Sermon ~ 02/05/2012 ~ The Message of the Good News

02/05/2012 ~ Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany ~ The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Isaiah 40:21-31; Psalm 147:1-11, 20; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39 ~ Communion Sunday ~ Souper Bowl Sunday.

The Message of the Good News

“So Jesus went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message of the Good News in their synagogues and casting out demons.” — Mark 1:39.

Those who study religious trends in American society have come up with a new set of initials to describe what they think is going on in one specific segment of our life together. Perhaps some of you have heard this description. SBNR— Spiritual But Not Religious. There is a segment of the American population who claims to be just that— spiritual but not religious.

There is even an SBNR web site: . I know. It’s not a catchy URL, but it’s got the right letters and the dot org after it, right? There’s even an SBNR Facebook page for those of you on Facebook.

The paradox of spiritual but not religious is obvious. Spiritual— a word which had once been used to describe a faithful people— a group— has become a way some use to describe an individual as a person of faith. At the same time, it seems an individual, making some kind of claim to be spiritual, has no intent about integrating into a group— a people of faith.

The irony is also obvious. A word— religious— which had once been used to describe a people of faith has become a way some use to describe others as unfaithful people.

However, these terms— spiritual and religious— especially when used together, are, at best, simply and only cultural terms, having nothing to do with either spirituality or religion. Why? How? Do me a favor: define— define meaning not your personal definition but some kind of broad, universal definition which would work for most everyone— define these words: spiritual, religious. (Slight pause.)

I’ll use a conspicuous example: it would be hard to say Mother Theresa was not spiritual. But it would be equally hard to say Mother Theresa was not religious.

Indeed, it would be hard to say Mahatma Gandhi was not spiritual. But it would be equally hard to say Mahatma Gandhi was not religious.

It would be hard to say the Dalai Lama is not spiritual. But it would be equally hard to say Dalai Lama is not religious.

O.K. Let’s state the obvious: it would be hard to say Jesus was not spiritual. It would be equally hard to say Jesus was not religious. So why is that kind of thing said so often today?

Well, a number of books have already been published on the topic and the titles explain why. The most popular two of these books are: Spiritual But Not Religious: Understanding Unchurched America by Robert C. Fuller and Spiritual But Not Religious: A Call To Religious Revolution In America by Sven E. Erlandson. You notice I’m sure, both of these, just in their titles, concentrate on American culture, American society.

The very existence of these studies calls attention to the obvious— SBNR— spiritual but not religious— has nothing to do with spirituality or religion. Spiritual but not religious is a cultural branding, a branding which is, therefore, neither spiritual nor religious. So, perhaps rather than buying into these descriptions that people use— spiritual and religious— it would be fruitful to come grips with what the terms spiritual and religious might really mean. (Slight pause.)

And these words are from the Gospel we have come to call Mark: “So Jesus went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message of the Good News in their synagogues and casting out demons.” (Slight pause.)

It seems to me a place to start exploring what spiritual and religious might mean is by taking a quick look at why I’ve just labeled these terms cultural. Part of that has to do with the cultural limits people often place on the current definitions.

Spiritual is often used to mean simply a feeling about God or an awareness of God experienced by an individual. Religious is often used to mean paying strict attention to a set of rules or dogmas. Equally and however... a lot of people miss this one... equally and however people who self identify with the word ‘religious’ tend to addressing individualism.

You see, it was not that long ago a lot of people who labeled themselves as religious said this a lot: “It’s just me and Jesus.” Well, if it’s just you and Jesus, what happened to all your neighbors Jesus so often talks about.

But equally, my experience of the claim to be spiritual, not religious would be this: “It’s just me and God.” So, perhaps the central issue, as I see it at least, is both sides insist on the primacy of ‘I,’ a position which ignores ‘we.’

That brings us back to the question: how can we best describe what is spiritual and what is religious? (Slight pause.) I hope this seems obvious: spiritual and religious are inseparable. And I think that is the example Jesus offers in this reading.

Jesus goes about (quote): “...proclaiming the message of the Good News...” And what is the Good News Jesus proclaims? The Good News Jesus proclaims is that the dominion of God, the realm of God, the reality of God has drawn near and is tangible.

The Prophet Isaiah explains the reality of God this way (quote) “...but those who wait for Yahweh, God, / shall renew their strength, / they shall mount up, soar with / wings like eagles, / they shall run and not be weary, / they shall walk and never tire.” (Slight pause.) You know what that is? That is a proclamation about the spiritual— a sense of the real presence of God, a sense of the reality of God.

Indeed, for Jesus God is personal, a real presence. After all, Jesus calls God Abba. And, as I am sure many of you know, Abba is not Father. Abba is Daddy— Daddy God— a close, personal, spiritual presence.

And Jesus also tends to neighbors. Jesus feels the presence of God and understands, therefore, the need for first the proclamation of that presence. But, because of that presence, Jesus heals the mother-in-law of Simon. Jesus casts out demons.

And, just to be clear, we take that word ‘demons’ too literally by far. How so? We are still casting out demons today. These demons are called hunger, poverty, violence, injustice, neglect.

We need to understand Jesus was dealing with those same demons. And hunger, poverty, violence, injustice, neglect are no less vile than any kind of demonic possession we can imagine and probably more so. (Our brains conjure up these images when the reality of injustice stands in front of us.)

So, this brings us back again to spiritual and religious. What does it mean to be spiritual? What does it mean to be religious?

Let me put it simply. To be spiritual can mean loving God. To be religious can mean loving neighbor. I also need you to notice that loving God and loving neighbor are intertwined throughout Scripture. I also need you to notice that loving God and loving neighbor are not separate entities in Scripture.

All of which is to say to insist if one is spiritual but not religious one is making a cultural statement. The two— spiritual and religious— cannot be thought of separately. Why? They are simply two aspects of the great commandment: love God; love neighbor. Amen.

