here): “If who don’t know what was here before you arrived, you will not know the difference between what works and what is doomed to close on opening night.” (Slight pause.)
We find these words in the work known as Hebrews: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside everything that impedes us and the sin, all that destroys, which so easily entangles us. Let us run with perseverance the race that is laid out before us.” (Slight pause.)
I hope this is clear: there is a specific claim made in Judaism and Christianity. Judaism and Christianity are faiths based in history. Yes, there are many individual stories in Scripture. But the real story, the overriding story, is about the history of the interaction of God with humanity. Therefore and also, it is about the history of the interaction of humanity with God.
Please note: the writer of Hebrews is not rattling off all that history about Sarah and Abraham because there will be a quiz. This writer is not concerned with who as much as how. The writer is speaking about where we, humanity, has been and is, thereby, laying out a path to follow.
And the history of the relationship of God with humanity and humanity with God is what that path is about. To be clear, that history is both long and complex. Indeed, you probably noticed, based on the notation of this reading in the bulletin, that a bunch of verses were skipped over.
In the verses we did hear, we heard these words about Sarah and Abraham over and over and over (quote:) “by... faith.” So, guess what was in the verses we skipped over? There was more information about the history of the relationship of God with humanity and humanity with God.
That history ranged from Moses to Gideon to Sampson to David to Samuel. And guess what words were used to describe that history? These words were used: “by faith.”
So, what this writer is trying to illustrate does not really concern the particulars of the story, who did what when. This is about the process illustrated by the story.
That leaves us with this question: at the end of this history, at the end of this story, where does faith lead? The writer of Hebrews supplies the answer. It leads us to Jesus, who— by faith— placed trust in God. (Slight pause.)
So what is the lesson we are to learn about faith? (Slight pause.) I want to suggest the lesson is simple and straightforward: God never gives up on us. God never gives up on calling us to follow. But, in order to know that, it might be helpful to grapple with what has come before us, to know the literature, the lexicon.
Indeed, this “cloud of witnesses” about whom we hear is not simply an indifferent group of spectators who turn out on a pretty day to see who might win this metaphoric race to which the author refers. On the contrary, this particular group of observers is anything but neutral.
They have received and understood the history of God with humanity and the history of humanity with God. Therefore, they line the roadway to encourage those who follow. (Slight pause.)
Well, let me come back to what I learned in those master classes. Yes, it is important to know where you have been and where you are at before you can figure out where you are going.
But I am not talking about knowing details, facts. I am talking about process. I am taking about action— the action called faith. And we heard about the faith which preceded us over and over and over again in the reading: (quote:) “by faith,” “by faith,” “by faith.”
That cloud of witnesses who have gone before us has set out a path for us to follow. And that path is called faith. (Slight pause.)
Well, let me say something very personal. As most of you know, I am in my twenty-first year as pastor with this community of faith.
And as I look out on the congregation on a Sunday and see your faces, I see your faith and your faithfulness. But I also see those who are no longer with us— some of whom are deceased, some of whom have moved away— I see those who are no longer with us, those whose faith and strength and courage throughout the race called life supported this community of faith.
But these are not ghosts or spirits I see. What I see is the faithful work they have done, the paths they have laid out for us. These people I can see in my mind’s eye are a cloud of witnesses in this place called Norwich and I shall not forget their faith or their faithfulness.
You know, we Americans tend to make a mistake about church. We tend to think of church as a building, a place to which you go. It is not. Church is, rather, a family to which you belong. And that family includes this great cloud of witnesses.
And it is up to us, today, to keep the work of those who have gone before us active and vital. It is up to us to be examples, to be a cloud of witnesses, for those who will follow us.
Put another way, we should not simply be an indifferent group of spectators who turn out on a pretty day to see who might win the metaphoric race. Indeed, we need to remember faith is not a feeling. Faith is an action. Faith supports, encourages, loves and nurtures. So, let us be about the work of faith this day as we, this community of faith, this cloud of witnesses, run the race. Amen.
08/14/2016
United Church of Christ, First Congregational
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “At the start of my comments today I addressed some of my steps on the journey toward being a writer. I think it is well to remember life is not a goal, a destination. Life is a journey. Faith is not a goal, a destination. Faith is a journey.”
