Easter
2
ACPO
Spring 2014
My
Friends, I speak to you in the name of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit. Amen
In
my time in ministry, I have been privileged to preach in several
different churches. Some have been large and some have been small,
some have been Anglican and others not. But no matter where I have
been, I have discovered that there are certain things that unite
churches. The clergy tend to act like clergy no matter where they
are. Most of the churches enjoy pot-luck suppers and chopped egg
sandwiches and the fellowship that eating together brings. But for
many that is where the similarity ends. In many other ways, they
really don’t have much in common. They gather in vastly different
circumstances, there is no common architecture. They worship
differently. Some are low church, some high, some evangelical,
charismatic or Anglo Catholic.
Some
of the churches in the Diocese of Toronto seem to have everything.
Trinity Streetsville or Trinity Aurora are such churches and I am
sure you could name similar churches in the various dioceses which
you represent. We have state of the art buildings, sound systems and
audio and video technology of exceptional caliber. One has a band on
Sundays and a choir quite different from most. They are multi
staffed and pride themselves on their programs and their welcoming
friendliness.
St
John The Divine Chapel where we gather today has a character of it’s
own. This building is lovely, with brilliant stained glass windows
with millions of pieces of jewel like glass. They have a pipe organ
and two pianos, and music thoughtfully chosen and prepared.
What
else would you need to have a church?
Robert
Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral said that the most important
attribute of a church was an accessible, large, fully available
parking lot.
Granted,
good parking is important, but what else would you need , other than
a good parking lot, to have a church?
Today’s
gospel gives us a picture of a church that had no pipe organ or even
an upright piano. No choir. And only 11 members. In fact it seems
to be a picture of the church at it’s worst. And yet, it was the
first miserable little conglomeration ever to take upon itself the
name “church.”
What
I am describing is the disciples of Jesus gathered after his
resurrection. Look at them! Throughout the long, painstaking
chapters in John’s gospel, Jesus has been preparing the disciples
for his departure. He has gone over and over his commandments to
love one another, to be bold, to trust him at all costs.
But
it would appear that someone wasn’t listening. Look at them.
Cowering like frightened children behind closed and locked doors.
Lost in their confusion and grief.
They
were the ones who were to be walking confidently out into the world,
full of the Holy Spirit, announcing the Easter triumph of God. Yet
here they are, withdrawn and hurting - hoping that no one discovers
where they are. As the church was born in that upper room it was one
that was frightened, disheartened and defensive.
What
kind of an advertisement might this church put in the Saturday paper
to attract members?
“The friendly church where all are welcome?” Hardly. Locked
doors are not a sign of hospitality. “The
church with a warm heart and a bold mission?”
Forget it! This was the church of sweaty palms and shaky knees.
Could
this even be called a church? Not only is there no sanctuary, there
is no pulpit, no choir, no parking lot. More significantly, it has
no plan, no mission, no conviction, nothing.
Not
long ago, people were asked what they looked for when seeking a place
to worship. Some said “friendliness.” Number two was bold
interesting preaching. Nobody replied “Locked doors.”
“Frightened members.”
Here
was a church with nothing going for it except….
Except
that, when it gathered, the risen Christ pushed through the locked
doors, threw back the bolt, and stood among them.
Maybe
that’s every church. Even the ones that don’t have every
conceivable modern device, the best preacher in the city, or the
beautiful sanctuary and stained glass windows. For the truth is,
none of this amounts to anything, if we depend on our own devices,
and the impressive props. We are nothing, nothing more than a huddle
of questioning, timid, sometimes cowering failures who follow Jesus.
Unless,
we
recognize Jesus in our midst. For it is the Presence, His Presence
which makes our human gatherings … the church of God.
Have
you noticed that in spite of all of the preparation for he service
and the concern that goes into the liturgy, some Sundays can come and
go with seemingly little impact on the worshippers.