02/05/2012
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: “It is often a surprise to me that the left and the right mirror each other so precisely. “It’s just me and Jesus” and “Spiritual but not religious” say exactly the same thing. Perhaps they gain traction because one side thinks it has slapped down the other by figuring out something clever to say. Believe me, nothing has ever been more cleverly said or said better than when Jesus said, ‘Love God; love neighbor. On these hang all the law and the prophets.’”

BENEDICTION: Surely God will empower our ministry; surely God will supply for our needs when we are about the work of God; may this God, the God who formed the universe, bless us with the courage, the knowledge, the wisdom and the fortitude to serve the Gospel of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, this day and forever more. Amen.

Sermon ~ 01/29/2012 ~ The God Who Is

01/29/2012 ~ Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany ~ A.K.A. The Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 111; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28 ~ 5th Sunday Hymn Sing ~ Annual Budget Meeting, Which Happens in the Context of Worship.

The God Who Is

“Hence, as to eating food which was sacrificed to idols, we know that idols have no real existence and that there is no God but the One, true God.” — 1 Corinthians 8:4.

As mentioned earlier, next week, in an acknowledgment of an American God, we will celebrate an important American feast day: Super Bowl Sunday. People think either the Giants or the Patriots will win. That’s logical, right? But neither the Giants nor the Patriots will win. NBC, the network broadcasting the game, will be the real winner.

[At this point on the audio you will hear Tom Rasely interrupt as an adjustment to the microphone system is made.] You see, NBC is charging $3.5 million for each 30 second commercial spot. As a comparison, $42,000 was the cost for the first Super Bowl in 1967. Adjusted for inflation, $42,000 in 1967 equals $274,000 today. (Slight pause.) Like I said, at $3.5 million, NBC wins the Super Bowl, hands down.

All of which to say there may be a football game next week and it may be the most important feast day in America. But very few people even acknowledge the real game being played.

That game started months ago when NBC put the commercial spots on sale. And, by the way, they sold out. All the spots are gone.

Indeed, one thing which fascinates me about the comparison of modern times and ancient times is not that we make up gods, although we do. One thing which fascinates me is that, just as in ancient times, we pay so little attention to reality.

I am as happy and as satisfied as anyone to watch a good football game. But our society seems to want to believe the Super Bowl is a conflict waged for the possession of Mount Olympus. It’s not.

So, I make no pretense that the Super Bowl is anything but a game. Its true meaning is, in that sense, meaning-less. It’s just entertainment, not to be taken seriously.

And certainly one of the points Paul makes in Corinthians is simple: God is not a game. God is to be taken seriously. In short, Paul is concerned with the reality of God.

Therefore, Paul does not get distracted by the accouterments, by the trappings. Paul pays attention to the real game. Paul takes God seriously. So, we need to do the same; we need to take God seriously. (Pause.)

Shortly, we will take a look at the budget. Anyone who knows me knows I take budgets seriously.

But therefore, today is the Super Bowl. The real work happened over the last several months as some dedicated people put the budget together.

So I also need to say this: by its structure there is one question any church budget needs to ask and to answer. Where is God leading us— the reality of God— where is God leading us? If a budget does not reflect where God leads, if it is does not lead down a path of caring and compassion and sharing and inclusion, then we need to change how we do things.

But also, to make that kind of determination, to change how a budget is done, we— all of us— need to spend at least a couple of years in prayer and deliberation. In short, we need to take budgets seriously. Thereby and more importantly, when we do the work of God— God who is real— when we do the work of God we do take God seriously. And, in fact, putting a budget together can be the work of God. Amen.

01/29/2012
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: “As suggested earlier, theology says there is no divide between secular and sacred. But, if I were to posit such a divide, I would suggest it looks like this: the sacred deals with reality, especially the reality of God, and the secular tries to avoid reality. Indeed, when the secular tries to deal with reality, it— perhaps unknowingly— crosses over into the sacred.”

BENEDICTION: People of light, turn toward God with joy and be free and open to the empowerment God offers. People of unity, be one in Christ. People of commitment, dare to run the race with courage. And may the Spirit dwell with us, may the peace of Christ, which surpasses our understanding keep our hearts, minds and spirits centered on God, this day and forevermore. Amen.

“The Realm of God” ~ Sermon ~ 01/22/2012

01/22/2012 ~ Third Sunday after the Epiphany Known in Some Traditions as the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62:5-12; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20.

The Realm of God

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘This is the time of fulfillment. The dominion of God, the realm of God has come near, is at hand; change your hearts and minds; believe in this good news.’” — Mark 1:14-15.

I want to start by reviewing a couple of fairly well known terms. The globe on which we live is called a planet. The hot gaseous body, what we call the Sun, around which that planet circles, is known as a star.

While, in terms of human definitions, there were once nine planets circling that star called the Sun, having relegated the former planet Pluto to a different status, we now have decided there are only eight planets in our solar system. (I suppose what that proves is human definitions are merely temporary agreements.)

The galaxy in which that star called the Sun travels is called the Milky Way. The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy. Scientists say this galaxy, that spiral, is between 100,000 and 120,000 light-years in diameter.

Needless to say, that begs the question: what is a light year. The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second. And a light year is the distance light travels in a human year— and to be precise we count a human year as being 365 and ¼ days. So, translated into miles, a light year is about 6 trillion miles.

Now, we humans think we have identified that there are about 170 billion Galaxies in the universe. And our Milky Way is probably smaller than average. All these numbers are mind-boggling, are they not?

I am sure many of us remember the late astronomer Carl Sagan on the television series Cosmos saying there are billions upon billions of stars. But what we need to understand is Sagan was probably underestimating the number, by far.

So, let me see if I can help make the numbers I’m talking about, if not a little less mind boggling, perhaps a little easier to grasp. [The pastor has used a box of salt at the Children’s Time to illustrate change. That was done by pouring salt into a glass and adding water to it. The taste of the water became salty but the substance of the salt changed. The pastor leaves the pulpit and retrieves that box and then pours the contents into a clear glass vase. The pastor empties a box which had just a little salt in it.]

