September 7, 2008

Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, our Deacon, Jane Holmes, has just read us a very telling passage from the Gospel of Matthew. It is captivating because it is emblematic. In this lesson, Jesus gives his disciples straightforward instruction, but this teaching also stands as an example for a greater, far-reaching truth. The simple message Jesus lays out is how members of a church should deal with conflict within the community. God’s Son tells his 12 would-be-leaders, when tension arises between your people, be mature and steady. When hurt feelings come out, when disagreements erupt, when there’s conflict over priorities, do not lose your spiritual grounding. Tell the two parties to meet face-to-face. Tell them to put away pouting and seething and gossiping. 

In the church, the way to deal with unpleasantness is to be mature and faith-filled. Go directly to your brother or sister in the faith and express the truth of your feelings. Trust the integrity and the faithfulness of the offender. Trust your persuasive powers. Trust the Spirit of God moving through the interaction. Jesus presents a clear, practical process. Meet face-to-face. If the matter cannot be resolved between you two, bring one or two other members to the discussion. These will be folk who care about you both. They will be impartial to the outcome and will have a deep commitment to the welfare of the entire community. This is reasonable, positive and effective strategy.

But this process also points to the more encompassing reality. With this example of how the community will deal with conflict, Jesus gives us a key to the church. He gives us the tool that opens up the doors to a sanctuary on earth. This lesson unlocks the mission of the church. Here, Jesus tells the first founders – church is the place on earth where people go to discover their Godliness. Church is the place where the impress of God made on every human soul is brought to light and encouraged. Church is the site where God-inside-us is identified, nurtured, instructed and strengthened. Within this community, the best versions of ourselves are formed. How to deal with conflict with our neighbors is just the first example of how the church draws out and encourages our best natures.

The church is a community anchored on the example of Jesus Christ, guided by the Spirit of God, focused on love, affirmation, acceptance and accountability. Because Jesus Christ is the heart of the community, grace, forgiveness and encouragement permeate the interactions of her members. The church is the place in the world where the best you have within you is expected and the falling short is a given. The church is the place on earth that wraps its arms around you, tells you here you are your best, most Godly qualities, here are your challenges, be mindful of them as well, and then sends you out into the world to do amazing deeds of power and compassion. The church welcomes you back from life’s skirmishes, soothes the inevitable scrapes and bruises, nourishes you and sends you back out again. And how, you might wonder, does the church accomplish this mission, this impressive and holy purpose? It is done by its explicitness. The church in its words, actions, prayers and programs says straight out, this is the place and we are the people who believe that God resides within you. 

You were made beautiful and powerful and we expect nothing less of you. We support the Divine Spark burning within your soul. We fan that flame. We give you love and lessons to grow into the best, the most Godly version of yourself. In its words, actions, prayers and programs, the church encourages our Godly image as we become adults. In this body, before they go off to Virginia Tech, Carolina, State or the police academy, Kelly, Ethan, Vince and Daphne will hear a chorus of church voices in their heads. They’ll hear “Do not engage in behaviors and attitudes that diminish the Godliness that resides within you.” Say no to ridiculous nonsense that negates your power and awesome worth. You are made of the finest quality. You are God’s own. Protect this most valuable asset.

In this body, in its words and actions, prayers and programs, the church supports our Godly image in our marriages. For Jessica and Kevin married a few months, Sarah and John married for years, Rae and Manfred joined for decades, the church acknowledges the realities of unions. The community says relationships can become boring. Partners begin to feel taken for granted. Too much energy goes into maintenance. Just getting through the day, with child care and paying the bills, makes it easy to succumb to the frustrations and limitations of wedded bliss. The church explicitly encourages people in their vows.

In its words and actions, prayers and programs, the church calls our oldest members to their best selves as they age. For folk like Molly and Ruth, Jackie and Don, this body of Christ holds out lessons and promises which counteract fear, bitterness, anxiety and isolation. Faithful hope replaces those emotions with dignity, humor and peace of mind. At every stage of human development, the church encourages self-awareness, spiritual maturity, a celebration of our strengths and attention to our weaknesses.

Jesus said, “Again, truly I tell you, where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” Jesus is in the midst of the church. He is its heartbeat. In this lesson, He’s telling us what the church is supposed to be. It is a community that brings us face to face with all the grace and power of the Divine Spark residing within us and within one another. As we are sadly aware, despite Christ’s permeating presence, the church does not always live up to its potential. In fact, it has never always lived up to its ideal. In the very first community of believers, the 12 argued about who would sit next to Jesus. Poor Paul had a fit with the Corinthians. He wasn’t out of town a month before they were back-biting and scheming. Most of us have been to a church or two that was neither welcoming nor challenging. St. Mark’s in fact has had periods where she lost her way, a year here or there where she became complacent or worse, or worse. This is the nature of human organized institution. They will veer off course. 

But, because Christ is always present in the body of faith, eventually the community finds its way back and regains its footing. Today, there is energy and commitment on this hill to claim the key Jesus holds out for us. Today we are invested and we are curious. There is present in our midst a wonderment and an inkling that the church may actually be the place to find enduring truths and practical answers. And moreover, rather than being one of several good growth opportunities like scouts or sports or clubs or service organizations or self-help books at Barnes and Nobles, the church can be the central community where we get our best nourishment and align our most important priorities.

This deepened commitment to the mission that Christ holds out for St. Mark’s and St. Mark’s determination to honor this holy work is why we’ve been busy busy funding new space. Let’s be very clear. We do not care diddlysquat about attracting hordes of new Sunday worshippers. We do not care diddlysquat about erecting an imposing edifice to signal abundance and grand resources. After prayerful, prayerful consideration, we set out to create some space that will allow us to learn the virtues and the skills required to “live the way of Christ.” We’re building rooms that will support us as we discover God-in-us, so we can take that power and impress out into the world and into all our relationships. 

Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, it is no coincidence that Commitment Sunday for this building campaign falls on the kick-off day of our church program year.    The new building is not our single focus. This morning, go visit the Youth space in the upstairs of the Old Rectory. Go to the reconfigured Sunday school space. Join John and Denise Reis for their beginning Bible Study and Gospel of Mark. Ask Lynnette Cook about the Sisters of Study renewed format. Note, it is not a coincidence that six days after our Building Campaign celebration, our parish will bag 10,000 meals to feed hungry people in Haiti. It is our ministries that are driving our need for space. Imitating Christ’s way of life, responding to Christ’s call to us, is pushing us to find more room for instruction and service, fellowship and worship.

So, dear ones, unashamedly, unabashedly, we are asking for significant contributions and contributions of every size from every person. If your first response today is too small for the work and the rewards Christ has in store for us on this hill, then take a card conveniently placed in your pew and raise your commitment.

This church can be the place in your life where your children discover their belovedness, their Divine Spark and holy power. This church can be the place in your life where you are encouraged, accepted and challenged to be your most Godly self. This church can be the place that holds you up in grief and triumph. 

We make our commitment today. We celebrate on the 21^st. We move forward with building plans the week following, but all along the way, we’ll remember that the new building is only important because it supports the mission of our Lord and our deepest desire to “live the way of Christ.”

Amen.