BENEDICTION: The loving kindness of God, the steadfast love of God, is always present to us. Therefore, 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] The “Special Music” on this mid-summer day was an instrumental version of song by George and Ira.
The Cloud of Witnesses
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside everything that impedes us and the sin, all that destroys, which so easily entangles us. Let us run with perseverance the race that is laid out before us.” — Hebrews 12:1.
In my comments a couple of weeks ago I regaled you with what might be called a short resumé of my background as a writer in theater and theatrically related projects. Today I’d like to, at least a little bit, say something about how I got there, some of my steps on the journey toward being a writer.
These steps started fairly early. I was probably somewhere between the age of eight and ten when I came down with the measles— not uncommon when I was a child.
Needing to be in bed for about a week, I asked for a pencil and a notebook. I was determined to outline a novel. I did not get very far since I found writing in bed quite uncomfortable.
My point is the desire to write was already there, if not the skill. And yes, writing is a talent but, if you have that talent, it is also a skill which can be honed.
Speaking of skill, I’ve always said the difference between someone who just writes and a professional writer is how the first drafts— that’s drafts, plural— the difference between someone who just writes and a professional writer is how the first drafts come into existence. Put differently, ‘where are first drafts really done?’
A professional writes all their first drafts in their head. Hence, a professional is working on a third draft before they begin to write things down in a place someone else can read the words. Someone whose first move is to write things down where someone else can read those words just writes.
So, how did I learn that skill of writing in my head first? When I was a junior in High School at least once a week there would be five topics on the board when the students arrived at English class. The assignment: write an essay on one of those topics. Take no more than 20 minutes to fill up only one side of a loose leaf sheet.
If you went over to the other side of that sheet— points off. If you fell short of the last line at the bottom of the sheet— points off. That exercise taught me something about organizing before writing— writing first drafts in my head. Interestingly— since I am a writer of lyrics— it also taught me something about brevity of form, lyrics being a fairly brief form.
Now, a milestone I mentioned in my comments a couple of weeks ago was being asked to become a member of the ASCAP Musical Comedy Workshop, a master class in writing musicals run by Charles Strouse, the composer of Annie. The other large music licensing organization is BMI, Broadcast Music Incorporated.
One composer I worked with was a member of the BMI Musical Comedy Workshop, the same kind of master class for writing musicals. These sessions were run by Lehman Engel, a well known conductor of Broadway shows.
I actually attended the BMI workshop with this BMI composer before I attended the ASCAP version, even though I was not a member of BMI. Perhaps because it came first, for me the BMI workshop was an invaluable experience. It prepared me for the ASCAP workshop and I really learned a whole lot at BMI. Specifically, I learned two necessary, intertwined, skills.
The first skill I call focus— make sure you know as much as possible about where you’re trying go before you go. Perhaps that way you can get there. Second, I learned the necessity of what Mr. Engel called familiarity with the lexicon, familiarity with the literature.
Lehman said you needed to know about the great composers and lyricists of musicals— Kern, Berlin, Gershwin— Ira and George, both (we just heard from them) [1]— Porter, Rodgers and Hart and Hammerstein, etc., etc., etc.— you needed to know what they had done. You also need to know what shows broke new ground— Show Boat, Porgy and Bess, Pal Joey, Oklahoma and why they mattered. Learning about these writers and shows helps immensely when you try to figure out where you might and can go.
Last and in the same way, you needed to know what was current and why that mattered. To be clear, when I was attending the BMI workshop A Chorus Line by Hamlisch and Kleban and Chicago by Kander and Ebb were the big hits on the Great White Way.
In short, you need to know where you’ve been and where you are before you can figure out where you’re going. Clearly, what has gone before and what is current offers guidance and example. Mr. Engel put it this way (and I am quoting here): “If who don’t know what was here before you arrived, you will not know the difference between what works and what is doomed to close on opening night.” (Slight pause.)
We find these words in the work known as Hebrews: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside everything that impedes us and the sin, all that destroys, which so easily entangles us. Let us run with perseverance the race that is laid out before us.” (Slight pause.)
I hope this is clear: there is a specific claim made in Judaism and Christianity. Judaism and Christianity are faiths based in history. Yes, there are many individual stories in Scripture. But the real story, the overriding story, is about the history of the interaction of God with humanity. Therefore and also, it is about the history of the interaction of humanity with God.