Now there really wasn’t a lot of salt in that box. So here’s another. (The pastor gets the second box and starts emptying it into the vase. As the pastor does so, the pastor walks up and down the isle, box of salt being emptied into the vase.) This will take a while. I was hoping you weren’t going anywhere for at least a couple of minutes.

(Having finished, the pastor says:) So, lets presume each of these grains of salt is a star, like our Sun— each gain of salt is a star like our Sun. We’ve already established our galaxy may be 120,000 light years in diameter and just one light year is six trillion miles, right?

So, if each grain of salt was a star like the Sun, how many boxes of salt would it take to equal the number of stars not in the universe, but just in our own galaxy, the Milky Way? You can make a guess. Call out a number.

How many boxes of salt it would take to equal number the stars not in the whole universe, just in our Milky Way galaxy if each grain of salt was a star? Any guesses? No guesses? (Slight pause.) 22,000 boxes, like this. And that’s just in our galaxy. (Slight pause.)

To put a more precise number on it, scientists think our Milky Way galaxy may contain as many as 400 billion stars. That’s a lot of salt. (Pause while the pastor returns to the pulpit.)

And these words are from the Gospel known as Mark: “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘This is the time of fulfillment. The dominion of God, the realm of God has come near, is at hand; change your hearts and minds; believe in this good news.’” (Slight pause.)

If all those aforementioned numbers are not just mind boggling for you, but make you feel like you are but a tiny piece of the universe, welcome to the club. The truth of the matter is, we are a tiny piece of the universe. Whenever my ego gets the best of me— and I don’t think there are any exceptions to the rule: ego can get the best of us all sometimes— when I need a quick fix for that, I go back to the reality of these numbers.

On the other hand, what Jesus says here is this: God is with us. And perhaps that should be a boost to the ego. God is with all of us and each of us even though the universe is so vast it defies understanding.

But I also think we need to recognize that we are a part of the realm of God. We need to recognize God invites us to be a part of that (quote): “good news.”

Now, please notice, the Christian belief is this: Jesus is the embodiment of the Good News. And, to be clear: the good news Jesus claims to preach is that the realm of God is at hand and we are invited to be participants. (Long pause.) That alone is mind boggling, is it not? (Slight pause.)

Earlier in the week I had a conversation with some parishoners about this passage. They were troubled by the words later in the reading, troubled by the apostles leaving their family to follow Jesus. Is that not irresponsible at best, unloving at worst?

Well, yes, if we understand the passage in a literal way. You see, the writer of Mark, by telling the story in this way, and we, by looking at it in a literal way, may be reading things into the episode with a different take than Jesus might have had.

Here’s the question to ask: is this an apocalyptic episode, a story about the end times or is something else indicated? (Slight pause.) Mark, among all the Gospels, especially concentrates on the apocalyptic nature of the Jesus story. Why?

Mark is written early enough so that many think the end times are about to happen. After all, they have seen the resurrected Jesus.

So, when Jesus says the realm is at hand, the writer of Mark takes it to mean the apocalypse is near, the world is about to end. A resurrection has happened, has it not? So if that’s the case, leaving loved ones is neither irresponsible nor unloving.

But in fact, a prediction of the apocalypse is not what Jesus addresses. (Quote): “The dominion of God, the realm of God has come near, is at hand; change your hearts and minds; believe in this good news.’”

These words can be taken in exactly the opposite way, as not apocalyptic. Rather, God is inviting us to participate in the continuing story of the dominion. So, the question becomes: is this a prediction of the end times and/or should it be taken that way? (Slight pause.)

I want to suggest that our opening hymn today answers that question with these words. “Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.” The fact that the embodiment of the realm of God is born does not mean that end times have come.

The fact that the embodiment of the realm of God is born means that we are to be empowered and emboldened to spread the word that the good news— the good news Jesus addresses— is with us. It means that we are to be empowered and emboldened to understand that the presence of God is near.

It means that we are to be empowered and emboldened to understand that the hope of God and the peace of God and the joy of God and the love God offers is available to all people. But first and foremost, it means that we are to be empowered and emboldened to understand that we all need to be participants in the realm of God. (The pastor leaves the pulpit and goes to the glass vase with the salt in it and lifts it high and says this:) After all, Jesus says God is with us, even to the end of that unfathomably large universe. Amen.

01/22/2012
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: “Speaking of light years, I presume most of us know who Buzz Lightyear is. I want to suggest that we need to have a Buzz Lightyear outlook on life. Life is a grand adventure. Which is not to say life fails to be dangerous. But it is a grand adventure. Now, the Christian outlook amends that a little. Life is a grand adventure in the realm of God. Which is not to say life fails to be dangerous. But it is to say life a grand adventure in the realm of God.”

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. Let us go in peace to love and serve God. Amen.

SERMON ~ 01/15/2012 ~ Listening

01/15/2012 ~ Second Sunday after the Epiphany ~ Second Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend on the Secular Calendar ~ 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20); Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 ; John 1:43-51~ Communion Sunday.

Listening

“Now Yahweh came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Yes, Yahweh, I am listening.’” — 1 Samuel 3:10.

Well, last week I made my annual trek to Bangor, Maine. I visited my alma mater, Bangor Theological Seminary, for their Convocation— three days of speakers and workshops and meetings.

Convocation got off to what I thought was a good start when the Interim President of the Seminary, the Reverend Doctor Robert Grove-Markwood, began with this anecdote. At the point when the faculty was starting to put together the agenda for Convocation, Bob, by chance, saw a bumper sticker. The saying on it became a by-word for all the presentations at the meeting. These were the words on that bumper sticker: “Change Is Inevitable. Growth Is Optional.” Change Is Inevitable. Growth Is Optional.

In short, change will happen. Therefore, how we deal with change will probably weigh more heavily than any kind of shift the actual changes might bring. (Slight pause.)

You probably noticed in the reading from First Samuel that the boy actually heard God three times before the old Prophet Eli realized what was happening and gave some very specific instructions about listening. Please notice: Samuel heard God and heard God quite clearly. But there was no recognition. What Samuel did not do was listen. (Slight pause.) So, what is listening? What does it mean to listen? (Slight pause.)

