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Vision and Humility Luke 18:9– 14; Joel 2:23 – 32 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep. Out of that dark and void and chaos, God created. Not so in the beginning of this ministry commencing in the fall of 2004. There was NOT formless void…there was NOT utter darkness…and there was NOT total chaos. The beginning of this ministry for which we are joined together has a far different model than the creation story. The image that comes to mind is the weaving of a beautiful tapestry that indeed will bring glory to God by wrapping God’s people in warmth, love, courage, and power. There will be new threads for this glorious weaving but there are strong and vibrant threads already giving it shape. Let me name some of those: A bit over 100 years ago, Disciples in St. Louis had 10 congregations — most of them small and as James Philputt described: “no one of them of sufficient strength adequately to represent our cause in that great city” (That They All Be One. St. Louis: Christian Board of Publication. 1933. p.81.) He continues to describe the reality of the time — two of the larger congregations (Central and Mount Cabanne) each needed better buildings and so the congregations united and built an edifice that would be a credit to our people. Rev. Philputt was called to serve Union Avenue, as it would be called and to build this building in both of its major stages. So to have a building out of which we are able to do ministry is a gift and thread of our heritage. To have served not only St. Louis and the people of this neighborhood, but to have been a beacon of light and witness through this past century to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a great gift and thread for today. Few Disciples congregations compare with the history of great preachers, pastors and leaders of Union Avenue. That members and friends would realize how central is the outreach ministry of the congregation that they would entrust great gifts and resources to the faithful responsibility of Union Avenue is another beautiful and rich thread of the tapestry. During the ministry of the last long term pastorate of Union Avenue came the melding of this congregation’s social responsibility in outreach with its understanding of artistic expression as God’s giftedness. Undoubtedly, before Tom Stockdale’s ministry those values were a part of Union Avenue — but during his leadership, they were intertwined in new and wondrous ways — especially through the Food Outreach and the beginning of the Union Avenue Opera Theater. What glorious gifts we have been given – what greatness there is in our past. “The study of history is not just an academic exercise,” claims G. Curtis Jones, another former pastor. “Rather, history functions for a people like memory does for an individual. Deprive a person of memory and that individual becomes disoriented, not knowing where she has been or where she is going.” Knowing who we are and how we have been called through our past is essential for seeking the vision of today and tomorrow. So, no, we did not begin with the void — or chaos — or darkness when we began this ministry together. Oh how great we have been…how great we are…how great we can become! And thank God and Jesus Christ, for parables such as the one today from Luke. The Pharisee is not a villain any more than a faithful and thriving congregation. Neither is the tax collector a hero any more than a congregation who has struggled to survive. The central aspect of this story is about the ultimate failure of self-righteousness. This theme is as old as the Garden of Eden and the tower of Babel. This theme is one that Jesus preaches and teaches throughout his ministry. God’s reverse understanding of the exalted being humbled and the humbled being exalted is core to our faith. But there is such a fine line, it seems like we might be in a no-win situation. For how can we be the greatest we have been called to be and not get puffed up, go over the edge, and then be brought down? Or how can we make sure our humility is not just timidity, as we shrink from the boldness that a situation requires. Desmond Tutu (God Has A Dream. New York: Doubleday. 2004, p. 84) claims the “horrible but human weakness … (of wanting) …very much to be loved.” And so often, we assume a stance of what we identify as humility when, in fact, it is fear and timidity. Where can we stand? How can we stand? How can we vision big enough and not over-the-top?! How can we claim obedience without fear? Believing that God has led us thus far. Celebrating that the threads of this glorious tapestry we are to weave have not been spun either by us or for us. Knowing that we are not in charge of our destiny — but are to be participants and co-creators with God. Affirming that every congregation has a specific and fundamental call from God — and just as our search in life is to discern a personal call — so a congregation’s is to discern what it is that God would have us be at any given time. Visioning is a commitment — to use what we have been given — and to allow God to dream through us about what more there might be. To think about the gift of this great building and imagine how it could be used even more on a daily basis for new and creative ministries – acknowledging that like our own homes or automobiles…. that real use demands constant care but brings everlasting beauty and comfort. Our vision — if we choose to use some of the gifts we have already been given — could include the development of future leaders of the church. Our history has been blessed with incredible pastors and preachers, but educators, historians, writers, missionaries, ecumenists, and administrators of the Disciples. Why not use that thread for the future? Today is the 200th anniversary of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We need to be helping develop the leaders for our next 200 years. Because it is a part of our DNA that congregational members believe artistic expression is not just a pleasure of life but a God given gift — aren’t we compelled to teach that to the next generation of believers? Can we be imaginative in the development of young children to use their voices and their hands to express the gifts planted in them by God? The Opera Company is in the process of further development of their educational component — surely there are ways the congregation will be able to support and partner; as well as develop other avenues for children and youth in art. We have three amazing congregations on this corner. Each of them with a distinguished and honorable past…each giving significant witness to their denominations: Presbyterian Church USA, United Church of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)…and each — within the last 18 months — saying YES to life within these buildings. More importantly each has said YES to be servants of Jesus Christ to this neighborhood together. We are going to work against poverty and racism and for the betterment of our schools. Our mission is one. Our community ministry is one. We are going to reach out united. We are beginning these same kinds of conversations as Disciples in metropolitan St. Louis. We are one church – brothers and sisters in the faith. All of what we will be envisioning in the next few years demands that we take our mission “Where diverse minds and hearts come together to worship God and to become Biblically informed, socially responsible, artistically alive and to demonstrate Christ’s love and move it out…. For our mission is not…cannot…must not be just about who we are – or who we are in this sanctuary …but must be about who we are to God’s whole earth …who we are to the people we do not yet know…. who we are to the people who do not yet know the message of the Gospel that God has planted in our hearts Wesley Allen has written (Biblical Preaching Journal, Summer 2004) about two congregations in Atlanta, Georgia. Every June the Gay Pride parade goes down Peachtree Street, passing by some of the oldest and most historic large Atlanta churches. Every year one church moves its worship service early – so members can avoid contact with the gays and lesbians in the parade. Some of the men would stay behind, however, to protect the church building and display signs of protest and condemnation. Just across the street was a smaller, dying church – that also dismissed worship early because of the parade. They did so in order to post signs of “God’s love for everyone” …and to prepare trays of paper cups with ice water for the paraders. One year an elderly woman who was handing out water decided to make a bold move. She took her tray of water and walked through the parade to the other side of the street – and offered the men of the other church – a cup of cold water. All, but one, refused and tried to persuade her of God’s wrath and judgment. Today, that church has been abandoned. The congregation moved to the suburbs – where they are really not much more than a country club with a chaplain. The water-giving church has changed as well. It is now one of the fastest growing churches of the city …but it is filled with homeless women from the shelter it sponsors, gays and lesbians who believed the placards of God’s immense love, and senior citizens, and families with children, and business people of the city who don’t know any better than to associate with all of those other folks…oh, yes, and the one lone man from across the street – who had accepted the woman’s gift of water that hot, sunny day in June. When a congregation hears and believes what it has been called to do in God’s realm, God will empower that ministry beyond a doubt. Union Avenue Christian Church has been blessed by God …and we celebrate those amazing threads of our heritage today. Our task – together – is to continue to weave the tapestry of glory… To dream God’s dreams and see God’s visions.. And not be daunted by what it might take to achieve those. We don’t have the power to achieve any of them …even as our forebears didn’t have the power to achieve what has been accomplished in the past. If they are God’s dreams we are dreaming…and God’s visions we are envisioning…then it will be God’s power that it takes to draw us together to enliven them…• SW |
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