Please note: the writer of Hebrews is not rattling off all that history about Sarah and Abraham because there will be a quiz. This writer is not concerned with who as much as how. The writer is speaking about where we, humanity, has been and is, thereby, laying out a path to follow.
And the history of the relationship of God with humanity and humanity with God is what that path is about. To be clear, that history is both long and complex. Indeed, you probably noticed, based on the notation of this reading in the bulletin, that a bunch of verses were skipped over.
In the verses we did hear, we heard these words about Sarah and Abraham over and over and over (quote:) “by... faith.” So, guess what was in the verses we skipped over? There was more information about the history of the relationship of God with humanity and humanity with God.
That history ranged from Moses to Gideon to Sampson to David to Samuel. And guess what words were used to describe that history? These words were used: “by faith.”
So, what this writer is trying to illustrate does not really concern the particulars of the story, who did what when. This is about the process illustrated by the story.
That leaves us with this question: at the end of this history, at the end of this story, where does faith lead? The writer of Hebrews supplies the answer. It leads us to Jesus, who— by faith— placed trust in God. (Slight pause.)
So what is the lesson we are to learn about faith? (Slight pause.) I want to suggest the lesson is simple and straightforward: God never gives up on us. God never gives up on calling us to follow. But, in order to know that, it might be helpful to grapple with what has come before us, to know the literature, the lexicon.
Indeed, this “cloud of witnesses” about whom we hear is not simply an indifferent group of spectators who turn out on a pretty day to see who might win this metaphoric race to which the author refers. On the contrary, this particular group of observers is anything but neutral.
They have received and understood the history of God with humanity and the history of humanity with God. Therefore, they line the roadway to encourage those who follow. (Slight pause.)
Well, let me come back to what I learned in those master classes. Yes, it is important to know where you have been and where you are at before you can figure out where you are going.
But I am not talking about knowing details, facts. I am talking about process. I am taking about action— the action called faith. And we heard about the faith which preceded us over and over and over again in the reading: (quote:) “by faith,” “by faith,” “by faith.”
That cloud of witnesses who have gone before us has set out a path for us to follow. And that path is called faith. (Slight pause.)
Well, let me say something very personal. As most of you know, I am in my twenty-first year as pastor with this community of faith.
And as I look out on the congregation on a Sunday and see your faces, I see your faith and your faithfulness. But I also see those who are no longer with us— some of whom are deceased, some of whom have moved away— I see those who are no longer with us, those whose faith and strength and courage throughout the race called life supported this community of faith.
But these are not ghosts or spirits I see. What I see is the faithful work they have done, the paths they have laid out for us. These people I can see in my mind’s eye are a cloud of witnesses in this place called Norwich and I shall not forget their faith or their faithfulness.
You know, we Americans tend to make a mistake about church. We tend to think of church as a building, a place to which you go. It is not. Church is, rather, a family to which you belong. And that family includes this great cloud of witnesses.
And it is up to us, today, to keep the work of those who have gone before us active and vital. It is up to us to be examples, to be a cloud of witnesses, for those who will follow us.
Put another way, we should not simply be an indifferent group of spectators who turn out on a pretty day to see who might win the metaphoric race. Indeed, we need to remember faith is not a feeling. Faith is an action. Faith supports, encourages, loves and nurtures. So, let us be about the work of faith this day as we, this community of faith, this cloud of witnesses, run the race. Amen.
08/14/2016
United Church of Christ, First Congregational
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “At the start of my comments today I addressed some of my steps on the journey toward being a writer. I think it is well to remember life is not a goal, a destination. Life is a journey. Faith is not a goal, a destination. Faith is a journey.”
BENEDICTION: The loving kindness of God, the steadfast love of God, is always present to us. Therefore, 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] The “Special Music” on this mid-summer day was an instrumental version of song by George and Ira.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
SERMON ~ 08/07/2016 ~ “Worry”
08/07/2016 ~ Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost ~ Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Proper 14 ~ Isaiah 1:1, 10-20; Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23; Genesis 15:1-6; Psalm 33:12-22; Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16; Luke 12:32-40 ~ Service in the Founder’s Room ~ Communion Sunday ~ Joe Also Preaches at North Guilford.
Worry
“But Abram said, ‘O my Sovereign, my God, what will you give me, what good are these blessings to me, so long as Sarai and I will die in disgrace? My only heir is a foreigner who lives in my household, Eliezer of Damascus.’” — Genesis 15:2.