In the course of giving music lessons, our good friend, Tom Rasely, will tell student the note you don’t play can be more important than the note you do play. That statement leaves us with a similar question: ‘how do you listen for the note not played?’

[The pastor leaves the pulpit, goes and sits at the piano located in the worship space.] Let me try something to illustrate not simply hearing but both listening to sound and also listening to silence.

First, please do me a favor (and I’ve turned off the blowers so you can do this). Be as silent as you possibly can. Just listen to the fullness of the space we’re in. Did you know you can hear space, if you listen? Try it. (Long pause.) If you’re listening carefully, you realize a large space like this has a very different sound than a small space like a closet, right?

O.K. Now, I am going to come over here and try something else. (Recognizing the aforementioned Tom Rasely has said something the pastor responds:) Uh, oh! Uh, oh! Now we’re in trouble says Tom. He’s right.

O.K. I am going to play one note. I want you to listen carefully to it as it drifts into this space. And listen to see if you can hear the undertones and the overtones which give the note body. And again, listen for the movement of the note in this space, the space to which you were just listening, the space in which you could hear silence— one note. [The pastor plays one note while holding the pedal, so the sound lasts for a while.] Now, did you hear that note, all the way to the end— saw how it held and you saw how it was different as it progressed, didn’t you? (Slight pause.)

Well, chords are, generally, several notes played at the same time, right? I’m going to play several different chords. And first, I’ll play two notes which are right next to each other. [The pastor does so.] Some people call that a dissonant, right?

Now I’ll play two notes that are further apart. [The pastor does so, holding the pedal.] Two more. [The pastor does so, again holding the pedal.]

Can you hear difference in the space between the notes right next to each other [the pastor plays the dissonant notes] and the notes with space in between? [Again, the pastor plays a chord.] Can you listen to the silence between the notes? Can you hear that there’s no space between these two [the pastor once again plays the dissonant notes] and this with space in between?

[The pastor plays notes again.] No space. Space. No space. Space. [The pastor returns to the pulpit.]

So, you can listen to silence among noise, the silence between the notes. (Slight pause.) Is it possible the voice of God is there, both in the midst of the silence and in the midst of noise? (Slight pause.)

Let me go back to Bangor for a moment. Two of the presenters last week were Betty and Noel Paul Stookey. Needless to say, Noel Paul Stookey is Paul of Peter, Paul and Mary fame.

Betty is actually the Rev. Ms. Betty Stookey. Her Master of Divinity Degree was granted by Harvard, but she did a semester at Bangor Seminary, Bangor being about 35 miles from where Paul and Betty live, in Blue Hill, Maine.

Both Paul and Betty clearly identify themselves as Christian— I say that because Wikipedia doesn’t and they insist they are. Their presentation mixed Paul’s music making with personal stories and readings from an array of faith traditions.

If I had to characterize what they said, I’d sum it up this way: they addressed the reality of God. And, to be clear, that reality says ‘we need to listen for God and we need to listen to God.’— for God and to God— two steps.

And so, where did the presentation end? It ended with Paul singing these well known words: “How many roads must a man walk down, / before you call him a man? / How many seas must a white dove fly, / before she sleeps in the sand? / And how many times must a cannon ball fly, / before they’re forever banned? / The answer my friend is blowing in the wind, / the answer is blowing in the wind.” (Slight pause.)

After their presentation, Betty and Paul took some questions. Perhaps prompted by that song, an older pastor, likely retired, said: “I’ve been working for peace since 1963. And I’ve seen a lot of fine people die over the years. How do you stay positive?”

Betty said: “Do you have a choice?” (Slight pause.) The answer is blowing in the wind. (Slight pause.) And perhaps the answer also means listening to the wind. (Slight pause.)

In a couple of minutes, you will be invited to participate in a litany which remembers the life and the work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As we know, King died working for the cause of justice and peace. And so, yes, the statement that pastor made is probably true for us all: “I have seen a lot of fine people die over the years.” [1]

But it is also true that “change is inevitable while growth is optional.” And I believe a path to growth exists when we cultivate a habit of listening to God.

I believe we need to cultivate a habit of listening to God amid the cacophony of noise in the society around us. Indeed, I believe we especially need to hear God in the space, in the silent places too filled with God to allow for noise.

And if we do that, if we cultivate a habit of listening for the voice of God, God who is still speaking, then growth is no longer optional. If we listen for the voice of God, growth becomes for us a way of life.

And any answers to which we come will not simply or only be “blowing in the wind.” Any answers to which we come will happen because we realize God— God who is present at all times and in all places, in the noise and in the silence— God will stand at our side. God will stand in solidarity with us.

Indeed, God still speaks to us today. And God will speak to us tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. But we need to not just hear. We need to listen. Amen.

01/15/2012
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: “A couple of weeks ago I noted the passing of Václav Havel. These are the words of Havel, who was at one time incarcerated by Czechoslovakia for his belief in freedom but later became its President: ‘Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.’ I believe unless we strive to listen for God and to listen for God in our lives, as did the Rev. Dr. King and Václav Havel, then we will be confined to being only optimistic. If we are hopeful, it probably means we’ve learned to listen to God and listen for God.”

BENEDICTION: We do not always know where the voice of God will lead us. But when we hear the call we need to follow. May the voice of the still speaking God be open and clear. May our sense of God’s purpose be keen and true. May we be aware of God’s promise to be with us in our journey. And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, and the presence of the Spirit of Christ which is real and available, keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge, love and companionship of the Holy Spirit, this day and forever more. Amen.

[1] The litany below was used during the Prayer of the People.

A Litany Honoring the Observance Of the
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

LITURGIST:
“By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.... For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.’” — (Psalm 137:1, 3)

PASTOR:
“I have stood in a meeting with hundreds of youngsters and joined in while they sang Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round. It is not just a song; it is a resolve.... These songs bind us together, give us courage together, help us march together.” (The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — Why We Can’t Wait)

ALL:
For the power of songs and songs of power, we give you thanks, O God.

