An invitation from one of my deanery colleagues to preach mid-week at a "Festival" we don't celebrate in my Team. Corpus Christi would possibly be celebrated in TEC, but is more popular with the Anglo-Catholics. Here, the Anglo-Catholics are often the churches more open to women than the Evangelicals - so I have a natural affinity with them. This was an excellent chance to get to talk about a favorite saint of mine : Julian. It was also the chance to talk/write about an experience I've wanted to share since I've been ordained and sharing the bread - looking at people's hands. (the stories they could tell!) After the service, the rector told me he'd never seen the congregation be asked to move or "participate" during a sermon but you wouldn't have known it at the time - they all talked with the person sitting next to them. And because, as usual, there were so few people in these large church buildings ... they really HAD to move.
PS - you can see a truly wonderful parish website for this church St Agnes, Longsight . I think it's a gorgeous building, and the people are rector are absolutely lovely!
Corpus Christi aka “Thanksgiving for Holy Communion”
(Season of Pentecost - Thursday after Trinity Sunday) Year C
8 June 2007 – Festival, HC, Procession & Adoration
St Agnes Church, Longsight – Stephen Edwards, Rector
Genesis 14:18-20
Psalm 116:10-17
1 Cor 11:23-26
John 6: 51-58
I offer these words in the name of our one triune God – the supreme goodness of all manner of things and the endless fulfilling of all true desires. Amen.
It’s a real joy to be here this evening. Since the first day I met your rector Stephen he’s been telling me what fun you all have in church, especially when there’s a celebration. And together with my partner Joe, let me say we’re delighted to be part of yours tonight.
I did not grow up in the Anglican Church. I “found” it when I was in my mid-twenties and immediately fell in love with the consistent regularity of a community gathering together to share this very special meal of bread and wine made Holy. However, I admit that regularity can become a negative. Sometimes we can get quite routine in our tradition. It can become common and ordinary to walk forward week after week, put out our hands, and partake of Jesus. I know that on some Sundays, I completely take for granted the Mystery of it all.
So, this yearly celebration is wonderful because gives us a chance to look again at the Eucharist and to maybe encounter the Mystery again. Tonight, I hope that with what we hear and say; with our movement and in silence, and with what is prepared at the altar and what has been prepared in your kitchens we’ll each come to experience something – anything – about Holy Communion in a new way.
One of the things I’ve come to love about living in Manchester – which I’m sure you can relate to – is the many things on offer each evening. Manchester is full of events from sports to culture and leisure for everyone. This evening there is a concert at Bridgewater Hall featuring the music of the English Christian Mystic called Julian (1342-1417). You might know her as the saint who lived in the late 1300’s with her cat, anchored onto the cathedral in Norwich from which she gave spiritual direction to those who came to visit her. She also wrote of her vivid visions or dreams about God and realistic conversations with Jesus.
Mystics are those strange people among us who can feel and experience God most closely. And they often write to describe that to us. What I love about the mystics is that what they say can move us to a new insight, they might play with what we take for granted or challenge what we believe.
Julian is like that. Julian wrote – all those ages ago – in a very unusual way about Holy Communion. I said mystics challenged us, and Julian does. She writes about Jesus as our Mother. Although not disputing that Jesus is a male, Christ is our Mother because by taking our human nature, with Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection he sustains our growing into God. That’s certainly different. You need to know that to hear how beautifully she talks of Holy Communion …
“The mother can give her child from her milk, but our precious Mother Jesus can feed us with Himself; and He does it most graciously and most tenderly with the Blessed Sacrament which is the Precious Food of true life … with which he supports us most mercifully and graciously.”
That may not make sense to your head, but what about touching your heart? I feel she expresses the sustenance I get from the Eucharist; she captures the wholesome sense of nurture and love that’s present.
There’s another mystic – this time from Germany – I like. His name is Meister Eckhart (1260-1328) – in the early 1300’s He writes …
“I could not bear to touch God with my own hand
when he came within my reach,
but He wanted me to hold Him.”
And we do hold God with our very hands when we take the host - the bread. There’s nothing between our skin and the touch of God at that point, is there?
We know that the priest’s hands are essential in the sacraments – baptizing, elevating gifts, anointing the sick, and blessing. This mystic Eckhart makes us think of it the other way when receiving communion. At that moment, WE hold God, we hold Jesus; not the priest.
But the priest does have the privilege to pass out this very special bread. As a new priest, one of the first things I noticed at the altar rail was people’s hands as they prepared to accept the wafer or bread.
Every pair of hands is different – some young and small, some wrinkled with the signs of age or cupped by the ravages of arthritis, sometimes only one hand;
hands thick and hairy, some with the well-earned dirt of hard work or beautifully manicured at the beauty salon; dry and cracked or smooth and soft;
the hands that have been opened to me come in a whole range of colors
and there might be a bandage, cut or bruise presented to me …
And there are stories behind each set of hands … some stories I would know about through my role as pastor and counselor, some stories I could only guess at, some stories that I might hear about later over tea or never ever learn.
These hands – presented to receive - have become a mystical experience for me – but it’s a Holy moment that only I get to have. Now -- if you’ll humor the American visitor amongst you – I’d like you to invite you to share in this with me. We’ll have a little bit of interaction; but don’t worry there’s nothing too touchy-feely.
First, I want you to put your hands together as YOU do to receive communion. Look at them – take a moment to Trust and Feel that God wants you to hold God there – you might want to imagine the wafer in your palms.
Now take your right hand and open it - present it to the person sitting on your right – but bring your gaze to the right hand of your neighbor that’s now in front of you … look at it: What do you see? you might know the story that goes with it, you might not; something might surprise you in what you see
Now, do the Reverse, Share your left hand to the left and focus on a different hand in front of you: Remember that this hand will reach out for and touch the presence of Jesus just as yours does in a few minutes.
!! Thanks everybody !!
My final thought is that our hands – mine, yours, the person next to you – our hands should be more than receiving. The simple act of opening our hands to receive the bread and wine should do more than just change OUR own lives.
From recent times, French mystic Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) writes “in our hands, the hands of all of us, the world and life – our world, our life – are placed like a host, ready to be changed with divine influence.”
As Teilhard reminds us we’ve must never forget that the Precious Food of our Mother Jesus and the ability to hold God in our own hands are meant to be both receiving AND giving. Once consumed, the bread and wine transformed into the body and blood must then help to transform the world. A final mystic Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) says, “Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours.”
So when you come forward to receive bread and wine tonight, as we walk the procession, spend time in adoration as well as in fellowship
remember that only through the actions of our hands to forgive, nurture, sustain, to offer tenderness and work for justice can our regular practice of celebrating Eucharist together continue the healing, saving and blessing work of Christ all around us.
Amen.
