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Sermons |
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COMMUNION:
The Unseen Guest |
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A
Sermon by Reverend Dr. Joseph David Stinson
Glen Ridge Congregational
Church, Glen Ridge, New Jersey,
Preached
on the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, (13July),
2008. |
| Texts:
Matthew 26:26-30 and 1Corinthians 10: 14-21
“The cup of blessing which we bless, is
it not participation in the blood of Christ? The
bread which we break is it not communion in the
body of Christ?” ~St. Paul, 1Cor. 10:16
The second in a series of four sermons on the
Lord’s Supper: ‘Come Stay with Us.’
This is my second sermon in the July series,
“Come Stay with Us.” The title comes
from the first Easter, the story of the two disciples
on the road to Emmaus. You remember they asked
the stranger who had walked and talked with them
on the way from Jerusalem to “stay with
us” when they reached the inn. That evening,
in the breaking of the bread, coupled with the
stranger’s teaching from scripture on the
road, their eyes were opened and they recognized
the stranger was Jesus. “Come Stay with
Us,” is the prayer of every generation,
and the place we encounter him is at this intersection
of word and sacrament, pulpit and table. I began
reading to you part of a free verse poem-prayer
written by the late Pope John Paul II, for the
Easter just before his death. Let me read you
a few more verses of that same poem sharing the
title of our series:
The Word and the Bread of the Eucharist
… we, too, repeat those words:
Jesus, crucified and risen, stay with us!
Stay with us faithful friend and
sure support for humanity
on its journey through history!
Living Word of the Father,
give hope and trust to all who are searching
for the true meaning of their lives.
Bread of Life, nourish those who hunger
for truth, freedom, justice and peace.
Stay with us, Living Word of the Father,
and teach us words and deeds of peace:
Peace for our world consecrated by your Blood
and drenched in the blood of so many innocent
victims:
Peace for the countries of the Middle East and
Africa,
Where so much blood continues to be shed;
Peace for all humanity still threatened by fratricidal
wars.
Stay with us, Bread of eternal life,
broken and distributed to those at table:
Give us also the strength to show generous solidarity
Toward the multitudes … suffering and dying
….
By the power of your resurrection,
May they too become sharers in new life.
… Stay with us now and until the end of
time.
+ + +
There was a peculiar idea in the religious mind
of St. Paul’s age. Part of it might be reflected
in a saying we use today, “You are what
you eat.”
In Asia Minor in the First Century, animal sacrifice
was a primary means of worshipping the gods. The
Jewish people also participated in this at their
Temple in Jerusalem. Often the meat from sacrifices
to the gods was eaten later by the worshipper,
the priest or sold to someone in the market that
day. Paul drew on this belief when he wrote these
words in 1Corinthians 10:16. It remained a vexing
problem for Christians in cities like Corinth
where so much of the meat available at the agora
came from temple sacrifices. Was it safe for Christians
to eat food sacrificed to idols? Moreover, early
Christians were frequently invited by Pagan business
associates and neighbors to participate in feasts
featuring meat from sacrifices.
Suppose you were a Pagan and wanted a special
favor from the gods. If you were able to afford
it, you purchased a sacrificial animal—a
calf, a goat or a lamb—and took it to your
temple. After the sacrifice a portion of the animal
was returned to you and you held a feast at your
house. Common belief was that the god himself
(or goddess) was a guest at your feast. Moreover,
the god was ‘in’ the food itself.
When the meat was eaten the god entered the bodies
of those invited to your feast. When any two people
in the ancient world ate together, a close bond
was established between them. When a sacrificial
meal was consumed, a bond was similarly forged
between the worshippers and the god. Consequently,
the Apostle cautioned, Christians must take care
about which table, which altar they frequent.
Of course, the Lord’s Supper for Christians
is also a sacrificial meal. However, in our communion
meal we remember the sacrifice Jesus offered once
and for all to gain for us the grace of God. We
remember his death, resurrection and promise to
come again by participating in the Lord’s
Supper. Paul was clear that by eating at this
table we gain oneness with Christ. That is, Jesus,
the unseen guest now enters our lives at the supper.
He is in what we eat, and when consumed, he goes
into us—spiritually and physically. The
many who eat at this table become the body of
Christ, his church. Christ comes and stays with
us. He comes into us and becomes our companion
and guest from then on. But more: when we return
to our homes he is still our unseen guest at family
meals. He is the unseen guest at our lunches,
at work or school. He is our unseen guest at parties
and social outings. Being at each of these other
tables of our lives, we must welcome and honor
him. Paul went on to caution the early Christians:
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the
cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table
of the Lord and the table of demons.
Now let us not get bogged down with the demons
Paul spoke of. Let us just say that more often
than we care to admit, we allow demonic unseen
guests into our family meals, our business lunches,
our nights out—sometimes more often than
we allow the Lord. Paul’s obvious point
is that when we participate in the communion meal
of the church, Christ becomes a traveling companion.
If we take him to our homes where he is not welcome,
if we take him to parties where he is not desired,
if we take him to a job scene antithetical to
his values, well, obviously we ask for trouble,
certainly a kind of schizophrenic hypocrisy. To
Paul’s way of thinking, we will have betrayed
the sacred bond which Christ forged between us
and him at the cross and at the supper. Sometimes,
it is good that we cannot see our guest because
upon leaving some of our regular haunts and pursuits,
I would hate to see the expression on his face!
I know when he hears our conversations with friends,
especially the many which invoke his name, he
must wear a look of anguish.
Paul says, “You cannot drink the cup of
the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake
of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”
Now if this sounds melodramatic and over exaggerated
to you, I suggest you begin to think about your
life a little more carefully. Paul’s table
of demons referred to the sacrificial table at
the Temple of Aphrodite on Acrocorinth. In our
day, we may be tempted to think it refers to a
rival church, but it is rather something more
subtle, more insidious, more ‘everyday.’
If ‘table of demons’ sounds terribly
old fashioned and out of step with your philosophy,
then you are probably a prime candidate for Paul’s
reprimand.
