In Community: What's Normal?
March 2, 2008
Matthew 11: 1-30
What did you come to see? What did you come to church to see today? What did come to First Congregational United Church of Christ to see?
People come to church, people come to this church, you all come here with questions in mind. And, depending on how we answer these questions, determine how we as a community are perceived. Are we really open always open all ways? Are we really hospitable? Are we really ready to meet their needs?
During this season of Lent we are giving thanks for the things that we do well as individuals, as a community of faith, as people of faith. We are also naming the things we have not done well and asking for forgiveness for the mistakes we’ve made, the people we’ve hurt, the disappointments that have occurred. This is the real work of Lent. One of the places the apostles of First have asked us to consider is our hospitality. The teachers of our community feel we have not been an hospitable community. And, in order to understand this statement we must understand what Biblical hospitality entails.
Biblical hospitality is the opportunity to turn a stranger into a guest and then transform that guest into a friend. However, in order for this relationship to even begin we must know what it is we are inviting someone into. We must understand what it is that the guest is approaching and what we are giving away, what we are at stake of losing. Last week we talked about the norms a leader must follow in this community of faith, today we are here to talk about what your norms are as the community of faith. It is important to understand what it is that you are a part of and it is important to understand what it is that we are growing and must protect.
It is important to understand that John is not Jesus. It is important to understand that Jesus is not John. But rather in community we have interrelated relationships. We each are called to our unique tasks but everyone has an opportunity to play their own unique role. The empire was terribly bothered by both John and Jesus. The empire executed both of these men trying to silence their movements of listening to the Creative Presence of God. The empire tried to shut up the idea that everyone could belong and have access to power by knowing and naming their Creator. People went out into the desert to see the men who gave them hope, who made them feel a part of something, who allowed them to be healed from the ways in which they felt broken. People went out into the desert because they were curious about the stories they were hearing, the stories that they told about being with these men.
What about us…When people leave here what is it we want them to understand and for those of us who are members what is it that binds us together. In order to do this we have to look to our promises.
The first promise states that we are received into the church through the witness of Jesus. This means that we are a community that protects the stories surrounding the character of Jesus. We are interested in living lives that mirror the witness of Jesus. Because of this witness where he greeted everyone that he met, no matter where they were on life’s journey. So we, welcome you, into our midst no matter where you’ve been on life’s journey, it is an extravagant welcome. It also states that we believe in covenant. That we are members, by making promises to one another we are committing to be in relationship with one another. We are promising to be in relationship with God. What kind of relationship? A relationship where the witness of Jesus is the vine and we are the branches of that vine and when we tap into that witness as a branch taps into the vine we will be full of joy. Our norm…everyone is invited, everyone is welcome but you have to be willing to open yourselves to acceptance, relationship, and commitment to a compassionate kindness towards one another. You have to believe in the witness of the stories of a man named Jesus.
The second promise is to be a student of Jesus. To learn your call, your unique call and in listening to our unique call we will choose to be a light in the darkness, to speak truth to power, to rock the empire in the hope of community, to stand in unity with the least of these in our world. Our second norm is that we do not subscribe to the rules of the empire but we are instead working to balance power through the rules of a new faith, a new kind of leader a new understanding of God.
The third promise is to continue to grow our faith. We don’t believe we’re ever done, instead we believe that faith is a life long journey. It’s not something that is a prescription but instead something that takes grooming and continuous use in order to grow. We also ask that you share your experience of who and what God is to you and how God is working in your life. Also, we ask that you share what this understanding has helped you do in the world. Our third norm is that your story and experience matter. And, we believe it matters so much we will listen to your voice. We will encourage you to learn to use your voice and we will give you opportunity to become comfortable finding your voice.
The fourth promise is to the life and mission of the community of faith as a whole. We understand that we are unique individuals but the real power of community is when we join our voices together and work with one another as students of Jesus. We also are committed to worshiping regularly and being in worship. Finally, we need to look beyond ourselves once we understand who it is that we are, we must look out into the world and share what we know to be our truth and our call. Our fourth norm is that community is powerful and we honor the ties that bind. We will not allow one another to divide our community but work to listen, understand, open ourselves to what we can learn from one another. We accept without judgment and honor the experience you bring. We also expect one another to come to worship most Sundays. We also believe service to be a part of our norm.
In exchange for these promises, the community promises to invite you, pray for you, encourage you in all things related to your call. We trust in the Holy Spirit to guide us in this work allowing us to be a better witness.
If you boiled these down…We believe in the witness of Jesus. We believe in trying to live as Jesus lived: honoring the marginalized and the least of these with compassion and kindness. We remind ourselves of this by coming to worship and growing our faith. We practice this as a community of faith in how we relate to one another and how we welcome guests. We also use our faith to inspire us to see the world in new ways and impact our world. A great example of this is One Great Hour of Sharing that we celebrate today.
In order to impact the world the United Church of Christ does a special offering once a year to support disaster relief, refugee ministry and sustainable community development. These are some of the things that OGHS supported this past year:
Tornadoes in the 5 southern states during Feb.
NW storm damage in Dec.
Southern California fires
Humanitarian Aid in Iraq
Emergency response in the Sudan
Cyclone Sidr in Bangledesh
Flooding in Ohio to Oklahoma
Hurican Felix in Central America
Hurricane Dean in Jamaica and Mexico
Mold Contamination in SE Kansas
We also helped refugees resettle in communities across the US
We also began building sustainable communities in places like the Sudan that are in dire need.
When we contribute our dollars here, they end up in places we only dream of getting to in our every day lives. We share the information, we ask you to examine your faith, our norms of helping the least of these, the marginalized, the poor and search your hearts and wisdom to know if this is what you are called to do.
What do you come here to see? Well, if it’s community. if it’s a witness standing against the empire. If it’s compassion, kindness and love. If it’s to find more joy in your life. If it’s to make a difference in the world, in your community in your life. This is a place you might fit in. This is a place that you want to belong.
However, be warned, if you try to tear us down or apart. If you try to trample on our witness. If you don’t do your share, show up and follow through. If you aren’t open to the experience of others. If you don’t want to wait on the Holy Spirit. You will feel uncomfortable here and we’d be more than happy to recommend a place that might be a better fit for you.
First Congregational United Church of Christ, it is good to know you. It is good to be a member, it is a powerful witness to a whole new world. I came to see if it is possible and because of you, I believe it is true. Let us pray.