LITURGIST:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of God; for God makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” — (Matthew 5:43–44 [ILV])

PASTOR:
“Let us therefore not think of our movement as one that seeks to integrate into all the existing values of American society. Let us be those creative dissenters who will call our beloved country to a higher destiny, to a new plateau of compassion, to a more noble expression of humanness.” — (The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Where Do We Go from Here?)

ALL:
For your realm, which stands beyond and against all nations, and your justice, which judges all people, we give you thanks, O God.

LITURGIST:
“Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let us go out to the field.’ And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. Then God said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ He said, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’ And God said, ‘What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!’” — (Genesis 4:8–10)

PASTOR:
“The person who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as the one who helps perpetrate it. The person who accepts evil without protesting against it, is really cooperating with it.” — (The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., adapted from the speech, Stride Toward Freedom.)

ALL:
For the continuing witness of the life and ministry of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to us, we give you thanks, O God.

(The following is adapted from Dr. King’s I Have a Dream Speech.)

PASTOR:
“Even though we must face difficulties times to today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed— for we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal.”

“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, sons and daughters of former slaves and sons and daughters of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at table.”

“I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places shall be made plain, and the crooked places shall be made straight and the glory of the Lord will be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

“This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning— ‘my country, 'tis of thee; sweet land of liberty; of the I sing;... from every mountainside, let freedom ring.’”

“When we allow freedom to ring from every town and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children— black... and white... Jew and Gentile, Catholic and Protestant— will be able to join hands and to sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual”:

ALL:
“Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” Amen!

12/24/2011 ~ A "Midrash" Sermon ~ Hearing with the Heart

12/24/2011 ~ Nativity of the Lord - Proper 1 ~ Christmas Eve ~ Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14, (15-20) ~ Used John 1:1-5 (Call to Worship); Isaiah 9:2b, 6-7 (ILV); Luke 2:8-18 (ILV); Isaiah 60:1-3 (ILV); Genesis 1:1-3 (Everett Fox Translation).

Hearing with the Heart

“Now, there were shepherds in that region, living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.” — Luke 2:8.


All day long a steady wind came over the hill out of the West. That was normal. Then, right at sundown, the wind became breathless. It remained that way for a quite a while.

It was a clear, cold night. There was no moon but the stars seemed to dance in the night sky over Bethlehem, the City of David, as if to announce their freedom to an unsuspecting world.

The only noise Judah, a lone shepherd out on this hill could hear, was the occasional bark of a dog and the bleat of some sheep. There were other shepherds. But they were far away, on a hill across the other side of the valley.

After a time, once the depth of night had settled in, the wind picked up again, but out of the East. That was odd, he thought. In this part of Roman Palestine only rarely did the wind come from the east. And it was quite strong.

Judah found that troubling. If, at night, you stood on top of one of these rolling hills outside the town and looked across the fields you could see campfires— dozens of them— some used for cooking some used simply for warmth.

But it had been very dry for several months. And this wind was not just strong but coming out of an odd direction. The campfires were always built to accommodate a wind coming from the opposite direction.

With a wind like this, a wind out of a strange direction, it was very likely a campfire could become a torch that set the dry brush ablaze. Such a fire might easily spread from one hill to the next to the next to the next. It was dangerous. (Slight pause.)

Judah was only thirteen, but had already been tending sheep for three years. His name was the tribal name of David. And this tribe, Judah, was the smallest of the twelve. Still, this tribe, despite its size, was the tribe of David, the great ruler of Israel.

“Judah!” the Rabbi had said to him, “Judah! It is your name. The very name Judah means to praise God!”

The local rabbi was an old man, but someone who had made an impression on the young shepherd, despite their difference in years and station. Judah did not quite understand why it was important to praise God. But he realized that he, himself, despite being a shepherd, bore the name Judah— praise God.

Shepherds were, in this society, the lowest of the low. So, as a shepherd, as a member of the least of the tribes, this youngster, with the ancient and honored name of Judah, was considered by anyone he encountered to be a hooligan, a roughneck, a troublemaker.

Still, he did not think poorly of himself since he remembered the words of the Rabbi. “You... you are a good boy. So love God; love neighbor. It is the covenant God makes. It is what God invites us to do.”

“How will that happen? How will I honor the covenant?” he asked the old man.

“You will know,” responded the codger, stroking his beard. “You will know. The words of the prophet say this: ‘God shall write on your heart.’” (Slight pause.)

The wind now became yet stronger, the night deeper. What little light the campfires on the hills provided grew weaker as the wind picked up and fires died.

Judah could still hear an occasional bark from a dog and the sounds of sheep, but he thought he heard a strange noise besides that— a little like a whistle. “It’s the wind,” he said to himself.

Perhaps it was. Perhaps it was simply the wind blowing across the rolling hills from exactly the wrong direction at exactly the right speed creating a sound like a whistle.

He tilted his head to the left and tried to listen harder. He heard dogs. He heard sheep. But this other... this other... thing— was it noise? Was it a sound he heard with his ears? Or was it simply in his head?

He looked toward the sky. He could see nothing but... clouds? Or was it smoke? From where had this come? Had a brush fire started somewhere close? He could see there was something glowing. Was it all around him? Was it above him? Was it right at his side?

The noise seemed to grow still stronger. And yet— whatever it was— there seemed to be nothing about it he was hearing with ears. Still, it felt very intense, very near. Again, he strained to listen. Was it one voice? Was it many voices?

Somehow, he sensed these words in the midst of this soundless cacophony: “child... God... heir... David... Messiah... covenant... freedom... sovereign... joy... love... hope... peace... stable.”

Had he actually heard these words? He did not know. It was more like he felt them, words heard within the depth of... silence. Yet the words were clear. They were plain. (Slight pause.)

Suddenly, the wind was again calm. He could hear a dog bark. He could hear the bleat of sheep. He could see stars.

He felt... changed. He was not quite sure how. His heart was pounding. He did not know why but he started to run, run down off the hill, run toward the town, run toward the City of David.

He ran and he ran and he ran. He did not know where he was going. He was following... what? His heart?