Friday, 8 June 2007
Sunday, 8 April 2007
SERMON: Easter Sunday 8 April 2007
This is my the second of my "major feasts" with the Team -- it was my first Easter Sunday but I'd already had one Christmas. I learned after the day that what's very interesting here in my "patch" (neighborhood) is that there ISN"T any extra "bump" in attendance for these holidays! Maybe one or two extra at Christmas Eve (which they celebrate more than Christmas Day), but rarely any extras for Easter. That's SO different from TEC, isn't it? It is an odd feeling actually, not to have a "crowd", not to be worried about extra welcoming and an evangelistic, accessible, open sermon. I wrote as if there might be new, extra people - but I also wrote based on my experience, after 7 months of what it felt like to live here. JD thinks this is one of my "very best" sermons.
Easter Sunday 8 April 2007
Sunday of the Resurrection – Year C
Emmanuel Church (Gorton Abbey Hey Team)
Acts 10 : 34 - 43
Psalm 118 : 14-24 – this is the day the Lord has made
Luke 24 : 1- 12 – The resurrection of Jesus, women at the tomb
Alleluia Christ is Risen!
Let me teach you something from the American Episcopal Church. We say the bit “Alleluia Christ is Risen” and “He is Risen indeed” quite a lot on Easter Sunday, and you’ve got to say it loudly and with conviction. So let’s try it again …
Great !!
Some of you were here last Sunday for a Sunday with Palms and the Passion Story; and some of us within the team ministry have gathered during this Holy Week.
We were here at Emmanuel on Thursday to remember Jesus’ commandments at the last supper of his life: a commandment to love one another and to remember him. For the disciples that night to show the love he had for them, he washed their feet (like the lowliest person. We continue to show our love for Jesus in the service of Holy Communion that we share in remembrance of him.
Then on Good Friday at St James’ and St Philip’s we remembered in quiet, with prayer and meditative communion the agony, loneliness, the despair and great loss that were those last hours and finally the death of our Lord. For me, it’s not easy to attend Good Friday services – they can feel so dark and sometimes our lives have enough darkness. But whether we attend services or think about our own lives, we have to recognize these days in Holy Week in order to truly appreciate Easter Sunday and fully celebrate the empty tomb today.
So now we’re here… We’re here with each other and with the wonderful story of the women finding the angels in the empty tomb and asking what had been done to Jesus. We’re here with each other and with Peter and those absolutely amazed by what has happened.
On Christmas, my word for the day was Love. I like a simple thing to think about on these big days. Today, my word is Hope. If you remember nothing from today’s service but the word Hope then I’ll be glad. The Resurrection is about Hope! It’s not just about Hope – the Resurrection IS Hope. And as Christians we have a job to do that is about Hope as well. As Christians, we ARE Hope.
First I want to say that as I was writing this sermon I felt myself being very forceful about what I was saying … I felt myself really wanting YOU to understand how I feel, about how important this Hope is, and I’m going to be forceful in what I say, which -- as you can ask Joe – is not usually how I am.
SO, Hope! Let me tell you about the Hope I’m talking about. It’s not just our own hope of eternal life with Jesus that the Resurrection promises, and which our baptism connects us with. I mean hope in the lives we live – here in the day to day of Gorton.
Some people – scholars – argue about whether Jesus actually came back from the dead. They ask, How is that possible? What did the women really see in the tomb? Maybe it was just a desire to want to see Jesus alive?
I say, I may not be sure how it happened either – But, because of the Hope that the Resurrection itself brings into the world, I believe it DID happen.
Here’s what this Hope means for me. It is generosity. It is optimistic. Hope is caring and loving.
This hope is not simple or selfish – hope doesn’t say now that I’ve got what I need or want in the world, then the rest can get by on their own.
Sometimes a word like this can seem to be invisible – but Hope is not. Hope CAN be seen. Hope can be seen anytime one or two people decide to raise a child or people choose to love others’ children. In our children we have the hope of a continuation of ourselves and what we believe and teach them.
Hope can be also seen around us – it’s no wonder that Easter is celebrated in Springtime when we have all the signs of Hope around us. As I was writing this yesterday, there was the glorious sun, there were birds chirping and a squirrel in my back garden with all the beautiful green grass and little bright buds on the trees. After the long winter of short cold days, Spring reminds us of Hope.
But Hope is more than these beautiful things like babies and spring flowers. Hope is serious hard work. That’s right!
This Easter celebration is not just about Jesus’ resurrection – it’s OUR resurrection as well because of our baptism into Jesus.
Do you believe that?
Do you believe that you’re born into Jesus? And if that’s true, then this is YOUR resurrection as well!
Then it’s our job to do what Jesus did. Jesus was – Jesus is hope IN the world.
When Jesus was born, it was God’s action to put Jesus into the world – God didn’t just think “it might be a nice idea to have hope.” No! God made Hope happen with Jesus’ life and resurrection.
And whilst Jesus was on earth, Jesus didn’t just say to himself, “it might be a nice idea to have hope.” No! Jesus made Hope happen with his ministry amongst the people.
So you and I can’t just say, “oh, what a nice thing Jesus did with hope.” No! We have to DO hope ourselves.
This means our job as followers of Jesus, it’s our responsibility – it’s our Christian DUTY … yes I said our duty – to bring hope into the world.
We can bring hope into our families, bring hope to our friends and neighbors as well as to strangers and citizens; We must bring hope into the world.
We can do it with caring, loving and praying for other people.
I know many of you do it already by showing it – working for the good of this church in many different ways, for the good of the community by participating in it – and respecting all people around you, and for the good of the world with recycling and reducing energy demands as well as donating time or money to charities.
Here’s where I’m going to get forceful :
What will be different about YOU as someone WITH the Resurrection Hope of Jesus within you? What will your Resurrection Hope be this coming week? Where will you bring Hope?
How will you show Hope? Will it be in your home : whether you’re old or young you can be Hopeful. Will it be in church? Will it be in your school or neighborhood?
You can be in very desperate circumstances and still have hope. This Resurrection Hope doesn’t mean doing or getting more – it means BEING more.
It’s now time to think: Right now, sitting here today.
Do you have hope or do you need hope?
Listen for the answer to come to you from your heart.
Now, look around you. The person sitting next to you has just answered that for herself or himself. You don’t have to share your answer, but you need to know and trust this – that IF you don’t have hope right now … there IS someone here who does! And that person, listening to my challenge to them today will have hope enough for both of you.
And if there were not a single one of you sitting here today who felt you had Resurrection hope …
well, I’m telling you, I have enough hope for you all and I will love you and pray for you until you DO have hope.
This isn’t because I’m better than you, and it’s not because I’m clergy and hope is my job.
I have this hope because I believe it’s a gift that God has given me (for now) to share.
Whether you’re like me with lots of hope – spare enough to give – or not, please join me in truly believing that today Resurrection IS Hope. And that Hope IS and will be lived out in our world.
Alleluia, the Lord has Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed!
