CHURCH KITS--PARTIAL ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

This morning’s sermon is called: Church Kits—partial assembly required.

 

Let us pretend  that we are not the people of Christ Church. Rather, we are a group of people, living in a different place who have no church---and we would like to start one.  So, we have called the diocese, and the diocese and their representative tells us that he has 2 different church kits to choose from:

 

The first is the “fancy church kit.”  This kit is full to the brim with all sorts of things.

·       We need lots and lots of $, because fancy churches cannot live without a river of cash, so that they can keep their churches fancy.

·       For that, you need lots and lots of people.

·       You need fancy worship, with expensive vestments, gold & silver communion ware

·       [An expensive CEO Bishop to watch over you]

·       [Lots of state of the arts electronics, so that everyone can hear & see your dazzling worship.]

·       A very complex music program, with a new state of the art pipe organ, and a paid choir of 20-30 people

·       And to house all this, you need a huge multimillion dollar stone church, with a state of the art water system, newly renovated on the inside and out.

 

So, we could choose expensive fancy church kit, or we can choose the Free church kit?  Now, this box is mostly empty.  But there are a few items in here:

·       Rock—Jesus is the rock of our salvation, and He  is the rock upon which his church, his people, are assembled.  You see, back in the days of the early church, as described in today’s readings—the church did not refer to the building.  The term church, translated from the original Greek, means “assembly.”  So, during the time when the Christian church was the most powerful, the first 3 centuries AD, there were not church buildings.  Those came later.  But the church, the people, were built on the rock---Jesus Christ, the church’s true foundation.

·       Next, the Holy Spirit—the Holy Spirit is the power of God in our day and time, which focuses in building up people to their ability to know, love, and serve God.  Too many modern churches are so obsessed with their fanciness, that they neglect the Holy Spirit.  A church without the Holy Spirit is a dead church, trying to cling to its fanciness, yet neglecting Jesus the rock and the Holy Spirit.

·       Next, of course, is the Word of God—which is God’s means of communicating to us in our day and time.

·       And finally, a sense of communion community.  Many Christian churches offer the sacrament of communion; but they lack the inclusive and warm sense of community.  The early church, as described in today’s readings, met in homes with small groups, where people gathered for bible study, friendship & prayer.  They met over dinner, and shared the communion bread and wine as part of their meal.  Consequently, they were all personal friends---but with an extra seat at the table for visitors and guests. 

 

This is the church described in our church history reading today—a church where the people were known for their love of God and one another.

 

You see, the life-beating-heart of the local church  is and always has been found in  relationships.  We are talking about real relationships where we are personally known, loved, and appreciated.

 

Now, those type of relationships are not possible in a crowd of 50 or more during Sunday worship:  Too many people; and the focus is primarily worship, not friendship.  So, Jesus modeled the right size of group where such friendships are possible—and he chose 12 or smaller. He also said that whenever 2 or 3 people gather together in His Name, that he will be present to them in a unique & wonderful way, that is different from the way he is present to a group of 2 dozen or more.

 

This is what happens in small groups.

 

Why is this important to all of us? There is an earthquake going on in church life in our country—and several things are happening.

·       One, churches without small groups are declining and dying. Large churches with small groups are growing, but large churches with small groups are declining and dying.

·       Small & medium size churches, which aspire to be fancy churches, are declining and dying, if they do not have small groups.

 

You see, institutionalized religion is no longer as popular as it once was. In the US, we have 90% of people who believe in God, and 45% who claim to be connected to a church.

·       So, religion is less important to folks; but relationships -relationships with Christ and one another—such relationships  are what many people need and want.

·       That is why CCQF has had so much success with our Small group program over the past 4 years.  Last year, 60 adults participated in our fall Small Group program; this year, 50 have signed up already; and that is about half of our yearly average  Sunday attendance. 

·       This percentage is almost unheard of. Many churches are happy if 20 or 30 % participate, but very few have 50 % or more.  Whether or not you personally choose to participate in small groups, that is one ministry which keeps our church firmly built on the rock of Jesus Christ.

 

So, please consider whether or not this vital program is for you. It could add fire to your faith and relationships, as it has for others: Would you please take out the Small group flier in your bulletin—open it up, looking at the far right section.  There are some testimonials that I would like to share with you:

 

WHAT DO I APPRECIATE ABOUT SMALL GROUPS?

·       Michelle Macisco writes, “…the sharing and the felling comfortable enough to share myself.”

·       Marilyn Stebar appreciates the seeing newcomers to our group feel accepted & welcomed; and seeing everybody praying out loud.”

·       And finally, Mr. anonymous says, “I think that this Small group has been marvelous.  I am so glad that I came.”

 

Meanwhile, let’s get back to the church kits.  Which one should we choose?  Well, ever since the Protestant reformation in the 16^th century –the Anglican Episcopal Church has offered us the opportunity of using all the riches of the free church kit, and the best of the riches of the fancy church kit.

·       You see, as long as Jesus is the foundation of our church---then we can use wonderful music, colorful vestments, and even bishops to bring glory to God and to inspire us. 