Just at the edge of town he stopped. Off to the left there was a barn. There was a light. Someone was there. He went toward it.

Inside the building a man and a woman sat by a fire. He approached. As he did so, he saw the woman holding a child, clearly a newborn.

He walked up to her. The child was asleep. She nodded and smiled with her eyes. He nodded and smiled back. She did not seem put off by the fact that he was clearly a shepherd.

She held the baby up toward him. His reaction was natural. He took the child in his arms. (Slight pause.)

Judah suddenly felt a kind of warmth he had never experienced before. He wondered what was going on. Again, he felt he heard something.

Judah looked down at the tiny head, the little dark curls. The child opened its eyes. Judah listened carefully. The child was silent. Once more, his heart was pounding. He wondered if something was being written there.

It dawned on him: perhaps you had to listen with your heart before you listened with your ears. Was that what the Rabbi meant? Listen with your heart?

He looked at the baby again. The infant smiled. How could you not listen with your heart?

He handed the child back. Not a word had been spoken, yet a multitude of words had been understood— words of the heart. Judah turned around and headed toward the hills outside of the City of David. A hint of the approaching sunrise was at hand and whispered in the Eastern sky.

Once on the hilltop, somehow Judah understood the covenant was real. Somehow Judah understood God is with us. Somehow Judah understood God writes on the heart. Somehow Judah understood he must be true to his name: he must find ways to praise God, always. Amen.

12/24/2012
Christmas Eve — 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: “I have often said Christmas is the most important Christian feast on the secular calendar. At the very least for we Christians Easter, Pentecost, the Epiphany and Trinity Sunday should be counted as more important than Christmas. Which is not to say it lacks importance. It is to say we need to reclaim Christmas as a Christian feast. In an effort to reclaim real Christmas, let me make a suggestion, one I make each year. Please do not wish people a ‘Merry Christmas.’ When you greet someone say ‘Happy Christmas.’ People can be merry about the new year, but let’s be happy about what we celebrate tonight: the birth of the Messiah, present in our midst.”

BENEDICTION: The sun shall no longer be / your light by day, / nor for brightness shall the moon / give you light by night; / for Yahweh, God, will be your everlasting light, / and your glory. / Amen.

SERMON ~ 12/11/2011 ~ Good News?

12/11/2011 ~ Third Sunday of Advent ~ Love ~ Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126 or Luke 1:46b-55; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28.

Good News?

“The spirit of Yahweh, GOD is upon me, / for Yahweh has anointed me; / God has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, / those who are poor, / to bind up the brokenhearted, / to heal broken hearts, / to proclaim liberty to the captives, / release to those held captive, / liberation to those in prison;...” — Isaiah 61:1


I am sure many of you know or knew the Rev. Dr. Susan Polizzi, formerly Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Norwich, currently pastor of the First United Baptist Church in Lowell, Massachusetts. Susan is, by her own admission a professional smart aleck. (I suppose, in contrast, that makes me only a semi-professional smart aleck, right?)

In a post on her Facebook page Susan first reemphasized she is a professional smart aleck. Then she wondered out loud (or at least as out loud as you can be on Facebook page) why people worry about the political correctness of saying “Merry Christmas” before it’s actually Christmas Day. After all, to invoke the saying— “Merry Christmas”— is not at all a correct thing to say, politically or otherwise, before December the 25th, before the very day.

You see, the season of Christmas runs from December 25th through January 5th. Before December the 25th Susan, professional smart aleck that she is, insisted that one should say something like “Have an Enlightened Advent” [on the recording of the sermon laughter is heard here and several times] or “Enjoy Your Season of Preparation for Celebrating the Birth of the Messiah.” And after January 5th, Epiphany being the season which runs from January the 6th, through the movable feast known as Ash Wednesday, if one is still in the mood to wish a merry anything to anyone, it should be something like “Joyous Epiphany” or “Happy Epiphany.” (Slight pause.)

Needless to say, that Facebook posting brought out the “smart aleck types” among the many friends of Susan on Facebook. Indeed, it turned out a lot of people besides Susan are smart aleck types, since so many responded to her initial post.

These ranged from a simple suggestion which said appropriate greeting for the season we are in would be (quote) “Advent tidings to you and yours” to a more mocking suggestion that aimed at gift giving. One said we should be gifting on all the days people celebrated world wide as gift giving days. These days range from Boxing Day, December the 26th, to the Epiphany, January the 6th, to the two days on which the Feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated— December the 6th in the West and December the 19th in the East. Add December the 25th, and that makes five days for gifting in the course of a month. (Sounds good, right? {In response to a word of agreement from a choir member, the pastor says: “She’s there.”}

And of course, one wag did say to Susan (quote): “They pay you to be a smart aleck? How did you get that job?” Indeed, great frivolity was had by a bunch of smart alecks as comments flew back and forth. (Slight pause.)

And, of course, what was Susan poking fun at? As you may be aware, one cable news channel persistently claims there is a war against Christmas. A reporter from that network recently ambushed a Governor after a tree lighting ceremony and asked why that official called an evergreen a (quote): “holiday tree.” “After all, Governor, what holiday are we celebrating?” asked the reporter, shouting and sounding indignant, as the Governor scurried to a waiting car.

That Governor missed an opportunity. The obvious answer: “What holiday are we celebrating? Why, we Christians are celebrating Advent. Only someone whose understanding of Christmas is totally based in secular ways would not know which season this is” should have been the response. (Slight pause.)

We find these words are from the Scroll of the Prophet Isaiah: “The spirit of Yahweh, GOD is upon me, / for Yahweh has anointed me; / God has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, / those who are poor, / to bind up the brokenhearted, / to heal broken hearts, / to proclaim liberty to the captives, / release to those held captive, / liberation to those in prison;...” (Slight pause.)

Last week, the Second Sunday in Advent, we heard these words from the Gospel known as Mark (quote): “The beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Christ, Child of God.” And, indeed, when we Christians refer to Jesus, we often speak about “Good News.” We connect “Good News” with Jesus.

