Connect, Collaborate, Create...

Sermon

Christ Church, St. Michael’s Parish

3^rd Sunday in Lent, 2016

Yesterday at 1PM the 148^th Annual Meeting of the Diocese of Easton concluded with a prayer and blessing issued by Bishop Parsley. The Annual Meeting, or Convention as it is better known, was an incredibly rich two days centered on the theme, “Connect, Collaborate, Create.” A theme designed to educate clergy and convention delegates about the newly rejuvenated diocesan Department of Missions and the Mission Cluster initiative. Both the Department of Missions and the Mission Clusters are a direct response to the 10 Recommendations developed through the work of the Discernment Committee. These recommendations as you will recall were presented and adopted at the Special Convention held this past year on June 6, 2015. The recommendations were then passed on to the Diocesan Council for implementation.

As a member of the Diocesan Council committee that focused on the “how” of how are we to implement these 10 Recommendations throughout the diocese, I began my final report to the Council with these words:

Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

I went on to say:

Mark Twain would have been an excellent motivational coach for the Diocesan Council and the Diocese of Easton as we go about the business of developing and implementing a strategic plan for the Ten Recommendations adopted by the Diocese at the Special Convention held on June 6, 2015.

The central thrust of these recommendations calls us to throw off our bowlines and sail away from the safe harbor of our four lovely church walls. It calls us to catch brisk trade winds that will carry us in a new direction - a new way of bringing the Good News of Jesus to our communities. A brisk trade wind that will blow away the dusty past and fill our sails with the love, compassion, patience, humility, and energy needed to come together – to work in unison - as we share ideas, develop collaborative ventures, and journey side by side out into the community - out into the world - exploring, dreaming and discovering a vibrant new way of being in community as disciples of Christ.

This year’s Diocesan Convention theme, imagined and so very skillfully developed by Bishop Henry Parsley, was a direct outgrowth of the work conducted by the Diocesan Council around the “how to” of the 10 Recommendations. The convention logo, “Connect, Collaborate, Create,” and the convention agenda was designed to inspire and to encourage congregations to throw off their bowlines and to work together in connecting and collaborating in new ways – new ways called Mission Clusters – new ways of listening to each other; new ways of hearing each other; new ways of seeing each other; new ways of inspiring each other to imagine a future for the church – new ways of being on God’s mission in the world.

Our guest speaker the Rt. Rev. Martin Wharton, retired Bishop of Newcastle, offered both a sermon and educational lecture that suggested the way for success as we embark on our Mission Cluster initiative is based on generous, engaged and open dialogue among all clusters – all parishes. He encouraged us to consider the church as the body of Christ in which the laity plays a critical role in creating and maintaining congregations and communities that are focused on God’s Kingdom and God’s mission in the world.

Bishop Wharton reminded us all that as we go about this work of re-imagining ourselves for the future good of the church, our Advocate, the Holy Spirit is with us always. He also reminded us that in John 14, Jesus issues a mandate to his Disciples who have grown concerned over Jesus’ statements that he will only be with them for a short time longer.  Jesus said, “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.”  (John 14:25-27)

God fully expects that we will continue to carry out Jesus’ work in the world.

Now as Disciples of Christ caught in a most challenging time for our church we must discipline ourselves to remember these words that reassure us – We must remember that the Spirit, the love and the passion and the wisdom of Jesus, dwells within us. We must discipline ourselves to open our hearts to the Spirit, and allow it to build a fire in us as it nudges us gently, or perhaps not so gently, onto the path illuminated by the Light of Christ: A path that leads to the glory of Kingdom of God.

But, the discipline of living in a way that allows us to hear and to experience the Spirit in all aspects of our life, and that allows Jesus to light our way each and every day involves courage. The courage to throw the bowlines. The courage to sail away from the safe harbor. The courage to catch the trade winds in our sails. The courage to Explore. Dream. Discover.”

I think Paul hit the nail on the head when he wrote to the Corinthians saying, “So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.”

Could it be that we will fail to understand that we are being tested - that God is testing us, perhaps as never before – that our diocese is in jeopardy if we do not Connect, Collaborate and Create within our Mission Clusters to feel the power of the Spirit; use the Light of Christ to light the way as we throw off our bowlines; to join together in a collaborative spirit never before experienced in this diocese as we create a new and gloriously inclusive path to God’s Kingdom.

I believe that the Spirit is very much with us here in the Diocese of Easton. I believe that over the past two years God has showered the diocese with gifts beyond imagination. The gifts of discernment, the gifts of loving leadership, the gifts of so many hearts and minds already working together to find a new way.

I also believe that we are being tested – not only here on the Eastern Shore, but throughout our nation and the world. Perhaps we are like the fig tree that bears no fruit. We are in severe jeopardy of losing our way. Our opportunity to Connect, Collaborate and Create is our one more year to dig around ourselves, feed ourselves and to know that with God’s help, we can do it.

Let us remember that, “God is faithful, and he will not let us be tested beyond our strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that we may be able to endure it.”

“So throw the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”