Paul believed that to partake of this supper
is to allow the body and blood of Christ to enter
us and our lives. Obviously, the supper is not
to be taken by those who do not share the Christian
faith. For Christians to take the supper is to
‘participate,’ to ‘commune,’
to have ‘koinonia’ in Christ’s
life, his loves, his hopes, his sacrifice for
us. To be invited to such a communion is tantamount
to becoming Christ’s partner. Now we may
at times forget he is with us, and at times we
may wish he were not with us, but for the person
who regularly communes at this table, who is part
of the church—his body—we do not even
have to invite him. He will be here, over our
shoulders, supporting us when we need support,
befriending us when lonely, correcting us when
we need correction, and, of course, loving us
always.
The cup of blessing which we drink, is it not
communion in the blood of Christ? The bread which
we break is it not communion in the body of Christ?
To partake of this supper is to receive Christ
not just in a religious sense, but also into the
everyday world of living. He comes to us an unseen
guest here but always with us. He is not just
in church, but also in our everyday relationships
and events, like eating bread with friends, like
having a cup of coffee at work. Christ is just
so ‘unreligious’ as to become a guest
of our families with all their inner friction,
a guest at our workplaces, boredom or excitement,
a guest in our conversations with friend and foe.
“Because there is one loaf, we who were
many are now one.”
Next Sunday I will speak about “Hidden
in Christ.” I will look at Colossians 3
for clues about what it means to say Christ is
actually present in the supper.
End
|
| |
| COMMUNION:
WE AND THEY |
A
Sermon by Reverend Dr. Joseph David Stinson
Glen Ridge Congregational
Church, Glen Ridge, New Jersey,
Preached
on the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, (7July),
2008. |
| Texts:
Hebrews 12:1-17 and Luke 22:14-27
The first in a series of four sermons on the
Lord’s Supper: ‘Come Stay with Us.’
Pope John Paul II in the last days of his life
wrote a poem about the Lord’s Supper, quoting
the two on the road to Emmaus who asked Jesus
upon arriving at their inn, “Come stay with
us.” He penned the poem on Easter Sunday,
March 7th, 2005, less than a month before his
death. I begin this series of July sermons with
a portion of his poem:
Mane nobiscum, Domine!
Stay with us, Lord!
With these words, the disciples on the road to
Emmaus invited the mysterious Wayfarer
to stay with them, as the sun was setting
on that first day of the week
when the incredible had occurred.
According to his promise, Christ had risen;
but they did not yet know this.
Nevertheless, the words spoken by the Wayfarer
along the road made their hearts burn within them.
So they said to him: “Stay with us.”
Seated around the supper table,
they recognized him in the ‘breaking of
bread’
—and suddenly he vanished.
There remained in front of them the broken bread,
there echoed in their heart the
gentle sound of his words
Dear brothers and sisters,
the Word and the Bread of the Eucharist,
the mystery and gift of Easter,
remain down the centuries as a constant memorial
of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ!
On this Easter Day,
together with all Christians throughout the world,
we, too, repeat these words:
Jesus, crucified and risen, stay with us!
The Pope saw in the words from Luke the prayer
of the church in every generation—or, rather,
what should be the prayer of the church. This
morning I begin a series of sermons on the Lord’s
Supper and take that prayer as our theme: Come
stay with us. Whatever else we think this rite
means, it always is about asking the Lord to come
again into our midst. Over the next four weeks,
I will preach four Sundays on the Lord’s
Supper. This week I will address our unity at
the table. Next week I will speak of the unseen
guest at this table. In succeeding weeks I will
address the symbolism, the ritual, and other important
facets of the sacrament. Each week we will also
have communion as part of our service. We will
listen to each account of the supper in the New
Testament and gather around the table together.
Lord, come stay with us!
There is a church I know in another state which
was embroiled in a fight. It seemed the town’s
garden club asked permission to use the church
parlor for a meeting place. The wife of the chairman
of the church trustees, being a member of the
garden club, prevailed upon her husband to get
the trustee’s approval. The vote was favorable
but there was considerable discussion. Before
next month’s meeting, the majority shifted
against letting the garden club in. Now another
vote was taken. The minster got in the fight,
too. The rest of the church members picked sides
and within a month so many hurt feelings existed
that the chair of the trustees and his wife left
the church. I am tempted to pun that the church
made a decision by trowel and error!
The issue to those of us outside that congregation
is comical. However, as we know, most church fights
I know are not fought over grounds of doctrinal
purity. More often it is a case of egos, personalities,
money and short-sightedness. Within a year or
two no one will remember the burning issues that
caused a church fight. Sometimes the issues seem
trivial within two months. History has a way of
paling our passions. Were it just a tempest in
a teapot, no one would care. But there is more
at stake in these fights. No, I’m not talking
about principals and compromises and orthodoxy
at stake. The real problem with these brawls we
get into is succinctly put in this morning’s
text:
See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace
of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’
spring up and cause trouble, and by it many become
defiled.
Were it not that inevitably some one or two or
ten or twenty Christian souls separate themselves
from God’s church as a result of such petty
infighting, the whole thing would be funny. But
when anyone separates from the ‘grace of
God’ over a garden-club-like issue, we are
all to blame and should be ashamed of ourselves.
W.E. Garrison, a theologian of two generations
ago taught at the University of Chicago, wrote:
“As long as it’s ‘we,’
there is a way.” The problem is that churches
like nations want to split and become ‘we-s’
and ‘they-s,’ and in such division
there is no way.
Now around this table we gather regularly. At
my own table at home there are frequently disputes.
We tussle and grouch at times, but that is expected
in families and we still sit around that table
together. I do find it difficult to invite people
I dislike to share a meal with me. The Lord’s
Table is no different. But it is not our table—it
is his. If we do not think of it as we think of
tables in our homes, it is because we have made
this rite so unlike a meal. We do not gather around
this table to share its food. Rather we stay apart
from it and from each other. We isolate ourselves
in this ritual, and so few understand it anymore
as the Lord’s Supper. We bring out special
vessels that we never use at any other meal. We
‘ritualize’ it in the bad sense, until
there is no family or fellowship aspect to it
at all.
If the ‘we-s’ are the in crowd,
then the ‘they-s’ are the out crowd.
