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13th
Sunday in Ordinary Time Prayer for Illumination: Be in our hearts, our minds, our very souls, that we might hear your word in the midst of our thoughts and meditations. Amen. Well, as many of you know, I’m just returned from the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA. I arrived home at 11:00 p.m. last night after a two-hour delay and my head and heart are full of so many things. I left last Friday and hadn’t been on the ground more than a few hours, barely unpacked, when it was time for commissioners to participate in the first of many meetings. This one was anti-racism training—offered by our national offices in an attempt to set a tone for 700 people from all over the country and really world, trying to make gfood decisions on behalf of the whole. We listened to presentations, watched videos and in good Presbyterian fashion, broke into small groups for discussion. “What had been our experience with racism?” our leader asked, and then the sharing began. Around the circled table we went, sharing stories from all over the country. When it was my turn I talked about Café Pride, and the reaction that our community, otherwise known for its inclusiveness, was having to the descent of so many African American teenagers on our oh-so-white streets. I explained a bit about our church, which I always do in settings like this one---figuring I am at a national gathering a one-person ad campaign for the growth of our church and our MoreLight status. People perked up around the table as I told the story and I was aware again how powerful a story it really is. Across from me a woman was quiet. Her lips pinched together in the way that some people do when they are upset or angry. Her whole body gave off taut, uncomfortable vibes. Or so I thought. I saw that she was writing in a little book and at one point she looked up, holding her pen, and said: “What is the name of your church?” Oh boy, I thought. She’s going to cause trouble. The conversation went on and our time closed. She got up with this slip of paper in her hand and came around the table to me. She introduced herself, handed me the paper and said: “You can do whatever you want to with this piece of paper, but I want you to know about my brother.” (I’m guessing she was in her 60’s) My brother hasn’t been inside a church in over 30 years. He’s never felt welcome there. and he lives just a few blocks from your church. You don’t have to call him, she said, and I don’t know if he’d come, but I wish he’d known about your church 30 years ago.” So that’s a lesson for me. Trust your instincts…..to a point. In my defense, the pastor next to me who knew me thought the same thing. He leaned ore and said: I really thought she was going to slam you. 30 years of NOT feeling welcome. What does that do to a person’s psyche, soul, sense of self? And what does Jesus’ instructions to the disciples tell us about his thoughts on welcome? In our passage for today he has sent the 12 out with their instructions and they are demanding: Expect trouble. Don’t take anything extra with you. Be ready to leave if folds don’t accept you. It is really a fairly complete list….and the list ends with this word on welcome. Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me. The 218th General Assembly of the PCUSA was definitely in welcome mode. The pace for commissioners at an event like this is brutal. Long days, no breaks, and lots of meetings. After 2 ½ days of committee meetings, we came into the general meeting of the whole kind of spent. Wednesday afternoon, all day Thursday and all day Friday(we didn’t end till 11:00 p.m.), we discussed the business before us. Committees had worked on Monday and Tuesday and into the night Tuesday to be ready. Early morning breakfast caucuses coach3ed the commissioners. 700 sleep deprived people came to the hall ready to address the issues and overtures. Our commissioners from Chicago (12 of us) were from city and suburb, young and old, seasoned (what I’ve come to think of as “Professional Presbyterians” and first timers. It was a great group and we all had some common observations about what happened. There was an energy among us that was palpable, despite our lack of sleep. and we could not deny the sense that this assembly was bold enough, courageous enough, led enough to take the denomination into some new directions. We overturned a decision of the highest court of the church that will take out one more brick in the wall that keeps our lgbt brothers and sisters from being ordained. We changed some language in a 500 year old confessions that had been editorially tampered with during translation in the 60s…and left to mis-guide our church ever-since. In the biggest surprise of all, we took out of our Book of Order the provision for chastity in singleness and fidelity in marriage---the infamous clause that had targeted lgbtq people and legislated so many gifted pastors and elders right out of the church! No more. We came very close to changing language about the definitions of marriage and we overturned two pieces of what are called authoritative