But as was mentioned when the Isaiah was read, this passage speaks about “Good News” also. And this passage was written in exile in Babylon, at least 500 years before the birth of Jesus. So, what’s the difference in this “Good News?” (Slight pause.)

The Good News, as Isaiah refers to it, is meant to be an affirmation of the covenant of God with the people of God, despite the fact that they find themselves in exile— captive. And how is that covenant worked out, even in exile? It is worked out because, in covenant with God and one another, the people of God are called to work with and be in solidarity with the oppressed, the poor, the brokenhearted, the prisoners.

It is worked out— not thought of in terms of success or failure— because the people of God know the definition of covenant means that any one person— any one of them— is insufficient, unable to fully complete the task God has set before them. The covenant is, hence, worked out in solidarity with one another, with the knowledge that each person has shortcomings, each person has flaws, each person has limitations.

The covenant is worked out because of an awareness of the necessity of community, the necessity of relying on one another, the necessity of supporting one another. In short, the community needs one another.

This same covenant is made manifest, alive, in the Child, Jesus— the Child of God. Jesus born in a country occupied by the army of Rome. This occupation means the situation is not all that different from the exile. And that the presence of God seen in the birth, the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus explains the excitement among early Christians about Jesus.

With Jesus, the covenant is embodied, made real, tangible. And we, as disciples of Christ, are now to be empowered to be in covenant with God and one another and, as the people of God, are to work out the covenant— work with and be in solidarity with the oppressed, the poor, the brokenhearted, the prisoners. (Slight pause.)

Let me put that in a different perspective for you, perhaps a perspective with words which might sound a little more challenging to any of us than what I just said. Yet another colleague of mine wrote what follows on her Facebook page, again in reference to what people are call the Christmas Season— this “Happy Holidays” thing that people seem to rebel against. I hope these words are not too challenging for you. I suspect she was angry when she wrote it.

(Quote) “If you get angry when someone doesn’t say ‘Christmas,’ in a greeting perhaps you should try, instead, getting angry over the children of Christ who are dying of malnutrition or dying of AIDS. Try getting angry over the fact that the Christmas chocolate people buy is kept cheap on the backs of the poor, because of slave wages paid to workers to harvest coco beans in so called third world countries. Try getting angry over the fact that both in this country and world wide preventable diseases kills people, daily”— challenging, indeed. (Slight pause.)

That bring me back to the “Good News” when it comes to Jesus. What is this “Good News?” (Slight pause.) In my family when I was a child in my house there were never any gifts under the Christmas tree. There was a large bureau against the wall in the living room and all the gifts went on that.

What was under the Christmas Tree? A creche— a nativity scene, and only that. You see the birth of Christ is the real gift at Christmas. It is a gift from God. That was the only gift under the Christmas tree in my childhood home. (Slight pause.)

Recognizing that we need to tend to the oppressed, the brokenhearted, captives and prisoners is an essential way we can prepare not just for the coming of God embodied by Jesus, but for the real and tangible presence of God— Christ lives. Indeed, in the Gospel reading it says John (quote) “came only to testify about the Light...” You see, one temptation we face is wanting others to see us as the light, rather than to see us as witnesses to the Light.

When we tend to the oppressed, the brokenhearted, captives and prisoners we are not the light. We are witnesses. So, let me be clear: I have no trouble with someone saying “Merry Christmas”— even in July. I have no trouble with someone saying “Happy Holidays.”

What I do know is we, together, as community, need to keep Christmas holy. Indeed, we need to keep each and every day holy— set aside for God. Amen.

12/11/2011
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: “In a real sense I am quite liberal. I think all the traditions which have grown up around the celebration of Christmas— some secular traditions and some not so secular— are just fine. But the touchstone of Christmas— the central tradition— needs to be that the celebration of Christmas brings us to a deeper understanding of our relationship with God and with other people. When we lose sight of that centrality— when the traditions become an excuse to ignore the centrality of that covenant— then we have lost sight of what Christmas means.”

BENEDICTION: Let us be present to one another as we go from this place. Let us share our gifts, our hopes, our memories, our pain and our joy. Go in peace for God is with us. Go in joy for God knows every fiber of our being. Go in hope for God reveals to us, daily, that we are a part of God’s new creation. Go in love, for we rest assured, by Christ, Jesus, that God is steadfast. Amen.

Sermon ~ 12/04/2011 ~ Jesus, the Christ

12/04/2011 ~ Second Sunday of Advent ~ Peace ~ Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8 ~ Communion Sunday.

Jesus, the Christ

“The beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Christ, Child of God.” — Mark 1:1

Quite a while ago, a couple of friends gave me a gift certificate to the Colgate Bookstore. But it was only several weeks ago I took the time to cash it in.

I bought two books. You’ve probably heard of one them— Moneyball, a book about how statistics are used in Baseball. It was recently made into a movie staring Brad Pitt. Baseball fan that I am, I finally caught up with the book.

The other book I had not heard about. But, historian that I am, I found the dust cover interesting, so I bought it. Much to my surprise, I just heard the book won the National Book Award for non-fiction. This book is The Swerve (the Pastor repeats the title and waves his had as if it has made a sharp turn)— that’s The Swerve, by Stephen Greenblatt.

That odd sounding title is actually a description of what seems to be a sharp turn in European history. It describes the transition from what we euphemistically call the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

Of course, the so called Middle Ages are sometimes referred to in popular culture as the “Dark Ages,” a time when Western civilization collapsed. The Renaissance, on the other hand, is thought to be a time of renewed achievement for Western Civilization.

Why do we label the Middle Ages as a time when Western civilization went downhill? Greenblatt supplies the answer. There are a string of the accomplishments humanity can claim, all of which happen before the birth of Christ. By the Middle Ages, humanity has forgotten nearly all these accomplishments.

This is a list of achievement in antiquity: Archimedes proposed the mathematical constant known as “pi,” the ratio of any circle’s circumference to its diameter. That laid the groundwork for calculus. Eratosthenes posited the earth was round and, using “pi,” calculated its circumference to within one percent. Therefore, geographers thought that by sailing West from what is now Spain, we could reach what is now India.