Easter Sunday 8 April 2007
Sunday of the Resurrection – Year C
Emmanuel Church (Gorton Abbey Hey Team)
Acts 10 : 34 - 43
Psalm 118 : 14-24 – this is the day the Lord has made
Luke 24 : 1- 12 – The resurrection of Jesus, women at the tomb
Alleluia Christ is Risen!
Let me teach you something from the American Episcopal Church. We say the bit “Alleluia Christ is Risen” and “He is Risen indeed” quite a lot on Easter Sunday, and you’ve got to say it loudly and with conviction. So let’s try it again …
Great !!
Some of you were here last Sunday for a Sunday with Palms and the Passion Story; and some of us within the team ministry have gathered during this Holy Week.
We were here at Emmanuel on Thursday to remember Jesus’ commandments at the last supper of his life: a commandment to love one another and to remember him. For the disciples that night to show the love he had for them, he washed their feet (like the lowliest person. We continue to show our love for Jesus in the service of Holy Communion that we share in remembrance of him.
Then on Good Friday at St James’ and St Philip’s we remembered in quiet, with prayer and meditative communion the agony, loneliness, the despair and great loss that were those last hours and finally the death of our Lord. For me, it’s not easy to attend Good Friday services – they can feel so dark and sometimes our lives have enough darkness. But whether we attend services or think about our own lives, we have to recognize these days in Holy Week in order to truly appreciate Easter Sunday and fully celebrate the empty tomb today.
So now we’re here… We’re here with each other and with the wonderful story of the women finding the angels in the empty tomb and asking what had been done to Jesus. We’re here with each other and with Peter and those absolutely amazed by what has happened.
On Christmas, my word for the day was Love. I like a simple thing to think about on these big days. Today, my word is Hope. If you remember nothing from today’s service but the word Hope then I’ll be glad. The Resurrection is about Hope! It’s not just about Hope – the Resurrection IS Hope. And as Christians we have a job to do that is about Hope as well. As Christians, we ARE Hope.
First I want to say that as I was writing this sermon I felt myself being very forceful about what I was saying … I felt myself really wanting YOU to understand how I feel, about how important this Hope is, and I’m going to be forceful in what I say, which -- as you can ask Joe – is not usually how I am.
SO, Hope! Let me tell you about the Hope I’m talking about. It’s not just our own hope of eternal life with Jesus that the Resurrection promises, and which our baptism connects us with. I mean hope in the lives we live – here in the day to day of Gorton.
Some people – scholars – argue about whether Jesus actually came back from the dead. They ask, How is that possible? What did the women really see in the tomb? Maybe it was just a desire to want to see Jesus alive?
I say, I may not be sure how it happened either – But, because of the Hope that the Resurrection itself brings into the world, I believe it DID happen.
Here’s what this Hope means for me. It is generosity. It is optimistic. Hope is caring and loving.
This hope is not simple or selfish – hope doesn’t say now that I’ve got what I need or want in the world, then the rest can get by on their own.
Sometimes a word like this can seem to be invisible – but Hope is not. Hope CAN be seen. Hope can be seen anytime one or two people decide to raise a child or people choose to love others’ children. In our children we have the hope of a continuation of ourselves and what we believe and teach them.
Hope can be also seen around us – it’s no wonder that Easter is celebrated in Springtime when we have all the signs of Hope around us. As I was writing this yesterday, there was the glorious sun, there were birds chirping and a squirrel in my back garden with all the beautiful green grass and little bright buds on the trees. After the long winter of short cold days, Spring reminds us of Hope.
But Hope is more than these beautiful things like babies and spring flowers. Hope is serious hard work. That’s right!
This Easter celebration is not just about Jesus’ resurrection – it’s OUR resurrection as well because of our baptism into Jesus.
Do you believe that?
Do you believe that you’re born into Jesus? And if that’s true, then this is YOUR resurrection as well!
Then it’s our job to do what Jesus did. Jesus was – Jesus is hope IN the world.
When Jesus was born, it was God’s action to put Jesus into the world – God didn’t just think “it might be a nice idea to have hope.” No! God made Hope happen with Jesus’ life and resurrection.
And whilst Jesus was on earth, Jesus didn’t just say to himself, “it might be a nice idea to have hope.” No! Jesus made Hope happen with his ministry amongst the people.
So you and I can’t just say, “oh, what a nice thing Jesus did with hope.” No! We have to DO hope ourselves.
This means our job as followers of Jesus, it’s our responsibility – it’s our Christian DUTY … yes I said our duty – to bring hope into the world.
We can bring hope into our families, bring hope to our friends and neighbors as well as to strangers and citizens; We must bring hope into the world.
We can do it with caring, loving and praying for other people.
I know many of you do it already by showing it – working for the good of this church in many different ways, for the good of the community by participating in it – and respecting all people around you, and for the good of the world with recycling and reducing energy demands as well as donating time or money to charities.
Here’s where I’m going to get forceful :
What will be different about YOU as someone WITH the Resurrection Hope of Jesus within you? What will your Resurrection Hope be this coming week? Where will you bring Hope?
How will you show Hope? Will it be in your home : whether you’re old or young you can be Hopeful. Will it be in church? Will it be in your school or neighborhood?
You can be in very desperate circumstances and still have hope. This Resurrection Hope doesn’t mean doing or getting more – it means BEING more.
It’s now time to think: Right now, sitting here today.
Do you have hope or do you need hope?
Listen for the answer to come to you from your heart.
Now, look around you. The person sitting next to you has just answered that for herself or himself. You don’t have to share your answer, but you need to know and trust this – that IF you don’t have hope right now … there IS someone here who does! And that person, listening to my challenge to them today will have hope enough for both of you.
And if there were not a single one of you sitting here today who felt you had Resurrection hope …
well, I’m telling you, I have enough hope for you all and I will love you and pray for you until you DO have hope.
This isn’t because I’m better than you, and it’s not because I’m clergy and hope is my job.
I have this hope because I believe it’s a gift that God has given me (for now) to share.
Whether you’re like me with lots of hope – spare enough to give – or not, please join me in truly believing that today Resurrection IS Hope. And that Hope IS and will be lived out in our world.
Alleluia, the Lord has Risen! The Lord is Risen Indeed!
Friday, 12 January 2007
Ordination day 2007
This is JD's ordination day !! To the priesthood ... in beautiful sunny Los Angeles. (I'm almost squinting from too much sun after being in Manchester about 4 months by this time). This is one of our very first photos as SchatzDuggan clergy couple. It was a great day : lots of people we love were there -- and many of you came a long way to be with us. We were grateful.
Thursday, 30 November 2006
Mother's Union in York
How exciting it was to go to a Mother's Union Provincial Service in York! We boarded a bus from Manchester at about 8 AM to get there in time for the 11.00 service. When we arrived the cathedral was FULL of ladies! Ladies everywhere - and a few men! The service was wonderful; it was lovely to hear the cathedral full of womens' voices. Bp Nigel from Manchester preached; there were lots of prayers. Our diocese was represented... And it was a very windy day!