If the ‘we-s’ are the old group, the
‘they-s’ are the new group. Perhaps
one group is afraid the other will take over the
church. Or perhaps the new group is afraid that
‘they’ will not let them work in their
church. It’s simple to see that the problem
is that ‘we and they’ have both failed
to see that the church is not ours or theirs,
but rather it is the church of Jesus Christ. His
church and we are all members of him! There is
a need for us to gather but not as we and they.
God does not invite enemies to this table and
if all of us are invited we must be allies. If
we are all allies and friends of God how can we
be enemies to each other? I am not the leader,
nor is the president of the congregation. God
is the leader and we are guests at his table.
There is no ‘we’ group and ‘they’
group when we gather at his table.
‘Roots of bitterness’ in the church
existed long before our time. They must have been
a problem in the church of the New Testament.
Otherwise, why would the writer of Hebrews have
cautioned Christians against the problem? We all
know that issues and roots of bitterness arise.
We want to end them as quickly and as lovingly
as possible. But it is the root that we need to
remove, not the people who fertilize them! The
Lord must be the one and only leader we have,
not me or him or her. “See that no one fail
to obtain the grace of God because of you!”
Today’s account of the supper in Luke
is unique because according to Luke Judas received
this first Lord’s Supper with the other
eleven and Jesus before he betrayed Jesus, even
though the plan was already hatched. This means
that the root of bitterness has existed always
at the table. Christ knows about it, we know about
it. What we do with it is the key.
It is worth pondering all our temptation to
schism and argument in light of the garden club
fight. Is it really worth the bloodshed? The end
will come, it says in the Bible, when we least
expect it. In a moment, in the twinkle of an eye,
like a thief in the night. Two men will be in
church together and one will be taken and the
other left. Some will be called sheep and inherit
the Kingdom of Heaven and others will be called
goats and sent to hell. The church is the Body
of Christ. Shall we crucify him again for the
sake of the garden club?
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great
a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every
weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let
us run with perseverance the race that is set
before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter
of our faith, who for the joy that was set before
him endured the cross, despising the shame, and
is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
As we gather today, let us draw close to Christ,
but also close to one another. As long as there
is a we, there is a way.
End Communion We and They #1.DOC
|
| |
| GIFTS
OF COMPASSION |
A
Sermon by Reverend Cynthia F. Reynolds
Glen Ridge Congregational
Church, Glen Ridge, New Jersey,
Preached
on the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, (29June),
2008. |
| Text:
Matthew 10:40-42 |
| Let
us pray: may the words of my mouth and the meditations
of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,
our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
On Friday morning it was a real delight to be
in Robinson Hall when the campers, youth counselors,
and adults had their program for parents at the
conclusion of our wonderful Bible Day Camp. There
were probably 10 high schoolers, about 30 counselors
from grades 5 to 7, and another 30 campers from
age 4 up. They’d spent the week learning
about God’s creation – making appropriate
craft items to take home, running under the sprinkler
on sprinkler day – and singing. Marty reminded
me to especially come down to hear this group
sing. A group of 9th graders took over the music
for the day camp and I couldn’t really tell
who was having more fun – imagine a creation
story sung to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas.
But the one that really got me was the song they
sang at full voice both at the beginning and of
the program – sorry I can’t remember
all the words – but to hear 70 kids singing
loudly “we love the Lord” brought
tears to my eyes.
Now, here’s the stunning part: most of the
high schoolers were members of this church –
but any were not. They came on the invitation
of our kids. Most of the counselors were not members
of our church – also here on invitation
of our own kids. Think about this too: the first
week of school vacation and here they came promptly
at 8:30 each morning to be a part of camp. And
for the first time, there were more campers from
families not members here than there were members.
Marty told me on Friday that one mom was so impressed
by the experience that she asked for information
about our Sunday School for the fall. She thinks
this seems to be a good place for her family and
she wants to be part of it.
Then on Wednesday night I met with the mission
team who will be leaving in just a month for 12
days in South Africa with Jon and Dawn Barnes
– they have a work project at a primary
school – it has over 600 children through
the 9th grade – they will attend worship
at 2 local churches on the Sundays they are there.
They’ll tour the Samaritan Care Center –
a hospice filled with AIDS patients. And they
will stay overnight, not in a B & B –
Dawn calls them homestays – our friends
from this church will be left off in villages
to stay with local families in their homes –
Dawn says some of them have electricity, most
do not have indoor plumbing – they’ll
eat what the families eat and get an idea of life
in 21st century South Africa that no tourist will
ever see. They’ll visit sites that will
put the horrors of apartheid in front of them
– Steven Bikko’s home, the Bhisho
massacre site, just one of many such places, where
29 people were killed, many more injured during
the struggle to abolish apartheid. They’ll
tour the Nelson Mandela museum – what a
trip this will be!
The excitement at the meeting was palpable –
lots of details to be attended to for sure –
and they talked about what they were taking –
the stuff you all have donated – the stuff
they purchased because of your generous financial
donations – medical supplies, musical instruments,
microscopes, books, craft items – and the
gifts for the families with whom they would stay
– each family will receive a lap blanket
lovingly made by ladies of this church over the
years – stuffed animals for the children
a family here in the church donated – believe
me, part of each of us will be in South Africa
this summer. And each of the travelers goes with
a devotional booklet – there are copies
on the Clark Street table if you’d like
one to follow along their journey. If we run out,
we’ll make more. This is one way we can
join together across the world in prayer and share
in this awesome opportunity to be part of the
global church.
But the most important thing they will take with
them is not the stuff, the presents, the gifts,
but their own presence. You all know something
about apartheid I’m sure – blacks
and coloreds, deeply segregated, moved into townships,
required to carry passes, sometimes killed just
because they went somewhere they weren’t
supposed to go. The homestays will take them into
the townships – imagine this: white people
coming to stay in a black township, to walk with
our brothers and sisters in Christ without regard
to color – apartheid was outlawed only in
1994 – and we know it takes generations
to change deeply seeded attitudes, behaviors.
Pretty amazing, isn’t it – that this
trip is happening – and the ministry of
presence that will be both given and received.
Life changing – for everyone involved.
What do these two events have in common? They’re
both about hospitality. They both tie in to our
short scripture passage this morning: whoever
welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes
me welcomes the one who sent me. And whoever gives
even a cup of cool water to one of these little
ones in the name of a disciple – truly,
I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.