Many of you know I am a proud graduate of Bangor Theological Seminary in Bangor, Maine. While we, here in Norwich, live in a fairly rural area, Maine is really a rural State, not simply a rural area.
Portland, the largest city in the State, is a little larger than Binghamton. Once you get beyond Bangor, which is much smaller than Binghamton, you’re better off counting moose than people.
An advantage of attending Bangor Seminary, a small seminary in a rural State, was the opportunity it offered for hands on experience, and a lot of it. Indeed, while I was still a student in Seminary I was called to be the assistant pastor at a five church cooperative in Waldo County Maine. So while I was still in school I was already working as a pastor.
After the call to those churches one visit I did to someone’s home stands out in my memory. Let me tell you about it.
The day started off as frustrating for me. I was scheduled to do some visitations. But I also knew I needed to get back up to Bangor as soon as I could because I had a paper due the next day. I was still in Seminary. So, while I needed to do these visitations I also needed to be back in Bangor.
Did you ever need to be in two places at the same time? It’s not a comfortable feeling. So that thought— the need to complete a paper— worried me all day.
As to visitations in Waldo County, in that rural context you never put in a phone call to someone in advance to ask if you can come. In some ways that’s considered an insult. You just show up. If the people you intend to visit are home and are not busy with some chore, they will welcome you.
And, if the people you intend to visit have not gone to Bangor to shop— really the only place they can shop— there is little doubt they will be there, at home. After all, there is no place for them to go, no downtown within a couple of miles.
Now, the day was frustrating not just because I had a paper due but also because I went to at least four homes and no one was in. No one was even out in the back forty with the herd.
When I reached the fifth house I was fairly confident those folks would be there. They were retired. And they were there. They greeted me graciously and invited me to sit and have tea and cookies— why, yes and thank you.
And as we sat and chatted and nibbled, yes, the paper which was due was still in the back of my mind worrying me. And as we sat and chatted and nibbled, I realized the man in this very traditional couple was quite taciturn. He let out an occasional grunt.
The woman, on the other hand, did not need prompting. She rattled on and on, telling story after story in a stream of consciousness way. I heard about everything from the weather to politics to the local High School sports teams.
Through all this chitchat, I kept thinking ‘I am sitting here listening to this small talk when I really need to be back in Bangor doing what I need to do. I need to get that paper done! That’s important!’ (Slight pause.)
Well, at one point she excused herself. A silence encircled the room as the husband and I sat staring at one another. I sipped some tea and smiled. I did not know what to say. Finally he broke the silence.
“She has cancer, you know.” (Long pause.)
“No. I did not that.”
“She never brings it up. It does not seem to worry her. She has hope. But... she does like to chat.” (Long pause.) And again he was silent. (Short pause.)
We find these words in the Hebrew Scriptures in the section known as the Torah in the work commonly called Genesis: “But Abram said, ‘O my Sovereign, my God, what will you give me, what good are these blessings to me, so long as Sarai and I will die in disgrace? My only heir is a foreigner who lives in my household, Eliezer of Damascus.’”
We get worried about all kinds of things. I was worried about that paper I needed to write. Because of that, it felt like I was wasting my time listening to small talk as I sat with that couple. Was I? I think not.
But in that moment, that’s not what I was thinking. I probably needed to be sitting there with them rather than worrying about what I had to do. (Slight pause.)
Let’s look at a different aspect of how we interact for a moment. Suppose you met someone you’ve never met before for the first time at a party. It’s quite likely not too far into the conversation one or the other of you will say, “Well, what do you do for a living? What’s your job?”
Question: does saying what you do for a living really say anything about who you are? It only says something about what you do and what you’ve done. And we often do confuse the two— what we’ve done as opposed to who we are.
That leads me to a question: Who is God? Notice, the question is not what does God do? The question is Who is God?
I think often we relegate God to a function. We offer a job description as if that was making a claim about who God is. We even have the audacity to ask God, ‘What have You done for me lately?’
Indeed, that is, effectively, the question Abram asks God (quote:) “...what will you give me, what good are these blessings to me, so long as Sarai and I will die in disgrace?” That particular question comes from how the culture of ancient times functioned. In that culture to die childless was a disgrace.