Then we had a lovely lunch. I strolled around a bit - first taking time in the cathedral, it's shop, and then just a quick look around the town (buying cake at Betty's) then back on the bus. It was soon dark and rained most of the way home. I'm very glad to be welcomed by the women here in Gorton who made sure I could attend - and it's a great way to get acquainted with the North here.
MU is not quite the same in the US, but I'll definitely want to make sure we (TEC) stays connected to the work of MU throughout the world in supporting women. And I'll probably become a member before we leave.
Sunday, 19 November 2006
SERMON: Sunday 19 November 2006
In England they designate the four Sundays before Advent, rather than continuing on through the Pentecost (or here the Trinity) season. This has a personal story from JD's history which he graciously allowed me to share. AND it seemed to go over well because several men told me they had similar experiences and this had "helped" them or at least resonated with them.
Sunday 19 November 2006
Second Sunday before Advent
Emmanuel Church -- Gorton-Abbey Hey Team
Daniel 12: 1 – 3 ; Psalm 16
Mark 13: 1-8 “eschatological discourse introduction”
Next week – Christ the King gospel = John
2 weeks – Advent 1 gospel = Luke 21:25 – 36
It’s pretty clear we’re on the way toward Christmas, isn’t it? You can see and hear it in the shops, the adverts on the TV, and in the beautiful lights all around us. It seems that from everywhere we’re being told to “get ready” and “book now” for Christmas. And it’s not on the high street, it’s right here around us -- just yesterday, I took my mum to three church Christmas Fairs: at St James, in Abbey Hey, and at the Fairfield Moravian Settlement.
Sundays in Church are getting ready for Christmas too. In our tradition, we’re in the Season called the “Weeks Before Advent”. It’s our own time for getting ready for Christmas during Sunday worship. One of those ways we do that is by looking to the stories in the Bible that talk about the end of time – as in the gospel we just read.
It’s kind of odd isn’t it, that as we know that the baby Jesus is coming – sort of a wonderful beginning to the world -- that we’re talking about the end of things. Let’s look closer at what we have.
In our story, Jesus is talking with his disciples about the end of the political and religious ways of Israel. They were all at the Jewish Temple – a HUGE structure – like their church, their city hall, and their market all built together in one large area. The foundations were built with stones as big as 30 feet long, and deep, and piled high.
Someone remarks how big they are and Jesus quickly says that nothing will be left, that all the stones will be pulled down and the place destroyed. What he is saying is as if all the concentrated power of the city centre would be leveled; not just unused factories or old tenements for regeneration, but the most important council buildings, shops, and churches cleared out.
Now Jesus has already told them that he will be come into power after the old religion and politics are gone.
Of course, then a few of the disciples ask Jesus when this will happen and what signs there will be when all this is going to take place.
Jesus tells them what to expect.
What he talks about is not a nice picture. There will be deception, and wars (nation fighting against nation), horrible weather (earthquakes and famines), beatings and challenges by the authorities. And probably the worst thing he says is that people will betray their own family members and children turn against their parents. People who are followers of Jesus will basically have a very difficult time – they will be hated.
And this is supposed to get us ready for Christmas? I’m honestly not quite how these stories fit when we want to hear about the birth of a beautiful, sweet baby.
But what makes me even more confused is that the things Jesus describes as being signs of the end seem to be what going on all around us right now.
I definitely do not mean to say that we ARE in the end times.
I just mean that we’re acting out like what Jesus describes. There is plenty of deception in our governments and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is global warming around us and famine in Africa. We see people behaving badly in our neighborhoods – not just against strangers but indeed in their own families.
Maybe WE are having troubles in our own families.
This gospel immediately reminded me of a story that my husband/JD told me from when he was a teenager. Apparently he didn’t speak to his father - in their own house - for six months. For six months they went through their daily lives, were around the house, had meals together and yet would not talk to one another. They were each too stubborn to give in and apologize.
Eventually his mother asked Joe to take the first step – and he did. One of them had to make a change and it was JD, even though he didn’t feel like it at the time because he believed he was correct, he did apologize … and he and his father started speaking again.
JD’s childhood story is not an example of the end of the world as we know it.
But it may remind us of our own situations.
You or I may have conflicts in our own families; maybe there are people at work or in the neighborhood that you don’t get along with.
Perhaps there are good reasons: especially if someone has wronged you.
Whether it is because of our personal situations or from the news of the world around us, we may feel like this is the end of time.
And while I can’t say precisely that it’s not the end because we’ll never know,
I CAN say we do not need to act these ways. We need to act differently.
What we should take from today’s gospel and other Bible stories like this is not fear of the world around us.
What we should take today is that while the birth of Jesus is just weeks away,
it’s a reminder that we need to act the way that Jesus the adult taught us – to love and forgive.
We need to take care of our planet.
We need to be part of our governments and make our communities better.
We need to be loving toward our families, friends, and co-workers even IF we have been wronged and are not at fault.
Love the world around us and forgive one another.
This time of year, when it’s time to prepare for Christmas, we do need to prepare - but it’s more than buying presents, decorating our homes, and preparing meals. We need to prepare for Christmas by acting in ways that make things better for the world, in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, and workplace.
Jesus’ words about what awful things that can happen should not make us afraid. These words can remind us to take a moment from all of our busy-ness.
We can ask ourselves how we are helping to work toward the good of the world; we can ask if we’re doing the right thing to the people who are close to us.
These are the kind of preparations we should be making at this time. So look around in these next few weeks as the lights get brighter and the Christmas music gets louder … let those things remind you that the birth of Jesus is coming and that that birth means we NEED always to look at the way we are living.
Sunday 19 November 2006
Second Sunday before Advent
Emmanuel Church -- Gorton-Abbey Hey Team
Daniel 12: 1 – 3 ; Psalm 16
Mark 13: 1-8 “eschatological discourse introduction”
Next week – Christ the King gospel = John
2 weeks – Advent 1 gospel = Luke 21:25 – 36
It’s pretty clear we’re on the way toward Christmas, isn’t it? You can see and hear it in the shops, the adverts on the TV, and in the beautiful lights all around us. It seems that from everywhere we’re being told to “get ready” and “book now” for Christmas. And it’s not on the high street, it’s right here around us -- just yesterday, I took my mum to three church Christmas Fairs: at St James, in Abbey Hey, and at the Fairfield Moravian Settlement.
Sundays in Church are getting ready for Christmas too. In our tradition, we’re in the Season called the “Weeks Before Advent”. It’s our own time for getting ready for Christmas during Sunday worship. One of those ways we do that is by looking to the stories in the Bible that talk about the end of time – as in the gospel we just read.