Our missionaries travel to South Africa because
Jesus has told them to – they are each responding
to a call. And our children and youth come to
Bible Day Camp, not just because it’s fun,
because it is – but also because they are
excited about the hospitality, the welcome they
feel there. And isn’t that God’s work!
At home and on the other side of the world.
I believe we need to hear the Bible’s message
about hospitality, now more than ever, because
it seems that we live in a remarkably inhospitable
world – poverty right around the corner
from exclusive country clubs, gated communities
in view of tenement buildings, a real isolation
sometimes from each other, even though we yearn
for, need, human contact. There’s a me-first
attitude that is all too prevalent – the
question so often is, what’s in it for me
– what will I get out of it. And “me
first” is the opposite of hospitality, isn’t
it.
We live in a world that needs hospitality. And
hospitality has two dimensions. First of all,
the Bible commands hospitality because of the
vulnerability of the stranger. In the ancient
world, the stranger was just as vulnerable and
marginalized as the widow or orphan. I can’t
help but wonder who is vulnerable and marginalized
today in our culture. Perhaps the names are changed,
but too often the behavior is not.
Back to those ancient times: travelers who were
miles away from their homes were so very vulnerable
as strangers – there were no hotels, no
restaurants, no police forces, no means of easy
communication in times of crisis. The Bible’s
command to show hospitality to strangers is part
of the imperative of justice: to care for those
who have no right to claim our kindness and hospitality.
We are to behave toward others as God has behaved
toward us: compassionate toward those who have
no claim on our compassion. We are to behave toward
others as we want others to behave toward us.
The second dimension of hospitality is how it
affects those who show hospitality. Why is it,
do you think, that our world is so inhospitable.
I think the answer often is really pretty simple:
fear.
To be hospitable makes us vulnerable. To open
our homes to others, especially strangers but
even friends, opens us to criticism and the judgment
of others; it may even open us to crime. So we
isolate ourselves behind the walls of our houses,
behind fences and security systems, behind police
forces and deadly weapons. We isolate ourselves
in front of our televisions and computer screens,
not letting in anyone – not the stranger
on the corner, not the friend down the street,
not even God. Perhaps the failure to be hospitable
is a failure of faith. We don’t admit the
stranger into our homes and lives because we are
not sure that we can really depend on the God
who mandates hospitality.
And let’s go a step further with this whole
notion of hospitality – let’s consider
the implications on us as church. We’ve
talked often in church council and ministry meetings
about falling church attendance, the fact that
the youngest grades in our Sunday School have
fewer children – our new members classes
have been smaller in recent years and we’ve
talked for 4 years about how to define ourselves
as a welcoming church, to become a vibrant church,
full of the joy that Christ brings to us. And
we wonder how this can happen and what to do.
One of the concerns is, of course, financial,
but it seems like that isn’t the main question.
It may well be that this is a failure of hospitality
– a loss of our focus - how welcoming are
we really to strangers – even to each other
in our midst? How do we nurture current members,
attract new members, how do we welcome all of
us into the life of our church, how do we reach
out to the community, the wider church. It’s
about hospitality, isn’t it. It’s
about making ourselves vulnerable, it’s
about recognizing the fear we all have about change.
It’s about trusting God who demands of us
hospitality.
The question isn’t about integrating new
members – that implies new members can do
things our way. The question is about embracing
new members, strangers, and giving and receiving
the gifts we all have for ministry. It’s
about increasing our efforts to welcome strangers
and not just strangers but the person sitting
next to us every week here in worship: it’s
about wearing our name tags, it’s about
signing the welcome pads in the pews so we can
get to know the names of the people who sit near
us on Sunday morning, it’s about our signage
to coffee hour, to the nursery room, to the rest
rooms – it’s about greeting the stranger,
the visitor and walking with them to lemonade
on the lawn. We all want to be connected.
I’ve been struck this year about the number
of people who stay here in the sanctuary after
worship and visit – sometimes it seems that
there are as many here as are downstairs in Robinson
Hall – what’s that about? Are we missing
an opportunity to offer hospitality to each other
in our community? Or are there new ways of offering
hospitality that we need to consider? It’s
interesting that many churches are renovating
their narthex area to accommodate such gatherings.
Seems to me that we need to look at how we welcome
each other, not only the strangers in our midst.
How are we offering that cup of cold water to
each other? To our neighbors? To the strangers
in our midst? Let’s not isolate ourselves.
We have two wonderful examples to reflect on right
now – the missionaries we send to South
Africa are stepping out in faith, both giving
and receiving a cup of cold water in a whole new
way. There’s an excitement along with a
bit of nervousness about doing this for sure but
watching the joy in their anticipation of this
trip – it’s truly a blessing. And
as I watched the faces of those children and youth
on Friday morning, I was so struck by the joy
in them. Kids don’t get up early on summer
mornings easily – but they were here, laughing,
singing, learning, playing together, working together
on projects – their excitement was contagious
to all who were there. Maybe that’s what
we’re missing – some of the joy, the
delight in being together – inviting our
friends to join us in a place, in activities,
in worship because of the nurture, the joy we
both give and receive. One woman who came told
Marty that she didn’t have much use for
organized religion – that the day camp was
fun, but she wasn’t really interested in
participating in what you and I would consider
“church.”
Made me really stop and think about our life together.
What is God calling us to as church? What can
these two ministries teach us?
It’s summer – the pace is slower –
the rate of activity has decreased dramatically.
We look around on this hot and sticky morning
and it’s clear that people are away or choosing
not to come to worship for any number of reasons.
I know I’m tired, looking forward to the
refreshment of vacation that starts this week.
But let’s use some of this Sabbath time
to think about who we are and who we want to be
as church. You’re all here – you made
a choice to come. Think about why – and
then how does this translate into the hospitality
you feel here and the hospitality you extend here.
Maybe we’re being called more into the “being”
of our faith these slower summer days. Then when
the pace picks up again in the fall, we work harder
at the “doing”. We’re nourished
by the being that empowers the doing. That cool
cup of water is essential for us too in order
for us to share it.