I also need to say if that question about supplying an heir is not asking God, ‘what have You done for me lately?’ I don’t know what it is. So the very question a) comes from the culture and b) says very little about Who God is.
And please notice, I am asking or at least suggesting the appropriate question here is Who is God? Now one of the things I think we fail to realize about the story Scripture relates— not just this story, the story all Scripture relates— comes down to the very simple story concept of character.
God, you see, is the main character in Scripture. Also and, indeed, there is a second main character. And the second character is Israel. Further, I would argue those two— God and Israel— are not just the main characters in Scripture. God and Israel are really the only two characters in Scripture.
All of which is to say God— to use very traditional language— God is a person. I think we forget that concept too often because instead of asking about our relationship with God we ask a question of God: “What have you done for me lately?”
We thereby turn God into a function rather than someone who lives, someone to Whom we need to relate, someone with Whom we need to be in relationship. And still, that leaves yet another question: what is the story we find in Scripture— what is the story we find in Scripture— which has these characters of God and Israel, what is this story about? (Slight pause.)
To me this is clear: Scripture is about hope. And God is a God of hope. God is about hope. Who is God? God is hope?
After all, what is it that God promises Abram about offspring? (Quote:) “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you can! As many stars as are in the sky so shall your descendants be.” And that promise is about hope.
So, when it comes to the story of God I think it is up to us, Israel, the new Israel is how some would put it— up to us, the other character in Scripture— to tell the story of God. And the story of God is not a story about being worried. The story of God is a story about hope and hopefulness.
How so? Why would I say that? The story of God is the story of this God who loves us. And since God loves us there is no better reason for hope. Love is, I think, the ultimate expression of hope. It us Who God is. Amen.
08/07/2016
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “Here is an interesting thought: ships don’t sink because of the water around them. Ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Do not let what’s happening around you get inside you and weigh you down.”
BENEDICTION: Through God’s grace, by being attentive to God’s will, our deeds and our words will change our world for we will discover ways to proclaim release from the bondage of narrowness. Let us seek the God of Joy whose wisdom is our God. Let us go in peace to love and serve God. Amen.
Worry
“But Abram said, ‘O my Sovereign, my God, what will you give me, what good are these blessings to me, so long as Sarai and I will die in disgrace? My only heir is a foreigner who lives in my household, Eliezer of Damascus.’” — Genesis 15:2.
Many of you know I am a proud graduate of Bangor Theological Seminary in Bangor, Maine. While we, here in Norwich, live in a fairly rural area, Maine is really a rural State, not simply a rural area.
Portland, the largest city in the State, is a little larger than Binghamton. Once you get beyond Bangor, which is much smaller than Binghamton, you’re better off counting moose than people.
An advantage of attending Bangor Seminary, a small seminary in a rural State, was the opportunity it offered for hands on experience, and a lot of it. Indeed, while I was still a student in Seminary I was called to be the assistant pastor at a five church cooperative in Waldo County Maine. So while I was still in school I was already working as a pastor.
After the call to those churches one visit I did to someone’s home stands out in my memory. Let me tell you about it.
The day started off as frustrating for me. I was scheduled to do some visitations. But I also knew I needed to get back up to Bangor as soon as I could because I had a paper due the next day. I was still in Seminary. So, while I needed to do these visitations I also needed to be back in Bangor.
Did you ever need to be in two places at the same time? It’s not a comfortable feeling. So that thought— the need to complete a paper— worried me all day.
As to visitations in Waldo County, in that rural context you never put in a phone call to someone in advance to ask if you can come. In some ways that’s considered an insult. You just show up. If the people you intend to visit are home and are not busy with some chore, they will welcome you.
And, if the people you intend to visit have not gone to Bangor to shop— really the only place they can shop— there is little doubt they will be there, at home. After all, there is no place for them to go, no downtown within a couple of miles.
Now, the day was frustrating not just because I had a paper due but also because I went to at least four homes and no one was in. No one was even out in the back forty with the herd.
When I reached the fifth house I was fairly confident those folks would be there. They were retired. And they were there. They greeted me graciously and invited me to sit and have tea and cookies— why, yes and thank you.
And as we sat and chatted and nibbled, yes, the paper which was due was still in the back of my mind worrying me. And as we sat and chatted and nibbled, I realized the man in this very traditional couple was quite taciturn. He let out an occasional grunt.