It’s kind of odd isn’t it, that as we know that the baby Jesus is coming – sort of a wonderful beginning to the world -- that we’re talking about the end of things. Let’s look closer at what we have.
In our story, Jesus is talking with his disciples about the end of the political and religious ways of Israel. They were all at the Jewish Temple – a HUGE structure – like their church, their city hall, and their market all built together in one large area. The foundations were built with stones as big as 30 feet long, and deep, and piled high.
Someone remarks how big they are and Jesus quickly says that nothing will be left, that all the stones will be pulled down and the place destroyed. What he is saying is as if all the concentrated power of the city centre would be leveled; not just unused factories or old tenements for regeneration, but the most important council buildings, shops, and churches cleared out.
Now Jesus has already told them that he will be come into power after the old religion and politics are gone.
Of course, then a few of the disciples ask Jesus when this will happen and what signs there will be when all this is going to take place.
Jesus tells them what to expect.
What he talks about is not a nice picture. There will be deception, and wars (nation fighting against nation), horrible weather (earthquakes and famines), beatings and challenges by the authorities. And probably the worst thing he says is that people will betray their own family members and children turn against their parents. People who are followers of Jesus will basically have a very difficult time – they will be hated.
And this is supposed to get us ready for Christmas? I’m honestly not quite how these stories fit when we want to hear about the birth of a beautiful, sweet baby.
But what makes me even more confused is that the things Jesus describes as being signs of the end seem to be what going on all around us right now.
I definitely do not mean to say that we ARE in the end times.
I just mean that we’re acting out like what Jesus describes. There is plenty of deception in our governments and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is global warming around us and famine in Africa. We see people behaving badly in our neighborhoods – not just against strangers but indeed in their own families.
Maybe WE are having troubles in our own families.
This gospel immediately reminded me of a story that my husband/JD told me from when he was a teenager. Apparently he didn’t speak to his father - in their own house - for six months. For six months they went through their daily lives, were around the house, had meals together and yet would not talk to one another. They were each too stubborn to give in and apologize.
Eventually his mother asked Joe to take the first step – and he did. One of them had to make a change and it was JD, even though he didn’t feel like it at the time because he believed he was correct, he did apologize … and he and his father started speaking again.
JD’s childhood story is not an example of the end of the world as we know it.
But it may remind us of our own situations.
You or I may have conflicts in our own families; maybe there are people at work or in the neighborhood that you don’t get along with.
Perhaps there are good reasons: especially if someone has wronged you.
Whether it is because of our personal situations or from the news of the world around us, we may feel like this is the end of time.
And while I can’t say precisely that it’s not the end because we’ll never know,
I CAN say we do not need to act these ways. We need to act differently.
What we should take from today’s gospel and other Bible stories like this is not fear of the world around us.
What we should take today is that while the birth of Jesus is just weeks away,
it’s a reminder that we need to act the way that Jesus the adult taught us – to love and forgive.
We need to take care of our planet.
We need to be part of our governments and make our communities better.
We need to be loving toward our families, friends, and co-workers even IF we have been wronged and are not at fault.
Love the world around us and forgive one another.
This time of year, when it’s time to prepare for Christmas, we do need to prepare - but it’s more than buying presents, decorating our homes, and preparing meals. We need to prepare for Christmas by acting in ways that make things better for the world, in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, and workplace.
Jesus’ words about what awful things that can happen should not make us afraid. These words can remind us to take a moment from all of our busy-ness.
We can ask ourselves how we are helping to work toward the good of the world; we can ask if we’re doing the right thing to the people who are close to us.
These are the kind of preparations we should be making at this time. So look around in these next few weeks as the lights get brighter and the Christmas music gets louder … let those things remind you that the birth of Jesus is coming and that that birth means we NEED always to look at the way we are living.
Sunday, 29 October 2006
SERMON: 29 October 2006
This was the LAST sermon preached in this church ... wow! I was still new to the Team, but they asked me to preach because I had less "history" with the closing of the church than the others. The church "needed" to close because there weren't enough people to serve on its volunteer Parish Church Council "PCC" (like TEC's vestry) to literally keep the doors open AND it needed about 300,000 pounds of work done to its roof and building to keep it safe and dry. There were probably about 25 people on a "good" Sunday in a church that seated up to 200. A beautiful 1900's building, but no way they could really support it. Which was sad, because earlier, a plan in the area to share it jointly with the local Methodist church had not gone ahead. There are just so few people going to church here in Manchester - especially the working class in inner city areas - that churches just can't continue to be open. The building will continue to sit there for who knows how long.
Sunday 29 October 2006
Last Sunday after Trinity (Proper 25)
TEAM Worship : Gorton Abbey Hey Team @ St George’s Church
With Baptism : Abigail Olham (sp?)
Mark 10: 46 – end : Blind Bartimaeus
On Thursday night many of us were here for the “Celebration of St. George’s” as we gathered to remember the life and acknowledge the closing of this sacred place. That night it was fitting that we were focused ONLY on St George’s and this particular building, people, and ministry within here – and appropriate at that time that many of us were sad and mourning what feels like the loss of “church”. I understand sense of loss - because in my short time here, the faithful people of St George’s have been very kind to me and my partner.
However, with the church full of people who wanted to say thanks and farewell to the parish life HERE, we were not saying goodbye to church – and difficult as it was, we were only saying goodbye to this specific place.
Today, we’ve come together as a team in liturgy with a baptism to focus on the wider church – the whole of Christianity – a church greater than St. George’s or the Team, indeed greater than the denominations of which we are all a part. Not dismissing any sorrow, I’d like to suggest that perhaps today we re-frame and readjust our focus.
We’re here as followers of Jesus Christ. And even with our many various practices and differences, that I believe is the common life we share. Our prayer book, Common Worship, tells us that baptism is a joyful moment when WE rejoice in what God has done for us in Christ. We are connected to God and one another by making promises and declaring our faith in Jesus Christ.
Like Sarah [team vicar], I have spent time in Africa. I spent a summer Tanzania in 2000, living with very poor subsistence farmers without running water or consistent electricity in their homes. It is a hugely difficult life they live.
And when I was called to preach, I wondered what I could say to them; I wondered where I could find a similarity between us.
It’s been somewhat the same coming here to Abbey Hey & Gorton. Our lives in England and America are indeed different ... It does feel like, as someone told me, “we’re two countries divided by a common language.” And I’m definitely a newcomer here to some of the ways of the English Anglican church even though I’m an American Anglican.
Again, what can I say? where are our similarities?
Well – thanks to God, I’m able to connect with you the same as I did with the people of Tanzania :: Through our most basic connection -- as Christians – as people of Christ! And, it’s the experience of baptism that all of us from our incredibly different places share.
Most of us haven’t met baby Abigail or her family before today. Yet, after this morning, we’ll be connected to her as sisters and brothers in Christ. I find that each baptism of a child deeply moves me because it is such a sign of new life (which I guess is fitting for one of the last services here at St George’s.)