What would happen if we really hear and heed the
Biblical message of hospitality? It would be awfully
good news for all of us and our neighbors. We
have the opportunity every day – if we’ll
take the time to pay attention. A small but important
thing: the food donation box in the narthex is
empty. Let’s remember that during the summer
especially the need is greater than we can imagine
– no more school breakfasts or lunches –
children living only a few miles from us are hungry
– can we provide that cup of cool water
to our brothers and sisters. Just one small example,
isn’t it.
The outrageous promise that Jesus makes to those
who show hospitality is that if they open themselves
to those with no claim on their compassion and
kindness, they will be opening themselves to God.
“Whoever receives me, receives the one who
sent me….” And, after all, who really
needs, yearns for hospitality? Is it the bag lady
rooting through the dumpster? Is it the hungry
child living in a steamy hot apartment in the
city? Of course they need our hospitality.
But so do we. Every single one of us.
That smile and offered hand is a cup of cool water
to the person who has come here to worship for
the first or maybe second time or to the person
who has been coming here for years and years.
We don’t know the struggles, the pains,
the anxieties our neighbors are facing at any
given time, do we. Our reaching out may be just
what that person needs right then – and
we need to be connected too.
Showing hospitality is discipleship. Showing hospitality
is done face to face, hand to hand, person to
person, requiring risk and vulnerability, courage
and sacrifice. And hospitality is offered through
sometimes small and seemingly unspectacular ways.
Opening the door to a stranger breaks down a barrier
of protection in a world of walls and loneliness.
A smile requires eye contact. A handshake means
unclenching fists. A piece of bread breaks down
hunger and offers new life. A cup of cold water
to a thirsty soul is as refreshing to the giver
as to the barren throat of the recipient. These
are all acts of basic everyday kindness and generosity.
But these are acts that form us into the Body
of Christ. And as we give, we also receive the
overflowing hospitality of the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit. So may it be for each of us, and
for us as church. Amen.
Let us pray:
Lord, help us to open ourselves to your grace
so that we might offer ourselves to be used as
tools in your hand. The world is full of so much
division, so much hurt, so much pain. Too often
we and your struggling church are terrified at
the enormity of it all and held captive by the
chaos. Still, you do not withhold your love from
us, but lavish your grace and mercy throughout
our lives. Give us the courage to seek new life,
to reach out to the lost, to comfort the sick
and dying, to commune with the un-loveable, for
in this way we are given life. Even if our attempts
are small, producing only the smallest acts of
compassion, we know you will use us to bring about
your new creation. As you found us, help us to
find others. As you welcomed us, help us to welcome
others, and so find our salvation, in community,
by your grace. Amen.
|
| The
Kingdom of Heaven has Come Near |
A
Sermon by Reverend Dr. Joseph David Stinson
Glen Ridge Congregational
Church, Glen Ridge, New Jersey,
Preached
on the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, (15June),
2008. |
| Text:
Matthew 10:7 “As you go, proclaim the good
news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’”
~Jesus
There is much in this reading in Matthew, but
I will concentrate on 10:7. What did Jesus mean,
telling his disciples to proclaim, “The
kingdom of heaven has come near”? Was he
speaking about their proximity in time to the
end of the world and the beginning of God’s
eschatological kingdom?
If so, Jesus must have misunderstood the timing
of his kingdom, because over 2000 years later,
we are still in a kingdoms-of-this-world age.
At the beginning of the gospel, Matthew said,
“From that time Jesus began to proclaim,
‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come
near.’” The kingdom of God was a frequent
element in Jesus’ teaching and he used this
concept to teach a truth about the end times.
But there must be another dimension to it if the
kingdom was coming near during Jesus’ lifetime,
and we are still waiting all this time later.
Since we assume Jesus knew what he was talking
about, it is, then, unlikely that the phrase is
to be taken temporally, to teach that the kingdom
of heaven was about to be inaugurated in time.
There is another meaning of near, and I think
this reveals Jesus’ meaning as he taught
the nearness of the kingdom. Near does not always
refer to a time approaching, but also to a person
or thing coming into close proximity. Whatever
else we mean by this kingdom, it is clearly associated
with the person, rule and teachings of Jesus.
I believe Jesus meant that we draw near to the
kingdom of heaven when he comes near to us.
Here is something else: In the first use of the
phrase, right after his baptism and temptation,
it was Jesus who said the kingdom had come near.
In this reading today, it is the disciples who
proclaim the nearness of the kingdom. There is
no distinction between an ambassador who represents
a king and the king himself. When you are in the
presence of Jesus’ disciples, you are also
in the presence of their Lord as well. Because
they speak the word of Jesus and teach his message,
it is as if Jesus himself is present in their
ministry. We draw near to his kingdom (and to
him) when we join his disciples and attend to
their teaching the word of God.
Here is another truth hidden in this idea of
the kingdom coming near in Jesus. The kingdom
clearly is a future event. Though it may yet be
off in the future, we know kingdom values now.
Because of our confidence in Jesus and the certainty
of his sovereignty, the values of his realm may
become our values today, even if they are not
everyone’s values in the present world.
We believe these things will come to pass in the
future, so we know they are the values by which
our lives and efforts will be judged. Hence, we
live by them today. Again, when Jesus draws you
near to him, you begin immediately to participate
in life in his kingdom. Here is an example.
For the last few weeks the gospel lessons were
all from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In
many ways this set of teachings is the most naïve
the world has ever known. Just listen to some
of the things Jesus taught us disciples in that
sermon:
But I say to you, do not resist an evil doer.
If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn
the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you
and take your coat, give him your cloak as well.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust consume and thieves break
in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures
in heaven.
Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your
life, what you will eat or drink or about your
body, what you will wear. Is not life more than
food, and the body more than clothing?
Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be yours as well. So
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
bring worries of its own.
You know these behaviors Jesus prescribed in
that Sermon. There may have been one or two people
in history who lived up to the code, but among
modern disciples it is generally thought to be
impossible for a person of this world to live
up to it. But I wonder. Doesn’t it depend
on who our neighbor is? It all hinges upon whom
we are asked to walk a second mile or turn the
other cheek. For example, many of us practice
this ethic in our families. Who says it is impossible?