interpretation---more legislation that had been used to bar the doors on ordination. That was enough, but there’s more. We passed a strong statement calling for peace in both Israel and Palestine and Iraq. We heard statistics about the good work of the PDA in the gulf. and the massive number of volunteers that had given thousands of hours of volunteer labor. I believe the statistics were 36,000 volunteers saving in person-hours $18,749,700 in labor costs and raising over $30 million across the gulf in relief dollars. Amazing. We considered a new Form of Government that will go back to presbyteries for review and we welcomed ecumenical partners from around the world. We worshipped together seven times. The eco-justice task force will be glad to know that we recycled everything!, were almost paperless, and we ate on potato-ware! All through the assembly, when I knew that our actions would cause friction and possible divisions/departures in the wider church, there was this strong sense among the commissioners of a steady presence…pulsing through each vote and each deliberation. Except in only a few isolated cases, we were respectful and reasoned. The voices of youth delegates were refreshing and sweetly idealistic. The voices of the old-timers were wise and seasoned. And through it all, I kept running into this piece of paper in my bag. this person whose church had closed the door on him 30 years ago and left him outside the body of Christ and outside the Presbyterian family. Think about it…..his sister was a commissioner to GA….that doesn’t happen without some serious engagement in the church….this man was one of our own……and he no longer felt welcome. Welcome. really how hard is it? There’s a commercial you will recognize ---that I will play for you now to move us into this conversation about Jesus’ command to welcome one another. (Motel 6 commercial) We’ll leave the light on. Welcome. As simple as leaving the light on. When I was a teenager, and dating, our front porch light was a crucial part of any night out. It was left on until everyone was home, inside, doors locked and safe. It signaled many things to me and my siblings: One of my parents was awake!. alert, waiting for our safe return. It signaled an accountability to time that made us responsible. If we said we’d be home at 11, we couldn’t slide in an hour later because no one was paying attention. It signaled a clear set of boundaries. If we were home by the designated hour, but still out in the driveway, the light would on occasion flicker….letting us know that we weren’t really alone as we supposed ourselves to be. And even as that simple chastisement brought us scurrying in the house, it communicated a care and love that was consistent, vigilant, and unfailing. With the vantage of many years, its easy to wax on about the virtues of this light ritual. I know as a teenager it probably wasn’t such a treat. But as I look back those elements are all part of understanding fully what it means to welcome someone. Awake. Accountable. Not Alone. Unfailing Love. We leave the light on as a church, so folks out there know that someone inside is awake---paying attention to the needs of the world. We leave the light on as a church to hold our members and friends accountable---you said you’d follow Jesus, you said you’d work for Justice, you said you’d love your neighbor, you said you’d offer a cup of cold water, now you have to do it! We leave the light on as a church to signal to one another and to the world that we are not alone….someone waits for us, knows when we are on the edge, knows when we are tempted to slip away, someone waits for us who can cut through the fog of our crazy, easily distracted lives and flickers the light to get our attention again. We leave the light on as a church as a signal, a beacon, a lighthouse that draws all of God’s children….all of them home….and will not rest till are inside, safe, warm, tucked in for the night. Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me. I give thanks to God that our national church took some major strides toward welcome this week and I pray for those who will actively work to undo our actions. The light is on….somehow I don’t think our human efforts can turn it off. I am so, so glad to be home…..where our light here at Lake View is on, where our love is strong, where the work God has given us to do is clear and important, where the needs of our community are taken seriously, where children are nurtured and well-fed, where our lgbt brothers and sisters are not living a few blocks away in isolation, but free to be here and be themselves. For all the brothers and sisters who have been lost to the church for lack of welcome, I pray that they will be guided to the light of our God… who won’t rest until all God’s children are inside safe and sound and loved. Let us pray: O God of the Rainbow and God of the Rain, you have promised to be our God and to lead us through the stormy waters of our life. Let us create a place of welcome that is so bright that all will be led to the power of your amazing love! Amen.
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