union avenue christian church |
||||||||
|
||||||||
Salt and Peace Mark 9:38 – 50; Psalm 124 Can you name the places along the way of your life when you have given a cup of water to drink? Was it the time that the words from your mouth didn’t seem to belong to you, but you were able to provide exactly the wisest counsel to a needy colleague? Was it the time that your teen-age child was the very most desperate — knowing that she was absolutely unloved and unlovable — and you were able to tenderly show her how valued she truly was and get her back on the path of hope? Was it the moment that a friend was facing a dark hole in his life, and, although you had never been in that precise place, you were able to share the pain and fear and stay until you could walk out of it together? Was it when your spouse or partner experienced rejection or unfair treatment and literally shut down any ability to reason their way out of desperation and you merely surrounded them with love until that reason was regained? Was it when a stranger appeared to be in need and you were able to care for that need and you did it quietly and without concern for your own safety? Was it when you had the words of faith, or the melody of love, or the artistic expression of possibility and gave those to a community that needed to be stretched? Naming those places along the way of life when we have offered the cup of water to those who are thirsty is important. They are important not for our own adulation, not for any glory or satisfaction, not even to claim how we might have been instrumental in other’s success, but claiming those moments as offering to God – because indeed, God is the one who gave us the power, the incentive, the eyes to see, the energy to respond …and God is the one to satisfy that we are living in community as God had hoped. Naming those times and places in our past sets the foundation for how we live today and identifying the impact on tomorrow. It is just as important to be able to name the places along the way when we have received the needed cup of water …its cooling refreshment and its companionable love. Jesus Christ has given us the way — THE WAY of life that God so longs for us to follow…that God so longs for us to live. In this season, our scriptures seem to be raising our consciousness about how we live in community, how we serve each other in community, and how we build the faith by living and serving with each other. In the season of our life as Union Avenue Christian Church, we are also very conscious of community life: what has gone before us to bring us to this place, and, more importantly, what we are doing now that will open possibilities for those who follow us. Knowing the past and envisioning the future are essential ingredients for how we live the present and not get stuck in the past — no matter its glory. Christians all over the world today gather at the Communion Table. For us, that is nothing new, startling, or out-of-the-ordinary. We celebrate at the Table every week, but, by and large, most Protestants do not. Five-hundre years ago when faithful people reacted to a variety of concerns in the Roman Catholic Church, a major shift in worship occurred. More emphasis was placed on the reading of scripture and the preaching of the word in the young, protesting expressions of the church. Who could receive at the Table, who could preside at the Table, when communities would gather at the Table were all dividing points for these Christians. In the Roman Catholic Church it was clear. The Mass was celebrated every Sunday by the priest, and the priest would determine which congregants were worthy of receiving. When this country was settled by Europeans, varying Christian beliefs were brought along. Because of the staunch belief that there would be no one ‘state’ religion, each particular flavor of Christianity could flourish and separate into new brands of that particular flavor. Our forebears in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) were appalled by the divisiveness that became prevalent among the Church of Jesus Christ in America. This apparent divisiveness is why they committed themselves to a movement of Christian unity — the center of which would be gathering around the Table, believing that Jesus Christ, himself, was inviting all who would call him by name to feast at that Table. Our forebears also believed that the central act of communion was the height of worship for Christians — the center, the focus, the most important act we do as a community of faith. That reality was an important ‘place along the way’ for Christians, and, although the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) remains a relatively small denomination, the focus on opening the Table to all who would come and re-committing to the reality that communion is central to the life of a faith community is certainly a cup of water we have given to the Church of Jesus Christ — a cup of healing and living water. The cup of water that we are compelled to give is for the building up of those in need. Whether it is from person to person or person to community or community to community, all gifts of living water are for healing and wholeness and to move into a more significant future. Our scripture this morning, convoluted as it is, offers several compelling instructives for community building. The cup of water we offer is one, becoming a salty presence is another, and then always striving to be at peace with each other is yet another. Flavoring and preserving as salt, cooling and refreshing as water …and living in peace with all. Consider, will you, what cup of water, salty presence and peaceful gift have we have offered as a congregation to the community around us. Our presence on this corner was proclaimed important by Disciples early in the 20th century because this was going to be an exciting area of St. Louis. For decades the people of St. Louis were enriched by our presence and ministry. Disciples around the country knew of this congregation and its faithfulness. Today, people of this neighborhood have a growing appreciation for our ecumenical work in justice and service ministries. Children in this neighborhood know they get to come here every year, filling this sanctuary and delighting to hear Bobby Norfolk – a great storyteller. People of St. Louis know us for the artistic expression we celebrate as ministry and through ministry – in the Brigham art gallery, through Union Avenue Opera, the Women’s Chorale, Band Together, West End Players. We are known because of our choir and the music that is integral to worship and because of the Taize services we have begun. Young professional singers around the country know that this is not only a good performing venue, but they know this is a faith community connecting art and ministry. Disciples around the country know of this congregation because of our outstanding communication ministries – through the website and the newsletter, of which we never publish an edition without at least one appreciative letter or note or call from someone out of town who has read an article of interest. We are known by the small groups of people who are committed to each other: a Homebuilders class which has met for decades; a Young adult group that is growing and offering friendships to students and professionals most who do not have family in St. Louis; a pastor’s class filled with exuberant teens and pre-teens who meet to study and have fun; a choir who not only sing from their hearts but thoroughly enjoy each other’s company; a women’s fellowship who meet to study, pray and sew and cook. How will what we do in ministry today impact the people of tomorrow? How will the cup of water, salty presence, and community of peace which we offer now provide healing and wholeness for people of the next generation? Our worship space is central to all of our ministries. In here we celebrate life and death and the presence of Jesus Christ through all of it. In here we connect the reality that artistic expression is a gift of God and nurture that reality in the lives of many, many people – young and old. In here we claim the truths about justice that God empowers us to enact and for which we stand and witness. This space – this place – has been an important focus of our life together for 100 years. What our forebears did in this space has gifted us with possibility for today. What we do today will be setting the foundation for those yet to come. Providing the cool water, the salty presence, the peaceful community can be interpreted as opening our doors to all who would come and all who yearn to worship a living and creating God. Providing the cool water, the salty presence and the peaceful community can be seen as helping others affirm what we already know about art – in its many forms – that it is God speaking, singing, painting, creating through God’s creatures, and all of it provides a means for honoring and worshipping God. Providing the cool water, the salty presence and the peaceful community can be seen as making sure this holy space is used for proclaiming God’s love of all God’s children, speaking out against the evils of hate and anger, and affirming the hope for all people to receive what is needed for life. As we take on the challenge of re-creating this holy space of worship, may we be mindful that we are doing it so that God’s people of the future will be blessed – even as we have been blessed by the work of those who came before us. May the imprint of our ministry today be an avenue for possibility of those who will come after us. May the cup of water we offer because of what God is giving to us, how God is living within us, how distinctively our ministry is reflected through us be a contribution to the place along the way — the story of God’s people on this earth throughout all time. SW |
OUR LIFE OUR WORSHIP OUR STUDY OUR HISTORY OUR CHURCH LINKS
|
|||||||
 |
|
|||||||