What is missing from our ethical thinking is the
notion of just how large our family is. If all
are brothers and sisters with God as our Father,
that does change perspectives.
What if a consequence of Jesus’ drawing
near to us is that we recognize in him a broader
dimension of love of neighbor and the demands
he will make on us in his kingdom? What if a side
effect of his drawing near to us is that we want
to live by his values in the present, not just
in the future? Would such a life style not be
a kingdom-of-heaven way of living? I do not find
such serious Christianity any easier to live than
you do, but where did we get the idea that being
a disciple of Jesus is supposed to be easy?
Jesus told them, “As you go, proclaim
the good news, ‘the kingdom of heaven has
come near.’” Are we close enough to
it and to him?
|
| |
| Welcome
in God's House |
A
Sermon by Will Younger
Glen Ridge Congregational
Church, Glen Ridge, New Jersey,
Preached
at the Sanctuary service on the 10th Sunday in
Ordinary Time, (15June), 2008.
|
Good
Morning everyone. Before I begin, I would just
like to say thank you to Sherry Brabham and Phoebe
Stinson of the YPS, who planned this service and
to all of you for giving me the opportunity to
speak today. It is really wonderful that, nervous
as I am, I feel welcome up here in the spotlight.
For that, I have all of you to thank. This leads
me to the point of my speech today, the theme
that we worked with throughout the year with the
YPS.
This year, our theme was “WELCOME IN GOD’S
HOUSE,” so we spent much of our time together
discussing the implications of our hospitality
as church members, as well as outside of the church
in our daily lives. As a group, we recognized
that God’s House is not defined by a physical
structure – but is a metaphorical, spiritual
house, so YPS projects to extend our welcome to
others have taken us beyond GRCC. We used fair
trade coffee sales to show our solidarity with
farmers in South America, Africa, and Asia; spent
a weekend at the Youth Service Opportunities Project
to show our love to the homeless and hungry in
New York City; and participated in the Darfur
Walk to demonstrate our compassion and concern
for those who are starving and outcast in North
Africa. Through these volunteer opportunities,
we were able to extend a helping hand to complete
strangers, offering them our help regardless of
who they were or what they had done.
Today’s scripture from the book of Genesis
explains, to some extent, our motivations throughout
the year.
Genesis 18 v. 1-8
1And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre,
as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat
of the day. 2He lifted up his eyes and looked,
and behold, three men were standing in front of
him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door
to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3and
said, "O Lord, if I have found favor in your
sight, do not pass by your servant. 4Let a little
water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest
yourselves under the tree, 5while I bring a morsel
of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and
after that you may pass on since you have come
to your servant." So they said, "Do
as you have said." 6And Abraham went quickly
into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quick!
Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make
cakes." 7And Abraham ran to the herd and
took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a
young man, who prepared it quickly. 8Then he took
curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared,
and set it before them. And he stood by them under
the tree while they ate.
This story shows the importance of hospitality
as a part of the roots of our faith. The passage
goes on to reveal that these men are servants
of God and that Sarah, Abraham’s very old
wife, will soon bear him a son. While we may never
know whether or not we were serving and dining
with Angels when we worked in those New York soup
kitchens, we were certainly blessed to be there.
We made it our goal to do all we could to serve
our customers to the best of our abilities in
an attempt to emulate Abraham’s actions.
Though we had no lamb to slaughter, we did our
best to give people who came looking for a little
food to tide them over for a few hours not just
food, but company, conversation and, most importantly,
our welcoming, smiling faces.
While we have been especially focused on being
welcoming this year in the YPS, the idea is by
no means original. Our own connections to this
concept reach back to the founding of the early
church. After millennia of Judaism being associated
with a specific ethnic and racial identity, early
Christians had to begin proselytizing in order
to ensure that their new faith would endure. The
new converts viewed their faith as a unifying
force that transcended all barriers. In order
to build the faith and spread the word of God,
the practice continued through the generations
to today.
Through the intervening years, different cultures
developed their own ways to welcome people, both
friends and strangers. The handshake developed
in medieval Europe as a way for knights to show
their peaceful intentions by revealing an open
hand that could easily be concealing a dagger
when closed. Early Christians would draw the sign
of the fish in the sand to greet fellow believers.
In India, one of the most interesting concepts
of welcoming developed. This idea, known as Namaste,
is a salutation that recognizes that we are all
embodiments of the divine essence. The subtle
gesture of pressing one’s palms together
and bowing to a friend or stranger is very powerful
and beautiful in its simplicity. To relate this
to Christian ideology, this gesture is equivalent
to telling someone you meet that not only is God
all around us, but that you are one of God’s
creations and should be treated with utmost respect.
In this way, the greeting of namaste is a way
of recognizing the spark of the divine in each
of us. Just as Abraham treated the strangers at
his door like kings, this greeting is fit for
a God.
This is really the essence of hospitality and
welcome. We should always treat newcomers and
strangers with utmost respect regardless of who
they are or what we have heard about them. As
is said in the book of Hebrews, we must “not
neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for
thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
No matter what race, creed, nationality or background,
everyone deserves to be treated with respect and
to be welcomed as a brother.
I would like to conclude with a more modern example
from an older family friend, Reverend Bill Webber.
Reverend Webber was a pioneer of prison ministry,
who worked with rapists, murderers, armed robbers
and other dangerous criminals at Sing Sing Prison
in New York. Many of us would be afraid to go
into the situations he submitted himself to on
a regular basis. By extending God’s hospitality
to those who were at the lowest point of their
lives, however, he was able to accomplish great
things. Reverend Webber followed Abraham’s
model, not only talking to the lonely inmates,
but bringing them gifts of food and comfort. Through
his welcoming attitude, he was truly able to take
the “spark of the divine” that he
recognized in many of the inmates and turn it
into a blazing fire, leading them to a more spiritually
fulfilling life. In this maximum security prison,
he taught these street-hardened men to change
their ways and helped many become registered ministers!
Through working with these inmates, the little
bit of extra effort he put in to extend an open
hand to these men changed the lives of the prisoners,
their future congregations, and all those whom
they went on to help. Because he remembered that
judgment is God’s job and not ours, Reverend
Webber was able to find the angel in each of the
men he worked with and let him free.
