Luke 14: 25-33 (Proper18C2)
“Round Up Sunday,” and what a great day always for us here at St.
Andrew’s—every fall, and perhaps especially this fall.
A thunderstorm at the beginning of the week on
Labor Day, and some cooler northern air, summer mostly in the rearview
mirror—new energy in so many ways. Back
to school, work, the pace picking up all around us. Pirates marching toward October!
And I say “especially for us this fall” mindful of the renewal and
renovations that we are already experiencing here in this great place of
worship and parish life. Unseen but so
important, the floors braced up underneath our feet now for another two or
three centuries, and then these beautiful flooring surfaces of wood and tile,
the restored doors, the recovery of what is traditionally called the “Bride’s
Room” entry, as a companion to the Groom’s Room as it was developed a couple of
years ago in honor of our good friend Fr. Bill Marchl as fully-accessible
entryway.
How bright the singing sounds
in here now—our fabulous choir, after the summer break, and I think our
congregational singing sounds fuller and richer now too. O Lord, open thou our lips, and our mouth
shall show forth thy praise.
And we see
all the construction going on next door in the Parish House--how much more we
will have to celebrate as the year before us rolls along. A welcoming entry, full accessibility to all
floors, expanded meeting space for congregational activities and for our
partners in the neighborhood. My image
has been to say that we are “increasing our bandwidth.” Round Up Sunday always a day that points to
great things in the life of this congregation in the year ahead, but especially
this year, and I hope you feel it too.
The engines are revving up!
It is an extravagant investment of the precious resources of the
families of this congregation and in our wider extended family. I am humbled truly by the generosity and the
enthusiasm and the vision that the people of St. Andrew’s are showing. Past the million-dollar mark now, which is
amazing, and well on our way to the goal.
Not there yet, but well on our way.
The confidence not just in the present moment, but the confidence in the
important future that God has in mind for us.
This all so much about vocation
and stewardship and above all mission. I mean, read this leaflet this morning! Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple once
said that the Church is a unique institution in our society and our economy
because it exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its
members. And I’m so pleased about what
our Mission and Outreach leadership folks have prepared for us today. Just hints in the leaflet, more outside at
the picnic! Building on the foundation
of our work with Five Talents to expand our engagement with mission in
Peru. Beginning a new mission
partnership with the redevelopment of the ministry of the Episcopal Church at
St. James in the Penn Hills. Godly Play
and Tweens and Teens, Bible Study, Choir, Music. In so many ways, putting God’s love into
action for those in need both near and far.
Worship the Lord in the beauty
of holiness.
This Opening Doors Campaign not about what we will have when we’re
done with all this construction, but about what God the Holy Spirit is going to
do with us, with his Church. Think about the first words of the Prayer of
St. Francis that we pray together on Morning Prayer Sundays and so at the end
of our service this morning. Lord, make
us instruments of your peace. Lord, use us to do your work. Use us,
use this church and our worship, these meeting rooms, ramps, elevator, all of
it. Use us. Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord,
to thee. That we might be witnesses to
the life of the one who was promised, witnesses to Jesus, that we might be
witnesses to his saving death on the cross, dying in our place, and then raised
from the dead, as God’s first sign to us of what new life in him is all about. Send us out to do the work you have given us
to do.
That all might seem like a lot to read into a new floor and ramps and
an elevator and some new restrooms and meeting spaces out here in our little
East End neighborhood. To equip us for
the mission that Christ has called us to as his Body. But I actually don’t think it is. You know the story of the vocational moment
of St. Francis of Assisi. He knelt in
prayer outside the ruins of the church in that little town and heard Jesus
speaking to him, “rebuild my church.” So
he got the contractors and the bricklayers and all the rest, and that’s what he
did. But it turned out God wasn't
finished with that project.
More to do, with
an impact of rebuilding and renewal not simply of an ancient church
building—but of truly the character of Christian life across the world and over
centuries. Drop one stone in a pond, and
the ripples spread out farther than we can imagine. I think and I believe that God has great
things in mind for us beginning here also and beginning today. Round up Sunday. Opening Doors at St. Andrew’s. Rebuild my church. He’s doing those great things already, and
there’s more to come.
Just right to hear the challenging word for us this Round Up Sunday
from the Second Lesson, the reading from Luke 14. Those startling words at the beginning about
what can feel like the dramatic, painful costs of discipleship. The question is, “how much can I keep for
myself, Jesus, while following you? And
the answer that Jesus gives reminds me of conversations that I have with
couples as they prepare for marriage. To
say, there is no “prenup” for this relationship, in our life as members of the
one Body of his Church. Some of my clergy colleagues have an absolute policy
that they will not preside at a marriage service for a couple if there is a
pre-nuptial financial agreement.
I’m not
quite so absolute, and I know I have at least twice done so, when it seemed
like family circumstances really required it.
But I’m sympathetic to those who are more absolute. No holding back. No days off.
We sometimes say that the Church is the Bride of Christ, that marriage
itself is intrinsically related to the covenant between Christ and his Church, and
here we get some of the details. For
better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to be
faithful all our life long. What Jesus
is talking about here in Luke 14. And
the last line of the reading. “None of
you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” An echo perhaps in the old marriage service,
as the groom says to the bride: “with all my worldly goods I thee endow.” In the new service, as rings are exchanged,
“with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.”
All, everything. What kind of a marriage would it be, if this
were not so? I commit myself to you,
88%.
There is something both scary and exciting about being all in.
Putting everything on the line.
Not holding back. Not leaving
anything on the table. Deep breath, and
then letting go.
Jesus saying to his disciples here, and to us, let’s not underestimate what this is all about. What we are together. What we’re about here isn’t a hobby, a spare
time special interest, an entertainment.
It’s about him giving
everything for us for the sake of the whole world, and about us giving everything for him, heart and
mind and strength, as the saying goes, 24/7/365. With all that I am, with all that I have.
Next Sunday young Max Kampmeyer will be baptized—baptism #14 in our
Parish Register for 2013, which is a great and almost astonishing number for a
little parish like ours--and what I’ll say to and for him as he is anointed
with Holy Oil in the freshness of New Birth, dying with Christ and then rising
in the power of the Holy Spirit—what I’ll say to him then is what I hope we
will all hear this Round Up Sunday morning.
The story of Samuel anointing David in Bethlehem, so long ago.
Again and again, right here at this font and in this congregation and
out these open doors and into the wide world.
God has great things in mind for you, for us. Great things!
No comments:
Post a Comment