·       We believe that standing on the rock of Jesus, the riches of our Anglican tradition bring beauty, reverence, mystery, and richness to our worship, as we follow God’s command to give Him thanks and praise.

  

Thanks be to God. Amen. Alleluia!!!

Episcopalains Together In Oxford (ETO) Our Kids in Kenya

Episcopalains Together In Oxford (ETO)

Our Kids In Kenya

The Rev. Ellen Donnelly

From today’s Gospel: “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…..Whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers and sisters, you did for me.”

We understand that faith isn’t about what we think or feel; it’s about what we do, how we live our daily lives as disciples of Jesus Christ.  This passage from Matthew reminds us that it’s also about how we treat those in need; we need to look at them not as a problem but as an opportunity, an opportunity to minister to Jesus himself.  The problem, of course, is that there is so much need all around us that it can be too overwhelming to do anything at all.

That’s why I rely on God-incidence, the believer’s version of coincidence.  If we have our eyes open, we can so often see that God is opening doors for us, while maybe closing others.  And that is how I try to identify which people in need to help – the ones God is giving me eyes to see.  From that point of view, I’d like to share a little with you today about my experience over the years with a small orphanage in a little town in Kenya.

The story starts in 2002, when a new family joined our church in New Jersey – mom, dad, and 5 kids.  They had come to the United States from Kenya to provide better educational opportunities for their children, and the dad was an priest from the Anglican Church of

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Kenya, none other than Brother David Esipila, whom many of you know.  It so happened that at that time I was working with the Missions Committee of our church to identify new outreach opportunities that the whole church could get involved in, and I invited Brother David to join us.

That’s when we learned about the huge number of orphans left by the AIDS epidemic all over Africa in the 90s.  We also learned from David about a small orphanage in his home town that he had helped to found.  It had fallen on hard times when the American church that had been supporting it bailed out.  Our hearts were touched by the plight of this particular group of people in need.  A God-incidence, do you think?  And so the outreach ministry we called Our Kids in Kenya was born in 2003.

At that point there were 25 children in the orphanage, ranging in age from infants to high schoolers.  For many, it was the only family they had ever known.  The orphanage provided not only food and shelter but medical care, Christian fellowship, and education at the local schools.  The latter was of great importance because at that time, as is still mostly true today, public schools were not free; in Kenya, as here at home, education is the key to a better life.  And in all this, Brother David was our direct contact with the orphanage.  Without his help, we would never have been able to navigate the complex culture and customs of Africa.

I’m happy to say that our St. Michael’s family adopted Our Kids in Kenya enthusiastically.  Our kids made cards in Sunday School to send to the orphans.  Families “adopted” an orphan and provided monthly support.  We held fund-raisers and collected school supplies, clothing, and other necessities.  We had a monthly prayer service in which each

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child was prayed for by name and according to their needs.  They were truly OUR Kids in Kenya.

In 2009, recognizing the limits of our resources, we made a decision not to accept any more children into the orphanage, but to support the 22 current children until they graduated from high school.  After Fr. John and I left St. Michael’s in 2011, the OKIK Committee carried on as best they could, but in 2015, the new Rector decided to drop support for the orphanage.

Fr. John and I were appalled; once again an American church had abandoned the orphanage.   But, once more, God opened a new door.  Our Episcopalians Together in Oxford (ETO) Outreach Committee was at that time looking for outreach projects that our 2 churches could do together.  By the way, your representatives on that Committee are Bob Knapp, Michelle Masisco, and Fr. John.  All of us were moved by the plight of the few remaining orphans, who had had the rug pulled out from under them.  We felt that it was a God-incidence that this opportunity was presented to us, and we agreed that we would do our best to finish out the promise that St. Michael’s had made years before, to support the remaining kids until they graduated from college.

In my experience, God-incidences always work out if you see them and seize them.  By the grace of God, we have been able to raise so far this year over $7000, which has provided support for the orphanage from March through September, with a little left over.  Today, there are only 6 remaining kids out of the original 22.  Four of them are seniors in high school who will be graduating in December of this year and moving out of the orphanage to begin their lives.  We are so proud of these 4, most of whom have lived in the orphanage all their lives. 

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In January, we will close the orphanage building (which is rented); the remaining 2 kids will board with a woman Brother David knows.  We will continue, by God’s grace, to provide support for them until they, too graduate – 2 years for 1, 4 years for the other.

So now we are in a position of needing to raise enough money to see us through December.  That is the reason for our fund-raising Steak Dinner, which is described on the flyer in your hands.  I hope many of you will take the opportunity to join in supporting Our Kids in Kenya by buying tickets to the dinner – and, of course, enjoy and delicious meal and Christian fellowship into the bargain.  Why not invite a friend or relative as well – every dollar counts as we try to make good on our commitment to Our Kids in Kenya.

May God bless you for your generosity.  And remember that “whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for Me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sermon preached @

Christ Church Quaker Farms on Sept.4, 2016

& St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, September 11, 2016