By remaining open and welcoming to all people,
we can open up new worlds and bring out the good
in everyone and, best of all, increase the impact
of our own positive actions on the world.
|
| |
| Radical
Acceptance |
A
Sermon by the Rev. Cynthia F. Reynolds
Glen Ridge Congregational
Church, Glen Ridge, New Jersey,
Preached
at the Chapel service on the 10th Sunday in Ordinary
Time, (15June), 2008.
Matthew
9:9-13, 18-26
|
Let us pray: may the words of my mouth and the meditations
of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord,
our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
“Birds of a feather stick together”
– remember that old saying? It speaks the
truth that people tend to share the same values
as those they spend time with – that’s
our tendency as humans, isn’t it. We tend
to reflect and adopt the character and values
of those around us – we are all affected
by peer pressure, don’t we. Maybe we are
drawn toward people whose characteristics we admire,
hoping that their qualities will rub off on us.
An elementary school child who wants to be popular
may become friends with a child who is already
popular, hoping she will become popular too. A
high school athlete who dreams of making the varsity
team might work out with those who share the same
goal. And college students may choose to join
a fraternity or sorority not only because they’re
looking for housing, but also because they want
to be involved in a community of like minded people.
And I often wonder of that’s not part of
the dynamic of street gangs as well – having
a place in a community is so important to each
of us. And this is no less true for those who
live in desperate poverty, for those whose only
escape from the desperation is numbing themselves
with drugs or what seems to be senseless and brutal
violence. We all yearn to belong to something,
don’t we.
And don’t we tend to judge people on the
basis of their friends – parents, you worry
when your children start hanging around with the
“wrong crowd”, not only because of
the “bad influence” your child might
experience, but also maybe because parents are
afraid of what that says about who their kid really
is. We’re afraid that the “bad”
will rub off on the good, instead of the other
way around. But it isn’t only children who
struggle with this, is it. Knowing that people
tend to adopt and reflect the character of those
with whom they associate, we have a keen, if unspoken,
awareness that other people form opinions about
us based on who we hang out with. We may feel
the pressure to distance ourselves from certain
groups of individuals because we don’t want
to be lumped together with them.
So it isn’t too hard to imagine the Pharisees’
disappointment when they discover who Jesus’
friends are. Jesus has been associating with all
the “wrong” people – criminals,
prostitutes, the partying crowd, folks with highly
contagious and dangerous diseases, the social
outcasts, and those on the fringe of society.
The Pharisees are thinking, “How can this
Jesus have the nerve to talk to us about God,
about holiness, about goodness and truth and religious
faith? If he really were the Messiah, he’d
be associating with us – the good, upstanding
citizens, not them. If he’s spending time
with the sinners, then he must be one too. Why
should we bother with him or trust what he has
to say. In a critical tone, they ask his disciples,
why does your teacher eat with tax collectors
and sinners? Because eating with someone was and
still is, a sign of acceptance, the Pharisees
are scandalized by Jesus’ behavior.
I don’t think the Pharisees were necessarily
trying to be cruel here – pharisaic Judiasm
in the first century was about walking the tightrope
of faith in a dangerous world, trying to accommodate
the demands of scripture and tradition on the
one hand with the realities of living in a non-Jewish
world on the other. They struggled with the questions
of how to live faithfully in a sea of customs
that contradicted their practices and their ideals,
sometimes resulting in compromise, sometimes resulting
in complex rituals, sometimes resulting in firm
restrictions against certain behaviors. We too
have those same conflicts in our lives too –
I know that’s true.
By eating with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus
sends a clear signal that he doesn’t see
things in the same way that the Pharisees do.
Jesus doesn’t see the world the same way
we do. Jesus doesn’t worry about the bad
reputations of the people he hangs out with rubbing
off on him. He doesn’t avoid the tax collectors
and sinners out of fear of what the neighbors
might think or what conventional wisdom of the
day calls for. Jesus radiates love and acceptance,
even and especially to those the world deems unacceptable
and untrustworthy. Jesus hasn’t come to
call the righteous, but the sinners. Jesus doesn’t
size people up to see whether they are worthy
of his time and attention.
Jesus extends love and acceptance to all people
– sinners, outcasts, those on the fringes
of society, his sincere but inept disciples, and
to you and me as well. Jesus offers love and acceptance
to all people, without regard to their reputation,
their social standing, their personal history,
or who their friends are. Jesus calls Matthew,
a man who held the unpopular job of being a tax
collector, to join his small group of disciples.
It didn’t matter to Jesus what kind of reputation
tax collectors had – it didn’t matter
that tax collectors were considered to be cheats
and collaborators with the despised Roman government.
By inviting Matthew into the life of discipleship,
Jesus signals that there is room among the community
of his followers for all – sinners and righteous
alike. “Follow me” Jesus says. Jesus
invites us into a life-transforming relationship
with him. How will we respond?
Where would we find Jesus today? Maybe at the
rundown tavern near the railroad tracks, sitting
on a barstool between the town drunk and the village
atheist? Maybe on a street corner befriending
the kids who don’t seem to fit in anywhere?
Maybe at the homeless shelter, listening with
compassion to the stories of those who come seeking
help? Maybe in the grocery stores when we push
our heavy carts along, asking us to remember our
hungry neighbors too? And maybe even right here
as we gather to worship. Where will you find Jesus
today?
Jesus invites the outsider, Matthew into fellowship.
But Jesus also invites the “insider”
– the leader of the synagogue as well. We’re
told suddenly this leader bursts in where Jesus
is sitting and eating with all of these outcasts
– he’s desperate. And Jesus goes with
him to the house of this leader to restore the
daughter back to life. And on the way there, Jesus
heals that woman who suffered from a hemorrhage
that lasted 12 years. Please remember –
this woman’s hemorrhage made her unclean
– an outcast, an outsider in her society.
And the daughter at home – they feared she
lay there dead – also unclean, an outcast,
an outsider. It didn’t matter who her father
was. The laws of unclean applied to all.
So in the same house, we have insider and outsider
– remarkable. And Jesus’ response
to the rich, powerful, and righteous synagogue
leader is the same response as he makes to the
long suffering woman. He responds with mercy and
compassion: offering healing, life, salvation.
