Sermon

Living Life on Purpose: Community

August 15, 2004

By Rev. Terri Echelbarger

I watched the opening Ceremonies on Friday night – anyone else? For some reason I am always drawn to that event, even if it is much, much past my bedtime and very long – I just can’t seem to sleep until the flame is safely lit and raised up for all to see. There, for a moment, representatives of most of the worlds nations are gathered, this time in centerfield, together. The USA and Iraq. Palistine and Israel. North and South Korea as one delegation - People from every continent, speaking close to 3000 different languages.There is, in that moment, for me, great hope.

The Olympic community, while gathered this month, has been united in one purpose - longer than the history of many of the nations involved. Nations agree that for a moment in time, the Olympic Village is a place of refuge – a place where wars that rage outside its walls will not interfere. The nations of the world agree to make one place a peaceful place. For the most part, this has been a successful endeavor.

Oh, there are some issues, such as the wrestler from Iran who the commentator postulated will drop out rather than compete with an Israeli in the first round of competition. No community is perfect. Of course, we know that don’t we? We ourselves are an imperfect community.

The third chapter of Colossians, verse 11, reminds the community of Colossae that in the church of those who follow Christ’s teachings there is no distinction between Jew or Greek, slave or free, no distinction based on race, class, or culture. All are one. It is sad that the Olympic Community seems to do a better job of this than most church communities.

MCCSF is a diverse community, more diverse by far than most places of worship, and we are successful, to a point, at creating a house of prayer for those of many faiths, many backgrounds, many cultures. We also have a long way to go. If we look at the worldwide community of faith, well, MCC as a denomination is not yet welcome in the World Council of Churches, so, I guess I can leave it at that.

The question then, for this morning, is what does it mean to be a "community?" How shall we proceed toward the day when we do the job of "community" better?

I think the first principle upon which we need to agree, in order to proceed, is that community is about relationship. We can worship on our own – pray – sing – some of us, I suspect, even preach to ourselves regularly. However, this is not community. Community is what we do together, and I would say, often, being community means doing things together we cannot do all by ourselves.

Our reading today says put on clothing that suits God’s chosen and beloved people. Practice compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Be tolerant and forgiving, love each other, always be thankful…. Our scripture this morning talks about community responsibilities.

We, as a community, are called to put on compassion – older translations say we are to put on Bowels of mercies. This is not the kind of compassion that acts because it is "supposed to." This is a community yearning, in the core of our existence, to act with compassion. This is the kind of yearning that inspired the Foundation's existence – the yearning to feed hungry people, to help provide dignity to those more marginalized than we have been.

I acknowledge today that not all of us have the same depth of yearning when it comes to compassion – but you know what – that’s OK because some of us may be called to hold another community responsibility. What matters is that, as a community of faith, we practice bowels of mercies, compassion, toward one another and our world.

We are called, as a community, to put on kindness. Many of you know I belong to a list serve of people who proclaim they are gay clergy when they register. This week’s disclosure by the Governor of New Jersey that he is a gay American and has been in an affair with an aide inspired a very lively day of discussion.

I have to admit, as a long time out and proud lesbian I get a little bit angry sometimes when these stories come out. I feel for his family, they are in pain as much as he is. It is hard for me to practice kindness. I think everyone should be out, simple as that. I want others to be brave, to have freedom! Yesterday!! Of course, it is not that simple. So, I kept my computer quiet and read the posts of those who could more easily practice kindness, who know what it is like to marry and then come out – I will never know this. It is not my right to judge a story or a person I will never know.

We are called to put on humility. The kind of humility that can say “There but by the grace of God, go I.” There But by the grace of God, I didn’t get married when I was "supposed to," There but by the grace of God, I was exposed to those who had a different view than the one I grew up with, an opportunity to choose, to learn. There but by the grace of God, my family didn’t kick me out on the street when I came out. There but by the grace of God, I have a community of faith that welcomes me. There, but by the grace of God … finish that sentence yourselves…. For me, this is a practice of humility.

We are called to put on gentleness. Some of you know that I keep a feather over the door jam of my office. It is there because along the order of gentleness I often find myself acting with a hammer. Any of you have this issue? I find a lot of people struggle with this when it comes to e-mail, but I struggle with it as a spiritual practice. My girlfriend is allowed to say, without repercussion, if she thinks I am about to use a hammer – “Terri, do you have your feather?” I’ve asked her too. Lucky for me, she often carries the "gentleness" in our relationship, and helps me bring it to community. Gentleness.

We are called to put on patience. Some of you know that I have a special gift of patience. Of course once I run out of patience I use my hammer, but that’s the prior topic. I am always amazed within the pastoral team here at MCCSF, how natural it is for some of you to approach one of us, and others of you to approach another – and how, in the end, it seems, with rare exception, we have someone for everyone – no matter how challenging the person or situation. We work well as a team in community.

And the larger community too is called to put on patience, or to put it another way, to practice tolerance of one another. You see, there is tension in the world, and between some of us sometimes, but the community of faith needs to be strong enough to hold that tension. When the scriptures tell us that in the Church there is no Jew nor Greek, it does not mean that we all drop our politics, nationality, culture or class at the door. It’s just impossible. Besides, our differences are gifts, opportunities to learn and understand. However, sometimes, our differences, do create tension. When they do, the community is called to be patient, tolerant …

Put on forgiveness You see, stuff happens. We are different people, with different ideas. We sometimes do things that hurt one another. The community is strongest when that is not the end of community. When people don’t walk away from those uncomfortable moments. When we work to learn from one another, to understand one another, to forgive.

Penny did a whole sermon last year on forgiveness, and we don’t have time this morning to sort out all the nuances that this idea often carries with it. I do want to offer this: community can often offer forgiveness before individuals can. Let me say that again, Community can offer forgiveness sometimes before individuals can. A key component of forgiveness is permission to start over. Forgiveness of community means not carrying grudges or issues that are not ours to carry.

Always be thankful, the reading says. Wow, now that’s a tall order. I had a hard time getting to my thankful place when I heard the Supreme Court decision about the civil marriages performed in February and March. I expected them to slap mayor Newsom’s wrist for his stated act of civil disobedience, but I really thought they would put the marriages on hold until the other case on the constitutionality could be decided.

Of course, then I thought of others affected. Then felt sadness, then compassion. Then I saw their faces in my mind, and remembered their love,
and then remembered that what God has joined no one can part –
not even our government. Then, I was thankful again. Today, I remind us, we, like those before us, shall overcome someday.

The reading says, let the Gospel, the teachings, of Jesus dwell among you in all richness – dwell among you. We, MCCSF, are known more by our actions together than by those we do as individuals. God’s story of love is known best in community.

We can hold compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, as community. We don’t have to hold it all alone. For that I am very thankful. For none of us is perfect.

Let us commit again today to the idea of community, teaching, instructing, and helping one another with the wisdom and gifts God has given each of us to share. Our differences can be our strengths. Let love bind it all together. And, perhaps, someday, the unity of the Olympic Opening Ceremonies will be imitated in worldwide peace – but for now, let us practice among ourselves.

Amen.