Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126 or Canticle 3 or Canticle 15
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Homily by Fr R Christopher Heying
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry!
Could we imagine a more apt, prayerful refrain to our opening hymn as we elect three new vestry members to continue the “work of ministry” that has been going on in this community for the 170 years since this church was consecrated to God in 1844?
With the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.
I include in the bulletin FACTs on Episcopal Church Growth,1 and I hope you will read it (only 19 pages with lots of pictures)to see what insight can be gained as we at Emmanuel face the challenges and opportunities God gives. FACTs is the largest survey of its kind, 4100 Episcopal churches, and it takes into account an even more comprehensive examination of 14,000 churches, synagogues, parishes, temples, and mosques in the U.S.Most churches say of course that they want to grow, but the numbers reveal that many, if not most, are not growing. Beyond intuition and hopeful thinking, beyond the Jerry Falwells and the Joel Osteens, FACTs gives statistical evidence for what has an impact on growth and decline in The Episcopal Church.
It reveals, not surprisingly that we at Emmanuel face an uphill climb. Our setting and demographics place us in a category described as “least likely to grow.” Most churches in our setting and with our demographics are in decline:
- A small town and rural setting
- Average age of 50 or older, when we are more resistant to change
- A parish with either no resident rector or a history of short-term pastorates
FACTs notes that the first two years of a rector’s ministry statistically show decline, with growth much more likely in the third and fourth year as stability increases.
Some factors obviously lie beyond our control. Most of us don’t even have any desire to move to a community of rapid growth because we like it here and value what Chatham has to offer. Nor are we able to reverse the clock. While longevity may not be statistically conducive to growth, it seems mighty helpful to us who are still alive, and we consider it a blessing from God.
FACTs, however, reveal factors related to growth and decline that are within our reach and grasp.
More important than church “programming” is what you and I are saying about our church and our willingness to invite others, especially our family and friends, “to come and see” for themselves. Your follow up, even more than the rector’s, with visitors is what makes others know that there is ample room here at the table for them.
And FACTs note that how we handle our disagreements is pivotal in terms of whether we increase or decline. Nearly 0 percent of churches indicated “no conflict” and they may have been too dead to respond!
But how we treat one another in the midst of inevitable differences that come when two or three are gathered directly affects whether we grow or decline, and that trajectory can last years. Religion is directly connected to “ultimate concern” but many, if not most, of our differences is perspective are not a matter of “life and death” and we all do well to remember that “winning” something so often is the prelude to “losing” everything. Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” and if we do nothing else together, let us make that forgiveness of one another real and concrete.
FACTs does indicate the importance of clergy leadership. As one full of flaws and failures, I need your forgiveness, your patience, your love, your encouragement. For the sake of not only my ministry but my own salvation, I need to lead you by demonstrating both the capacity and the willingness to forgive.
FACTs gives us statistically valid data that is having a direct impact on our life together. FACTs on Episcopal Church Growth is worthy of your prayerful read, especially before we gather again during the second part of our congregational meeting after the eucharist on Sunday, 11 January when we will have the end-of-year reports, budget, etc., for conversation as to where we are now and where we hope to go together.
But we know that no survey, not even one as comprehensive as FACTs, can reveal what is most important to you and to me, to this community of Chatham and indeed to the whole world.
What is most important is God’s unfathomable love and unlimited grace for us right where we are, in Chatham, at our age, and in the challenges and opportunities we face. Nearly twenty-five years ago I recall a priest saying, “‘Grace’ is the ability God gives us to deal with the hand we that we are dealt.” “Grace” is the ability to deal with the hand we have been dealt.
Our “hand” reveals clear challenge, but our “hand” also reveals abundant opportunity, because God is here, God is in this place, God . . . addressing us, loving us, transforming us, giving us life.
Neither because we are big or small, but simply because we are. Scripture reveals that you and I can water, weed, tend, nurture (and so we must do so with care and maybe a some “facts”) but it is God alone who gives growth, God alone who gives life.
It is not ultimately our size but our vitality that matters. How we choose to live together. How open we are to receive the grace and life God gives as we gather to hear God’s word, to receive the bread of heaven and the cup of salvation, and then to go forth to do God’s work in the world, the “work of ministry” for which we pray the Spirit will empower us.
That’s what this morning’s passage from Isaiah 61 is all about. God’s people, after years of captivity, have come home to rebuild according to the dreams of the way they want things to be. But they have been brought into the crucible of the way things are, face to face with the hand that they have been dealt. And just at such a moment of collective anxiety and concern comes this life-giving, transformative Word of God, reminding them and us of an essential truth that statistics never fully reveal:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon us, to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, release to prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, to comfort all who mourn, to give them the oil of gladness and the mantle of praise.
My brothers and sisters, with God’s overflowing grace we are fully able to deal with the hand we have been dealt. By God’s grace we can together seek to the vitality that God promises to give even in this community and time, at this age and with this very flawed and imperfect priest.
For those who have this day offered themselves for service on the vestry, for the priest, for this community, for this diocese, for each and every member, friend, potential visitor, let us pray to the Lord with all our heart and mind and strength:
“With the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.”
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1 http://www.episcopalchurch.org/sites/default/files/facts_on_episcopal_church_growth1.pdf