Jesus embraces everyone – everyone –
with mercy and love and draws each and every one
of us into the freedom that his love offers, to
live in the freedom that God’s acceptance
gives us – and we are all called to accept
others in Jesus’ name. Jesus simply loves
and accepts us, no matter our reputation, no matter
our sins, imperfections, and shortcomings. And
don’t we all have some of these!
Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners. The
one who challenged the Pharisees to recognize
God’s acceptance of others, who called Matthew
to a life of discipleship, who responded with
compassion to the pain of the synagogue leader,
and who reached out with mercy to heal a long
suffering woman: that same Jesus reaches out to
us with that same acceptance and challenge to
love.
Jesus loves and accepts us, forgiving us and inviting
us into a living relationship with God. Jesus
challenges us to live in a new way, to see the
world through his eyes, to accept and even associate
with others as he does. Jesus invites us to look
at others as he does: through God’s eyes
of love.
So may it be. Amen.
Let us pray: loving God, help us to leave aside
our goodness and rightness to receive the stranger
as one forgiven as we; help us to put aside our
fears of contagion to offer healing of mind, body,
and spirit. Help us to put aside what we think
to be true that you might surprise us again with
renewal of life. Amen.
|
| |
| |
| What
Difference Does this Make? |
A
Sermon by the Rev. Cynthia F. Reynolds
Glen Ridge Congregational
Church, Glen Ridge, New Jersey,
Preached
at the Sanctuary service on the 9th Sunday in
Ordinary Time, (01June), 2008.
Text:
Matthew 7:21-29
|
| CALL
TO WORSHIP FOR CONFIRMATION SUNDAY:
The journey of faith is a journey through life.
We are pilgrims, travelers, making our way.
We sojourn on the pathway of the saints.
We walk the same highway
and follow the same landmarks which lead them.
But for each generation, in each place and time,
and for each seeker who travels this way
the road seems different.
Today we celebrate tomorrow’s leaders,
the heroes of a history yet to be made.
We hold our hands to them
and beckon them to join us on the journey.
As they walk beside us,
we may tell them our stories.
But we may not tell them the way.
It is a quest they must follow by themselves.
We can tell them of our questions,
but the answers must come from within their own
hearts.
We celebrate a new generation of faith,
a new branch, with its leaves about to blossom.
Let us all make a place for them
and let them know that the family of Christ
is their family too,
as we all worship God together.
We expect a lot of our confirmands here –
they attend Sunday School classes each week and
then, on top of that, they attend the confirmation
class on Tuesday afternoons. They attend early
morning chapel services about 4 times a year and
then spend time with their sponsors in an activity.
They are required to attend the annual meeting
and report on it – those of you who attended
this year’s meeting will remember it was
about the longest we’ve ever had here. Our
class meeting after that was especially interesting
– Gordon Hunziker attended that session
and the confirmands did not hesitate to ask lots
of questions and were not shy about expressing
their opinions. And each confirmand does at least
3 service projects – ranging from childcare
to working the dishwasher after one of our many
events – from helping at the rummage sale
or the antique show to baking brownies for Bread
for the Journey. We take attendance at each class
and do some followup if their attendance seems
to fall off.
We expect a great deal of our confirmands indeed.
Many of them are actively involved in sports –
they’ve had to make decisions about their
participation all year – and some of them
have done extra service projects to make up the
time, they’ve completed the work assignments
and handed them in if they’ve had to miss
class. We expect a lot and the joy of it is, we
get a lot from them. And hopefully they’ve
gotten a lot out of their participation in this
program.
Our Sunday School program is a fabulous foundation
for them – I’m always impressed by
the depth of their knowledge about the Bible stories
- and then the goal of the confirmation class
is to build on that knowledge: to use that knowledge,
to apply that knowledge to daily living, to help
them understand that indeed, all this does make
a difference, hopefully a lasting difference in
their lives. I’m convinced that we’re
planting seeds in these young people that will
grow and mature at different rates but the ultimate
goal is for each of them to take their place as
responsible members of the church and more importantly,
to see themselves as lifelong disciples of Christ.
And this isn’t easy – for them or
for us. Our passage from Matthew this morning
is anything but soft. It’s incredibly demanding.
It’s incredibly challenging. It’s
incredibly harsh at times.
This gospel reading reminds us that Jesus is not
only welcoming, affirming, and loving, but he
is also very demanding. To be a follower of Jesus
is to be willing to be confronted, challenged,
to be made uncomfortable with the status quo of
our lives and then to act on that. It’s
not enough to know the lessons of Sunday School.
It’s not enough to hear the words. We’re
called to live the lessons. To do the words. Every
day of our lives – no matter where we are
spending our time, no matter our age. On the sports
fields. In business. In our families. Every moment
of every day.
It’s not enough to hear Jesus’ teachings,
even to agree with them, affirm them. There must
also be action.
This is hard, isn’t it. And you’ve
all made your decision to be confirmed –
you’ve all been through the rite of confirmation
this morning and have become members of the universal
church, this church. Are you wondering, what have
I done? Are you thinking, well, I’ve been
confirmed – now I don’t have to come
to Sunday School any more, I don’t have
to get up on Sunday morning to come to worship
any more. Maybe there is some truth to that for
some of you at one time or another. And I’d
guess that there is some truth to that for the
rest of us sometimes too.
Well, this is sounding pretty grim on this day
of celebration of the rite of confirmation, isn’t
it. But here’s the deal: you’ve already
started! You’re already on this challenging,
hard, wonderful journey. When we asked you if
you wanted to be confirmed, you all said yes.
And when we asked you why, you said things like,
it’s important to be in community with other
believers; you said you want a stronger relationship
with God; you want to enter into the life of this
church using the talents you have been given.
Many of you spoke of wanting to help in the Sunday
School classes. A couple of you spoke of the importance
of worshipping together – that the sacraments
really meant something to you.
And for many of you, that wasn’t enough:
you want to be involved. You want to continue
doing the work that Jesus calls us to do. Our
confirmation program here models the Christian
life: emphasis on the three reasons for the church
to be in existence: worship, teaching, service.
We expect your attendance at worship and you’ve
done it. We’ve talked about what worship
means – all the parts of worship –
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