Saturday, May 26, 2012

Will We Let the Spirit Guide Us?


Sermon

Will We Let The Spirit Guide Us?

Pentecost – May 27, 2012

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

 If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is that people do not like change. In fact, if you hear someone say, “Boy, am I ready for a change,” please, please---be skeptical; look before you leap; and, if you are so bold as to actually implement a change that will affect this person’s life in a significant way---duck for cover!

I have learned not to trust the “I am ready for change” statement lesson the hard way. Reflecting back over the years, I can recall in a nanosecond several painful examples of this love/hate relationship that we all have with change - situations that I have muddled into; and, then rather ungracefully and quite painfully muddled out of.

Take for instance the time, when as the Director of the Altar Guild at Bethesda by the Sea, I took seriously several of the guild members’ comments about combining the Altar Guild and the Flower Committee. “Wouldn’t it make great sense,” they wondered. “It would mean that we could work together each week to dress the altar as beautifully as possible.” To me, they seemed open to and eager for change.

Never a person to hang back, I went to the Rector and informed him of our plans. He looked at me skeptically and said, “Are you sure?” With full confidence I replied, “Yes, I am sure. Everyone supported it at today’s meeting. In fact, several of the women said they had been considering making this change for a long time” With a clearly pastoral sigh, he said, “Alright, give it a try. Let me know if there are any problems”

Well, I tried – I really tried. For six months I tried and tried - and tried. I tried with group prayer; with readings from Scripture; with team building exercises – I tried. And, guess what? You guessed, right. It didn’t work. In fact, it failed miserably.

It didn’t work primarily because for years at Bethesda the Flower Committee had been independently creative, self-sustaining, and justifiably proud of the beauty and creativity that they brought to their ministry. They did not believe anyone else worthy enough to participate in the creation of their spectacularly artistic floral arrangements.

The Altar Guild, on the other hand, had been a fiercely protective group of elderly women who believed that they could detect whether or not one was called by God to devote their lives to the tender and loving care they poured out upon the contents of the sacristy and the setting of God’s table. It appeared clear to me, and several others, that the Altar Guild members did not believe that the Flower Committee members were among God’s chosen for their particular ministry.

People on these two committees had been operating within a certain set of beliefs and within two separate cultures for a long time. While they dreamed of change, their hearts were not open to experiencing a new way. They were unable to let go of the past and to step outside their current, well-known, world into a new and uncertain world in which they would be asked to journey along a new path. They could not summon the faith to trust the new; the possible; the unknown.

By the seventh month of our attempt at change, we reverted to the old two committee system. Everyone appeared happier. The Rector was very relieved; I could sleep peacefully again each night; and, I was a little wiser in the ways of attempting to implement change without really preparing the way for those who would be affected by the change.

Today is Pentecost. Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the twelve apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the Acts of the Apostles.  Pentecost is sometimes described as the "Birthday of the Church."

Today is the day that “suddenly from Heaven there came a sound like a rush of a violent wind, and it filled house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). Today is the day that the Holy Spirit breathed the fire of life into all the nations of the world. Today is the day “that devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem” received God’s Spirit. In amazement, they cried out and asked, “What does this mean…What should we do?”  

Peter who was standing among them answered, saying, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38).

Today is the day, “That about three thousand persons were added and they devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42)

Today is the day that Christianity became a world religion. People were changed. They were changed in a major way. They tossed aside belief systems held for thousands of years. They became one with God. They became Christians.

Today is a day of change - A day on which we open our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit - A day on which we recommit ourselves to follow the Apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers - A day on which we recommit ourselves as followers of Jesus to a life based on faith that the Holy Spirit is with us always – to guide us through the challenges of change.

This summer, we at Grace will begin a process of change – big change - as we identify and call a Priest in Charge Under Special Circumstances. A priest who will replace Father Dale as our spiritual leader.

There is no question that the challenges this change will bring to us are far greater than my little experiment at Bethesda by the Sea when I attempted to combine the Altar Guild and the Flower Committee. The change we are about to undertake here at Grace will affect far more than two small committees. Our upcoming change in spiritual leadership will affect each and every one of us here at Grace in the Desert. No one will remain untouched.

This change will be similar in scope to the change that the Jews experienced that day 2000 years ago as they felt the “rush of a violent wind,” and experienced the power of the Holy Spirit as it entered their lives – lives that would be forever changed; no going back.

Late this fall we will say “goodbye” to our beloved Father Dale, who, with a deep devotion to God, and guided by the Holy Spirit, has led this parish in its transformation from a small community church housed in a trailer to a vibrant congregation that dwells in a gracious and welcoming campus.

Late this fall we will say, “goodbye” to Father Dale, and “hello” to a to a new and completely unknown person – a new priest who, just like Father Dale, will be filled with a deep devotion to God and a heart with eyes and ears open to the Spirit. A new priest, who with new ideas will bring many new ways of being to our way of life here at Grace in the Desert. Late this fall, our community will experience a big change.

Precisely because of my disastrous results in trying to effect change at prior times in my life, I have learned to respect the dynamics of change. I have learned that if change is to be eagerly embraced and integrated into an existing culture that possesses a strong identity, it is important to set the stage for this change.

When Father Dale leaves us we will be not so very different than the disciples when they lost their beloved leader, Jesus. We will be grief stricken, we will be lost, we will be confused, we will be angry. We will say, “What are we going to do now? Who is this new person anyway; what do they know about us? Do they understand that we have always done it this way, and that it works for us?”

The sadness of this “goodbye” will be profound. The worry about what is to come will create anxiety among many.  The questions about where we are going will be too many to anticipate. The changes that will occur are unknown.

My question to you today is: How will we, as a congregation, meet these challenging changes that face us?

Will we be a fearful and closed minded community like the Altar Guild and the Flower Committee at Bethesda by the Sea? Will we refuse to enter an unknown future with faith and hope for an even larger and more vibrant Grace in the Desert?  Or, will we be a Pentecost people? Will we open our hearts to the fire of the Spirit and become one with God, and ourselves, as we welcome our new leader into this parish home?

Will we in eager anticipation and with the courage that Christ demands of us, walk with him or her as they shepherd us into new and exciting ways; ways that will encourage us to grow spiritually, both personally and in community, as faithful servants of our Lord Jesus Christ? Will we follow the Apostle’s teaching and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread and the prayers?

As a community, if we are to succeed in successfully journeying through the pain and grief of “goodbye,” the anxiety of the unknown, and the welcoming of the new, we must journey together, as one, in faith.

If we can succeed in achieving unity through faith, personal courage, intentional prayer, contemplative conversation, and healing through the ministry of caring with compassion for one another, we will exemplify Paul’s hope for the members of his church in Philippi – we will live our lives in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.

In deep contemplation and prayer, let us remember Jesus’ parting words to his disciples on that Pentecost day many years ago: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will speak not on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-15)

And, in our hearts, minds and lives, let us honor with courage and faith Jesus’ final command to Peter, and therefore to all of us, “Follow me.”   AMEN.