With Abigail today we are all called to new relationship with God, one another, and our own church lives.
Being here today gives each one of us a new beginning and celebrating her baptism reminds us of our roots.
It’s fitting to think of roots. On Thursday, the Gospel and Sarah’s sermon were about vineyards. As she spoke I was caught up by the image of how the vines are trained to be connected to one another. In my mind I could see the vines stretching out toward one another, intertwined and linked, twisting over and around one another for strength and stability.
It’s the same for us today. We are connected, intertwined and linked through baptism. The life of St George’s will not be lost – the memories and stories will be carried in our hearts and minds; the things of St George’s will not be discarded – they’ll remain in faithful use. Most importantly the people of St George’s will not be forgotten – you’ll be joining in churches of the Team and Deanery … grafting on with other vines producing again.
I see us stretching out to one another, constantly connected and part of the Body of Christ as we continue to share our lives and communion.
It’s the water of baptism that makes it happen. In a few minutes, Sarah will pray and bless the water that is “to sustain, refresh, and cleanse all life.” This holy water sustains us. We know that water that can rejuvenate us after work and refresh us after rest. The water of baptism is what gives the energy we need for strength and growth. This is not just for the people moving out of St George’s – today’s baptism is a time for each one of us to look again at our commitments.
Through our baptism we’re part of two things at once - the big picture: Christ and the world, and the local: our own relationship with Jesus.
It’s that relationship with Jesus that we have in our Gospel story. The blind man Bartimaeus is sitting by the road. He could have been very sad, definitely feeling lost and alone for in these times people like the blind were just “put” near the outskirts of towns along the road to beg. Along comes Jesus, but WHO tries to stop Bartimaeus from calling for Jesus? It was the people in the crowd who scolded him and told him to keep quiet. But Jesus heard him. And, as Bartimaeus wanted, Jesus heals him. Then Bartimaeus doesn’t go back into the city or along with the crowd. Rather he follows Jesus along the road.
I think we are often part of the crowd. In our own churches we sometimes miss the fact that we want to be with Jesus and that he is journey that we follow. Being in our own little groups, we can forget his larger message of love, healing and transformation.
Baptism gives us the chance to renew our connection with our bigger story. Just as traveling and visiting other places, meeting new people opens our eyes to a broader view of the world than our own neighborhood.
Abigail is a lucky baby! After today she is part of the worldwide Body of Christ – joining millions of Christians, some of whom happen to be Anglicans and Methodists. She’s also part of her local neighborhood church and the (new) Gorton-Abbey Hey team where all of us now know her name. She’s got a lot of people praying for her – promising to support her … not only her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, but generations of Christians before her – generations twisted, connected, and supporting one another just like vines in the vineyard of God.
And I’d say we’re all lucky too! We’re part of that vineyard too – connected to one another no matter in which specific place we worship. But that doesn’t mean these next few weeks, months will be easy for the people who have named St George as their home. I call on all of us – in the name of our connection through Christ – to remember them and pray for them just as we’ll pray for Abigail and all people of faith on this day and the days to come.
Amen.
Sunday 29 October 2006
Last Sunday after Trinity (Proper 25)
TEAM Worship : Gorton Abbey Hey Team @ St George’s Church
With Baptism : Abigail Olham (sp?)
Mark 10: 46 – end : Blind Bartimaeus
On Thursday night many of us were here for the “Celebration of St. George’s” as we gathered to remember the life and acknowledge the closing of this sacred place. That night it was fitting that we were focused ONLY on St George’s and this particular building, people, and ministry within here – and appropriate at that time that many of us were sad and mourning what feels like the loss of “church”. I understand sense of loss - because in my short time here, the faithful people of St George’s have been very kind to me and my partner.
However, with the church full of people who wanted to say thanks and farewell to the parish life HERE, we were not saying goodbye to church – and difficult as it was, we were only saying goodbye to this specific place.
Today, we’ve come together as a team in liturgy with a baptism to focus on the wider church – the whole of Christianity – a church greater than St. George’s or the Team, indeed greater than the denominations of which we are all a part. Not dismissing any sorrow, I’d like to suggest that perhaps today we re-frame and readjust our focus.
We’re here as followers of Jesus Christ. And even with our many various practices and differences, that I believe is the common life we share. Our prayer book, Common Worship, tells us that baptism is a joyful moment when WE rejoice in what God has done for us in Christ. We are connected to God and one another by making promises and declaring our faith in Jesus Christ.
Like Sarah [team vicar], I have spent time in Africa. I spent a summer Tanzania in 2000, living with very poor subsistence farmers without running water or consistent electricity in their homes. It is a hugely difficult life they live.
And when I was called to preach, I wondered what I could say to them; I wondered where I could find a similarity between us.
It’s been somewhat the same coming here to Abbey Hey & Gorton. Our lives in England and America are indeed different ... It does feel like, as someone told me, “we’re two countries divided by a common language.” And I’m definitely a newcomer here to some of the ways of the English Anglican church even though I’m an American Anglican.
Again, what can I say? where are our similarities?
Well – thanks to God, I’m able to connect with you the same as I did with the people of Tanzania :: Through our most basic connection -- as Christians – as people of Christ! And, it’s the experience of baptism that all of us from our incredibly different places share.
Most of us haven’t met baby Abigail or her family before today. Yet, after this morning, we’ll be connected to her as sisters and brothers in Christ. I find that each baptism of a child deeply moves me because it is such a sign of new life (which I guess is fitting for one of the last services here at St George’s.)
With Abigail today we are all called to new relationship with God, one another, and our own church lives.
Being here today gives each one of us a new beginning and celebrating her baptism reminds us of our roots.
It’s fitting to think of roots. On Thursday, the Gospel and Sarah’s sermon were about vineyards. As she spoke I was caught up by the image of how the vines are trained to be connected to one another. In my mind I could see the vines stretching out toward one another, intertwined and linked, twisting over and around one another for strength and stability.
It’s the same for us today. We are connected, intertwined and linked through baptism. The life of St George’s will not be lost – the memories and stories will be carried in our hearts and minds; the things of St George’s will not be discarded – they’ll remain in faithful use. Most importantly the people of St George’s will not be forgotten – you’ll be joining in churches of the Team and Deanery … grafting on with other vines producing again.
I see us stretching out to one another, constantly connected and part of the Body of Christ as we continue to share our lives and communion.
It’s the water of baptism that makes it happen. In a few minutes, Sarah will pray and bless the water that is “to sustain, refresh, and cleanse all life.” This holy water sustains us. We know that water that can rejuvenate us after work and refresh us after rest. The water of baptism is what gives the energy we need for strength and growth. This is not just for the people moving out of St George’s – today’s baptism is a time for each one of us to look again at our commitments.
Through our baptism we’re part of two things at once - the big picture: Christ and the world, and the local: our own relationship with Jesus.