But
then on another Sunday, somehow by the grace of God, the Holy Spirit
slips through our closed doors, witnesses our plodding through the
liturgy and there is worship, inspiring worship not of our own
creating but worship as a gift. And we want to take off our shoes in
awed wonder realizing we stand on Holy Ground and realizing we have
finally become the church.
If
you want to see us, stripped of our sacred trappings, our pretense
peeled away, then look in this 20th chapter of John. There we meet
a pitiful, huddle of sad souls, hanging on to one another behind
locked
doors. And if the truth be known, some days we are no different.
The
good news is that it was to this church, which was hardly a church,
that the loving, risen Christ came saying, “Peace be with you”.
Into this depressed and empty void, there was a voice, a presence.
You
might have thought that Jesus might have come like one of our
bishops, bringing a sense of the office and some pomp and ceremony.
But
Jesus comes humbly, and says, “Peace be with you,” showing them
his hands and his feet. He says again (in case we failed to get the
point,) “Peace be with you,” telling them that he is sending them
out into the world. Then he breathes on them, giving the Holy
Spirit, bestowing upon them the awesome power to forgive sins.
We
are the church, not because of the buildings we worship in, not
because of the music or the preaching or the many activities that
take place and keep us busy. We are the church because to us, even
to us, he
has come and given us the gifts of the Spirit, the gift of mission,
and forgiveness, commissioning us to go into the whole world in his
name.
That
is why we are called the church.
My
first parish was three small churches. I was there for eight years.
During that time I began to appreciate how multi point ministry was
different. Because of the small size, it was more about relationships
than the buildings or the politics, which can exist to a greater
extent, in the larger church. However, that did not mean we didn’t
have our own unique struggles too. Some days, there would be very
few people here, the music would be none existent, and my preaching
not the best. And yet in spite of all that, there was a presence
there which bonded the folks together in a way that empowered them to
be the church in their small communities. I truly believe each of
those small churches got intruded upon. I think someone greater than
any of us, knocked the lock off the door and kicked it open, and
offered us God’s peace, the Holy Spirit and forgiveness. And in
those moments we became the church in the best sense of the word. I
have to say, I remember moments like that.
You
see, the church isn’t about the Rector’s hard work, our earnest
efforts, our long range planning, or heavy duty giving. Church is a
gift of God’s grace, a visitation, an intrusion of the living
Christ standing among us.
Sometimes
churches go through very difficult times and it is amazing that they
survive. But their survival is testimony to the power of God working
with and through God’s people, empowering them with his marvelous
gifts to do the work of the church.
And
each time as church overcomes the struggles which face all churches
at one time or another, their very existence is evidence of the
embodiment of the power of God in Christ.
If
I might I would like to address the Candidates of ACPO here this week
end. In the days ahead some of you will be ordained deacons and
eventually priests in God’s Church. Some will go to large parishes
and others small congregations. No matter which, what a privilege
will be yours. However, in all of the excitement that comes in being
called to serve in this manner, we must not loose sight of the fact
that no role is greater than another. It matters not if we are the
ordained or the laity. By our Baptism we are called to be the church,
to offer our differing gifts for the benefit of God’s kingdom here
on earth. Should any of you not get the affirmation you seek for
priestly ministry this morning, do not despair. God always has a
plan for your life. Do not be frightened, do not be concerned, trust
in God. To each one of us God offers and brings fullness of joy and
his peace. Who can ask for more?
Yes,
the church is a gift, a visitation, an intrusion of the living Christ
standing among us. Let us be bold and confident in our faith. Let us
believe the truth of Christ’s words to his disciples, “Peace be
with you. As the Father has sent me so I send you.” This is every
Christian’s mission, lay or ordained, to bring that peace to
others, to go into the world, and into our communities, large and
small, and be the church, the presence of Christ, where ever we may
find ourselves. Amen
This
was preached on April 27, 2014 by The Venerable Judy Walton,
Archdeacon
Emeritus