Astronomers proposed a universe where our Sun is at the center of a planetary system. They determined length of the year was 365¼ days and came up with the idea of adding a “leap year day” every fourth year to compensate.

Engineers developed hydraulics and pneumatics. People studied anatomy and for the first time understood how the brain and the nervous system interact, how the heart and the digestive system operate and conducted experiments in nutrition. [1] Again, all this was known or done by the human race before the birth of Jesus, over 2,000 years ago.

And then we forgot. By the time the Middle ages arrive, most people believe the Earth is at the center of our planetary system and the Earth is flat. We count the year in 365 day chunks but do nothing about that extra quarter day.

It will be the 1600s before Isaac Newton discovers calculus and describes the mathematics of the planets as they circle the Sun. In the 1600s the microscope is invented. This allows us to have insights into the human body and draw conclusions to which the ancients had already come.

In the 1600s the telescope comes into use. Thereby, we begin to collect information about the skies through observation and make conclusions about the nature of the world and aspects of it that the ancients had arrived at through mathematics.

In 1582 the calendar we use today— with 365¼ days— is introduced by Pope Gregory XIII. But only countries where Catholicism is dominant adopt it at that point. People in the countries where Protestants hold sway think that Catholics can do nothing of worth. Many Protestant countries do not adopt the new, clearly better system until the mid 1700s. Britain does so in 1752. [2]

So, what happened in between? What happened in that so called “Middle Age,” that so called “Dark Age?” Did people simply forget? (Slight pause.)

Most historians say the cause of this forgetfulness is incessant tribalism— which calendar to use being a very good example of tribalism— incessant tribalism leads to willful ignorance— willful ignorance— and the breakdown of institutions. This seems to be the cause rather than simply forgetfulness.

Hence on the institution side, government, the Church, academia all saw turbulent times. The institution which did survive, the church, for all its flaws, often unknowingly preserved some of the record which tells us about the achievements of ancient Egypt and ancient Greece and ancient Rome. (Slight pause.)

Some say today we are headed toward similar disaster, another “Middle Age,” another time of forgetfulness about who we are and our achievements because of tribalism and the breakdown of institutions. Certainly, there is an air of feeling less secure and uncertainty about the future than we have had in a long time.

But it’s too early to predict Armageddon or another “Middle Age” type of time. After all, the 1930s and 1940s were uncertain and turbulent, were they not? So, perhaps the two things we need to do to stave off another “Middle Age” is each of us needs to be involved in institutional life and willful ignorance, so often born of tribalism— even tribalism within one institution— needs to be countered. (Slight pause.)

And these words are at the very beginning, the first words we hear in the Gospel we know as Mark: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Christ, Child of God.” (Slight pause.)

It has often been said those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. But equally, those who wallow in the past are doomed to have a broken vision of the future.

It should be stunning to us that with these several words Mark, Mark who writes some two thousand years ago, addresses those issues. You see, Mark, for starters, with these words, addresses who Jesus is. Jesus is the Christ.

It was said when this reading was introduced that there is no Nativity story in Mark. But this is the Nativity story in Mark— Jesus is the Christ— because this is what the Nativity stories are about: Jesus is the Christ.

The true and full meaning of the Nativity story is not centered on shepherds or angels or babies or mangers or inns. The Nativity stories have one meaning: Jesus is the Christ.

Now, I don’t want to be misunderstood here: I am not trying to do away with or abandon shepherds or angels or babies or mangers or inns. These can all add layers to the Nativity story, ways which help us understand the Nativity story. Indeed, shepherds or angels or babies or mangers or inns should all point us— point us— to the true and full meaning of the Nativity story: Jesus is the Christ. (Slight pause.)

So, if Jesus is the Christ, how does that relate to the past and to the future and to our forgetfulness? (Slight pause.) First: our forgetfulness. When we hear the Gospels we tend to concentrate on the action in the stories from the Nativity, to the Life and the Work, to the Death, to the Resurrection of Jesus. But with our very concentration on all these aspects, we need to be reminded that the meaning in all those stories is never any different than the first words proclaimed by Mark: Jesus is the Christ.

Second: how does this relate to the past? (Slight pause.) In Jesus, God fulfills the promise God has made throughout history, throughout the Hebrew Scriptures: a Messiah will be with us. In the words of the theologian Nicholas Thomas Wright Jesus is (quote) “The Climax of the Covenant.” This is the fulfillment of the history of God with humanity.

Third: how does this relate to the future? (Slight pause.) If Jesus is the Christ, how are we to respond to that? Does that change our lives in any way? Are we called to change our relationship with God and with other people in any way? — the future. (Slight pause.)

The Sundays in Advent are celebrated as the Sundays of Hope, Peace, Love and Joy. This week we celebrate Peace. What is the peace of God?

The peace of God is not the absence of violence or conflict. The peace of God means God is present to us at all times and in all places.

As Christians, what we maintain is that Jesus lives— God is present to us at all times and in all places. And does that call us to change our relationship with God and with other people? (Slight pause.)

So, what does the Nativity mean? It means Jesus is the Christ. It means God is present to us at all times and in all places. It means the peace of God is with us. It means God stands with us as we consider our past and as we plan and look toward our future. Amen.

12/04/2011
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: “What I did not directly address in my comments is how internal tribalism in the church is countered. The only way I know to counter internal tribalism in the church is to understand that Jesus is the Christ and that we are all one in Christ.”

BENEDICTION: Let us be present to one another as we go from this place. Let us share our gifts, our hopes, our memories, our pain and our joy. Go in joy for God knows every fiber of our being. Go in hope for God reveals to us, daily, that we are a part of God’s new creation. Go in love, for we rest assured, by Christ, Jesus, that God is steadfast. Go in peace for God is with us. And may the peace of God which surpasses understanding be with us this day and forevermore. Amen.

[1] Page 87 of the aforementioned book.

[2] Yes, when you talk about the 1700s one gets into the Enlightenment rather than the Renaissance. But there is only so much room for data in a sermon.