It’s that relationship with Jesus that we have in our Gospel story. The blind man Bartimaeus is sitting by the road. He could have been very sad, definitely feeling lost and alone for in these times people like the blind were just “put” near the outskirts of towns along the road to beg. Along comes Jesus, but WHO tries to stop Bartimaeus from calling for Jesus? It was the people in the crowd who scolded him and told him to keep quiet. But Jesus heard him. And, as Bartimaeus wanted, Jesus heals him. Then Bartimaeus doesn’t go back into the city or along with the crowd. Rather he follows Jesus along the road.
I think we are often part of the crowd. In our own churches we sometimes miss the fact that we want to be with Jesus and that he is journey that we follow. Being in our own little groups, we can forget his larger message of love, healing and transformation.
Baptism gives us the chance to renew our connection with our bigger story. Just as traveling and visiting other places, meeting new people opens our eyes to a broader view of the world than our own neighborhood.
Abigail is a lucky baby! After today she is part of the worldwide Body of Christ – joining millions of Christians, some of whom happen to be Anglicans and Methodists. She’s also part of her local neighborhood church and the (new) Gorton-Abbey Hey team where all of us now know her name. She’s got a lot of people praying for her – promising to support her … not only her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, but generations of Christians before her – generations twisted, connected, and supporting one another just like vines in the vineyard of God.
And I’d say we’re all lucky too! We’re part of that vineyard too – connected to one another no matter in which specific place we worship. But that doesn’t mean these next few weeks, months will be easy for the people who have named St George as their home. I call on all of us – in the name of our connection through Christ – to remember them and pray for them just as we’ll pray for Abigail and all people of faith on this day and the days to come.
Amen.
Sunday, 17 September 2006
SERMON: 17 September 2006
This is the FIRST sermon I preached in England! We arrived on Sunday 10 September and the very next Sunday I was presiding and preaching in Gorton. I knew I had to begin to introduce myself into the community - which was good. I like to connect my or any other person's story to the Gospel is one of my favorite ways of preaching.
The sad thing is that this church was officially closed about six weeks after this service - they had known it was coming, and I knew there were some pastoral issues that I hoped to begin to address a bit here as well.
The world is ALSO a very small place : on this Sunday, one of the parishioners from my church in Brookline MA was visiting Manchester because he grew up here - in fact, he'd been to this church in Gorton on several occasions because he has family in the area - that was amazing ... of all the two or three places in the world, ours connected here.
Sunday 17 September 2006
14th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 19)
St George’s (Gorton Abbey Hey Team)
Mark 8:27 – end
“Who Do You Say That I Am?”
I find today’s gospel fitting for my first sermon here in Abbey Hey and Gorton because the theme is about getting to know who Jesus is. More appropriately, I suppose it’s really about Jesus knowing who we THINK he is.
But in keeping with my first Sunday here, I want to tell you a little about whom I am, who I think/ believe that Jesus is, and then ask you to consider the question for yourselves.
I’m Stefani Schatz, I’m an Episcopal – Anglican priest and a new member of the Gorton and Abbey Hey Team Ministry. My official title is Associate Minister, I’ll be non-stipendary – and because of that I’ll be ministering part time – sharing my time (after the closing of St George’s) between St Philip’s, St James, and Emmanuel. I’m living in the St James Rectory on Wellington Street with my partner/husband JD who will be also be a priest come this January. JD is the reason we’re here in England, he’s just starting a PhD at the University of Manchester in Theology and we’ll be here for three years during his research.
If you ask me where I’m from (which is what the shop people tend to do when we’re out in the market and city centre) I’ll say California. I was raised in a beautiful city on the ocean called Santa Barbara. Yes, just like you’ve heard or visited : Lots of palm trees and a lovely beach. My parents are divorced, but my mother still lives there; my dad lives in Tennessee (in the South). I have a younger sister who lives with her husband and 2 year old twin boys in New York City.
I probably had pretty much of an ideal childhood for the US. My family certainly wasn’t rich, but we had everything we needed. And I grew up in a Christian-centered home, although I wasn’t Episcopal at the time – we went to church as a family pretty much every week. My father had studied for the ministry himself in a non-denominational church. For him Jesus was the person telling and showing us that we are to help other people who are less fortunate in life. He instilled that in me and I find my deepest belief about who Jesus is, is that he is our example of how to treat other people as we live.
I went through all my education, including college in California. For a time, like many people in the US – I’m not sure about here – I was away from the church. We use the phrase “spiritual but not religious” … During those years of my life, I’d say the spirituality that I developed was one of deep gratefulness to the amazing God of Creation. I learned to be thankful for all that I have because it was given to me, undeserved, from a loving God.
There is a Bible text that goes : “to whom much is given, much is expected”. As I grew into my early adulthood, out of this sense of being grateful, I felt a call from God to “give back”. I entered church life again by coming the Episcopal/Anglican Church and was active in my mid-twenties (including being a church warden) and about five years later began to explore moving into the priesthood.
In the late 1990’s I entered seminary in Boston, Massachusetts. By moving across the US for Master of Divinity program, where I knew absolutely no one, I encountered an experience of Jesus that I describe as his hospitality. Jesus for me is also the person who loves all and every kind of child, woman or man. I know this is not easy, because perhaps like you, I am comfortable and enjoy being with the people I know best – but with Jesus’ openness to people very different from me is how I try to act.
After seminary, I returned to California – this time to the much larger setting of Los Angeles. It was my time of curacy – like Sean’s – at a very large church. With those people, we practiced the kindness of Jesus in the simple acts of loving of one another. In the way that each family shares both the fun and the challenges of living together, I saw everyday examples of a healing touch or word, and experienced the power of crying, laughing and praying together in good times and bad.
Change is a word that I often use to describe my life recently. After Joe and I were married in 2003 in California, we moved to Boston for his own theological studies. I worked at a church there with children and young people. ((In fact, one of parishioners from that church has family here in Manchester and is visiting us today.))
So this is how I find myself with you … trying to answer the question of who do I say that Jesus is. Hopefully you’ve understood that I say Jesus is an inspiring model of how to live our lives – especially in terms of how we treat one another; how we’re to share and care for all God’s people; how we’re to be open to welcome each other even when that’s difficult; and how being together is so important to not only our Christianity but also our basic humanity.
You may not agree with that. You may not say that’s who Jesus is for you. That’s OK. That’s perfectly OK because we don’t have to agree on exactly whom we say Jesus is. We hear in the gospel that there was a range of ideas about how his apostles and disciples understood him.
What IS important is that we each think about this question of who we say Jesus is. We must look at what Jesus is saying to each of us, how his life makes an impact on ours. That’s the personal spiritual “work” that each of us needs to take time for.