The woman, on the other hand, did not need prompting. She rattled on and on, telling story after story in a stream of consciousness way. I heard about everything from the weather to politics to the local High School sports teams.
Through all this chitchat, I kept thinking ‘I am sitting here listening to this small talk when I really need to be back in Bangor doing what I need to do. I need to get that paper done! That’s important!’ (Slight pause.)
Well, at one point she excused herself. A silence encircled the room as the husband and I sat staring at one another. I sipped some tea and smiled. I did not know what to say. Finally he broke the silence.
“She has cancer, you know.” (Long pause.)
“No. I did not that.”
“She never brings it up. It does not seem to worry her. She has hope. But... she does like to chat.” (Long pause.) And again he was silent. (Short pause.)
We find these words in the Hebrew Scriptures in the section known as the Torah in the work commonly called Genesis: “But Abram said, ‘O my Sovereign, my God, what will you give me, what good are these blessings to me, so long as Sarai and I will die in disgrace? My only heir is a foreigner who lives in my household, Eliezer of Damascus.’”
We get worried about all kinds of things. I was worried about that paper I needed to write. Because of that, it felt like I was wasting my time listening to small talk as I sat with that couple. Was I? I think not.
But in that moment, that’s not what I was thinking. I probably needed to be sitting there with them rather than worrying about what I had to do. (Slight pause.)
Let’s look at a different aspect of how we interact for a moment. Suppose you met someone you’ve never met before for the first time at a party. It’s quite likely not too far into the conversation one or the other of you will say, “Well, what do you do for a living? What’s your job?”
Question: does saying what you do for a living really say anything about who you are? It only says something about what you do and what you’ve done. And we often do confuse the two— what we’ve done as opposed to who we are.
That leads me to a question: Who is God? Notice, the question is not what does God do? The question is Who is God?
I think often we relegate God to a function. We offer a job description as if that was making a claim about who God is. We even have the audacity to ask God, ‘What have You done for me lately?’
Indeed, that is, effectively, the question Abram asks God (quote:) “...what will you give me, what good are these blessings to me, so long as Sarai and I will die in disgrace?” That particular question comes from how the culture of ancient times functioned. In that culture to die childless was a disgrace.
I also need to say if that question about supplying an heir is not asking God, ‘what have You done for me lately?’ I don’t know what it is. So the very question a) comes from the culture and b) says very little about Who God is.
And please notice, I am asking or at least suggesting the appropriate question here is Who is God? Now one of the things I think we fail to realize about the story Scripture relates— not just this story, the story all Scripture relates— comes down to the very simple story concept of character.
God, you see, is the main character in Scripture. Also and, indeed, there is a second main character. And the second character is Israel. Further, I would argue those two— God and Israel— are not just the main characters in Scripture. God and Israel are really the only two characters in Scripture.
All of which is to say God— to use very traditional language— God is a person. I think we forget that concept too often because instead of asking about our relationship with God we ask a question of God: “What have you done for me lately?”
We thereby turn God into a function rather than someone who lives, someone to Whom we need to relate, someone with Whom we need to be in relationship. And still, that leaves yet another question: what is the story we find in Scripture— what is the story we find in Scripture— which has these characters of God and Israel, what is this story about? (Slight pause.)
To me this is clear: Scripture is about hope. And God is a God of hope. God is about hope. Who is God? God is hope?
After all, what is it that God promises Abram about offspring? (Quote:) “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you can! As many stars as are in the sky so shall your descendants be.” And that promise is about hope.
So, when it comes to the story of God I think it is up to us, Israel, the new Israel is how some would put it— up to us, the other character in Scripture— to tell the story of God. And the story of God is not a story about being worried. The story of God is a story about hope and hopefulness.
How so? Why would I say that? The story of God is the story of this God who loves us. And since God loves us there is no better reason for hope. Love is, I think, the ultimate expression of hope. It us Who God is. Amen.
08/07/2016
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York
ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is an précis of what was said: “Here is an interesting thought: ships don’t sink because of the water around them. Ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Do not let what’s happening around you get inside you and weigh you down.”
BENEDICTION: Through God’s grace, by being attentive to God’s will, our deeds and our words will change our world for we will discover ways to proclaim release from the bondage of narrowness. Let us seek the God of Joy whose wisdom is our God. Let us go in peace to love and serve God. Amen.
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