I’m known in Boston for giving something practical at the end of a sermon. Here’s this week’s: IF ever throughout the week you take a quiet moment, or in passing you think about me or the past Sunday or St George’s, then ask yourself the question: Who do I say Jesus is? What are a few of the qualities that he represents for you? Is he a friend, an example, a comforter, a challenger, or mighty king?
And we really shouldn’t stop with our own narrow individual views. Out of our own experience we need to share our answers with others. That may be difficult – it’s not exactly what we say in passing instead of “lovely weather isn’t it?”, but maybe as we get to know one another you’ll at least share with me who YOU think Jesus is.
As St George’s enters this time of transition from being one church to being a part of many and you each go on to another congregation, it matters who you say Jesus is! Your response to that question is what makes a different group of Christians stronger. All our understandings of Jesus are made “better” whenever we bring them together – not to make only one answer but to make a fuller answer. And we’re strengthened in our sharing of those answers just as we are when we receive communion together as we’ll do in a few minutes.
Finally, let me say Thank you for listening to me say who I believe Jesus to be. I’m grateful to be among you, and hope for the privilege of learning who you say Jesus is along our way together.
Amen.
The sad thing is that this church was officially closed about six weeks after this service - they had known it was coming, and I knew there were some pastoral issues that I hoped to begin to address a bit here as well.
The world is ALSO a very small place : on this Sunday, one of the parishioners from my church in Brookline MA was visiting Manchester because he grew up here - in fact, he'd been to this church in Gorton on several occasions because he has family in the area - that was amazing ... of all the two or three places in the world, ours connected here.
Sunday 17 September 2006
14th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 19)
St George’s (Gorton Abbey Hey Team)
Mark 8:27 – end
“Who Do You Say That I Am?”
I find today’s gospel fitting for my first sermon here in Abbey Hey and Gorton because the theme is about getting to know who Jesus is. More appropriately, I suppose it’s really about Jesus knowing who we THINK he is.
But in keeping with my first Sunday here, I want to tell you a little about whom I am, who I think/ believe that Jesus is, and then ask you to consider the question for yourselves.
I’m Stefani Schatz, I’m an Episcopal – Anglican priest and a new member of the Gorton and Abbey Hey Team Ministry. My official title is Associate Minister, I’ll be non-stipendary – and because of that I’ll be ministering part time – sharing my time (after the closing of St George’s) between St Philip’s, St James, and Emmanuel. I’m living in the St James Rectory on Wellington Street with my partner/husband JD who will be also be a priest come this January. JD is the reason we’re here in England, he’s just starting a PhD at the University of Manchester in Theology and we’ll be here for three years during his research.
If you ask me where I’m from (which is what the shop people tend to do when we’re out in the market and city centre) I’ll say California. I was raised in a beautiful city on the ocean called Santa Barbara. Yes, just like you’ve heard or visited : Lots of palm trees and a lovely beach. My parents are divorced, but my mother still lives there; my dad lives in Tennessee (in the South). I have a younger sister who lives with her husband and 2 year old twin boys in New York City.
I probably had pretty much of an ideal childhood for the US. My family certainly wasn’t rich, but we had everything we needed. And I grew up in a Christian-centered home, although I wasn’t Episcopal at the time – we went to church as a family pretty much every week. My father had studied for the ministry himself in a non-denominational church. For him Jesus was the person telling and showing us that we are to help other people who are less fortunate in life. He instilled that in me and I find my deepest belief about who Jesus is, is that he is our example of how to treat other people as we live.
I went through all my education, including college in California. For a time, like many people in the US – I’m not sure about here – I was away from the church. We use the phrase “spiritual but not religious” … During those years of my life, I’d say the spirituality that I developed was one of deep gratefulness to the amazing God of Creation. I learned to be thankful for all that I have because it was given to me, undeserved, from a loving God.
There is a Bible text that goes : “to whom much is given, much is expected”. As I grew into my early adulthood, out of this sense of being grateful, I felt a call from God to “give back”. I entered church life again by coming the Episcopal/Anglican Church and was active in my mid-twenties (including being a church warden) and about five years later began to explore moving into the priesthood.
In the late 1990’s I entered seminary in Boston, Massachusetts. By moving across the US for Master of Divinity program, where I knew absolutely no one, I encountered an experience of Jesus that I describe as his hospitality. Jesus for me is also the person who loves all and every kind of child, woman or man. I know this is not easy, because perhaps like you, I am comfortable and enjoy being with the people I know best – but with Jesus’ openness to people very different from me is how I try to act.
After seminary, I returned to California – this time to the much larger setting of Los Angeles. It was my time of curacy – like Sean’s – at a very large church. With those people, we practiced the kindness of Jesus in the simple acts of loving of one another. In the way that each family shares both the fun and the challenges of living together, I saw everyday examples of a healing touch or word, and experienced the power of crying, laughing and praying together in good times and bad.
Change is a word that I often use to describe my life recently. After Joe and I were married in 2003 in California, we moved to Boston for his own theological studies. I worked at a church there with children and young people. ((In fact, one of parishioners from that church has family here in Manchester and is visiting us today.))
So this is how I find myself with you … trying to answer the question of who do I say that Jesus is. Hopefully you’ve understood that I say Jesus is an inspiring model of how to live our lives – especially in terms of how we treat one another; how we’re to share and care for all God’s people; how we’re to be open to welcome each other even when that’s difficult; and how being together is so important to not only our Christianity but also our basic humanity.
You may not agree with that. You may not say that’s who Jesus is for you. That’s OK. That’s perfectly OK because we don’t have to agree on exactly whom we say Jesus is. We hear in the gospel that there was a range of ideas about how his apostles and disciples understood him.
What IS important is that we each think about this question of who we say Jesus is. We must look at what Jesus is saying to each of us, how his life makes an impact on ours. That’s the personal spiritual “work” that each of us needs to take time for.
I’m known in Boston for giving something practical at the end of a sermon. Here’s this week’s: IF ever throughout the week you take a quiet moment, or in passing you think about me or the past Sunday or St George’s, then ask yourself the question: Who do I say Jesus is? What are a few of the qualities that he represents for you? Is he a friend, an example, a comforter, a challenger, or mighty king?
And we really shouldn’t stop with our own narrow individual views. Out of our own experience we need to share our answers with others. That may be difficult – it’s not exactly what we say in passing instead of “lovely weather isn’t it?”, but maybe as we get to know one another you’ll at least share with me who YOU think Jesus is.
As St George’s enters this time of transition from being one church to being a part of many and you each go on to another congregation, it matters who you say Jesus is! Your response to that question is what makes a different group of Christians stronger. All our understandings of Jesus are made “better” whenever we bring them together – not to make only one answer but to make a fuller answer. And we’re strengthened in our sharing of those answers just as we are when we receive communion together as we’ll do in a few minutes.
Finally, let me say Thank you for listening to me say who I believe Jesus to be. I’m grateful to be among you, and hope for the privilege of learning who you say Jesus is along our way together.
Amen.
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