Saturday, June 9, 2012
200 YEARS OF MARRIAGE BICENTENNIAL SERMON June 3, 2012
Today as part of our Bicentennial, we celebrate 200 years of marriage at Christ Church Quaker Farms. During that time, hundreds of women & men came together here, in the presence of God and their families, to make vows of lifelong fidelity. And some of those couples are with us today.
• Would any of you who were married at CCQF, including those of you who are widowed, would you please stand up so that we can recognize you? Here is our living history of 200 years of marriage at CCQF. You are part of the rich heritage of this church, in the past, present, and future, and we honor you all.
In my hand is an antique CCQF Prayer Book, which has been in this church since the year the building was completed in 1814. The first couple married here, stood before this altar and head the pastor read these words:
Of course, that was a long time ago. During the past 200 years, the institution of marriage has gone through many changes.
• Back in the Early 19th century, parents arranged most marriages. It was only around the turn of the 20th century that marriages were inspired by romantic love.
• Back in the 19th century, women pledged to obey their husbands in the marriage liturgy. In our day and time, most couples share in decision making with one another.
• Back in the 19th century, women were solely responsible for raising and managing the children. 19th century social custom dictated a formal and distant relationship between a man and his children. In our day and time, most fathers are much more involved in child rearing.
• Back in the 19th century, holy matrimony was understood as a holy union made by God himself. But today, many people have dropped the word “holy” out of the title. Many , many couples now choose to have secular marriages, which are merely human arrangements, with human values and rules.
• Back in the 19 century, the divorce rate in this nation was around 3%. In 2011, among new marriages, the divorce rate is between 40 to 50 % of new marriages.
Roles of men and woman may have changed some, but it seems to me that God’s plan for Christian marriage has not changed: God’s word defines marriage as a sacred covenant between a man, a woman, and God himself. God’s plan for marriage is a lifelong union , characterized by mutual respect, mutual honor, mutual fidelity, mutual sacrifice, and mutual joy.
However, what many non believers do not understand, is that the love needed for a successful marriage is love which only comes from God. Human beings are not capable of such love, over the long haul of a lifelong commitment. To unintentionally or intentionally exclude God from the marriage, is to deny the depth of love necessary for marriages to prosper.
To be honest, we Americans have trouble with “Love,” because the word is thrown around so loosely.
• I love pizza. I love my country. I love my fiancé. I love my children. I love my grandma. I love my friend. Certainly, I do not love pizza in the same manner that I love grandma, nor do I love my fiancé in the same way I love my children.
Some of the confusion about love is caused by the fact that in English, we have one term, “love,” which describes a variety of different “love” experiences. However, the Greeks have actually 4 different terms:
• “Eros,” which means romantic love.
• The lives of their children.“Philia, “ which means brotherly love or friendship
• “Storge,” which means the love of family;
• And “AGAPE”--love, which is committed, self sacrificing love.
Agape-love, where you choose to love someone so much, that you put his or her interests and well-being and happiness above your own.
So, looking at question # 2, which type of love is the most important in marriage? (All important—but one is vital).
Romantic love, or Eros, without sacrificial love, agape, will not last. Agape- love is not all about me, but directed towards you. That’s why God , in his infinite wisdom, decided to create a setting for romance to grow and to become infused with agape-love.
• And within this sacred commitment, they are free to love and to trust and to depend—because they both have made a solemn vow to continue loving one another, no matter what.
• And that, is real marriage….where vows mean something, and both parties choose to love one another by honoring their vows and promises.
Of course, the sad reality is that not all marriages fulfill God’s plan. When agape love is missing form one or both partners, then trauma , betrayal, disappointment, and sorrow may follow.
For all its brokenness, however, my guess is that each of you knows of one or more marriage which Have fulfilled the God- given promise of agape love. Today, following the sermon, there are 18 couples who are going to publicly reaffirm their marriage vows. By doing so , they gave giving honor and thanks to God and each other. On Thursday night, I met with them all and asked them to identify one way that God has blessed them through the love of their spouse.
• One jokester eagerly raised his hand and shouted, “Her chicken Marcella is fantastic.”
• Then, everyone spoke of the blessings of children and grandchildren, and extended families.
But, then the discussion took a more intimate turn, as they said such things as
• He is someone that I can always count on.”
• His love of me has strengthened my love of God.”
• “He’s hoped me to become a better person.”
• “Always loving; always my friend.”
• “He helps me to get through the hard times. By working together, we’re not just two people, we’re more like 3.”
• She has helped bring balance to my life.”
• And finally, “He makes me laugh.”
That was a very moving conversation; and it made me think how happy I am that today, all of us can share in this celebration of Love.
That, is the way that God agape-loves you and me. Lets’ look at question # 3 in your sermon notes: As designed by the creator of the universe, all relationships , romantic, family, friends, are better and more lasting when both parties practice agape-love. Agape-love is patient and kind. It is not self-seeking. It keeps no record of wrongs. Agape-love will never end, All other things in life, and all relationships without agape-love, will fade away.
Church is meant to be a school to learn how to love, because God is agape-love. This love is intended for all people, whether you are married or not. Jesus agape-loved us all by laying down his life that we might be forgiven and loved by God.
So on this day of love, let’s remember the Prayer of the King of Love, that the whole world would know that we are His disciples, because of the way we love one another.
"WHAT ON EARTH...... Pentecost Sunday, May 27, 2012
50 days after Jesus had risen from the dead, and ten days after He ascended to heaven, Peter and the rest of the disciples were praying together, just as Jesus had commanded. Then, the God the Holy Spirit fell upon them and within them, and they were filled with enthusiastic joy and courage. Then they ran out into the streets proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, and then they and their successors went to the ends of the earth.
For the past 4 Sundays, we have been exploring this Good News, together. So, today, we are gaping to have a pop quiz to see if you have been paying attention. If the person at the end of each pew will pass down the pens from the white baskets and everybody take out your red insert. So, let’s all work together and we can all receive an A plus Please look section A, question # 1:
1. I am here on earth because God _(created)____ me (pp 12-15), so that He
could __Love_____ me (page #15) ; and so that I can __Love_______ Him back.(pp. 51-52).
2. His plan/purpose for me is to have an__abundant _______life (pp. 39-40, John 10:10), which begins when I believe and __receive__ __JESUS___ into my life (pp. 56-58).
Good job. You all pass!!! Now, the next part of the Good News, as that the Bible and the Episcopal Prayer Book teach, is that we can believe and receive Christ by praying a prayer, similar to the one in section B of your sermon notes.
• As ow as we have heard, God invites us to freely and voluntarily make our own faith commitments to him, to take responsibility for our own spiritual lives. Such commitments are never to be coerced or pressured, but made out of a conviction fo the heart.
• Last Sunday, over 57 of us voluntarily made faith commitments or recommitments, and in doing so, we invited and received Christ into our hearts.
Now, I know that some of you may be thinking that “this is no big deal,” (PAUSE)…. but a little thing can be a big deal to God. This is where your seed comes in. Please hold it in the palm of your hand, and reflect upon its profound significance: The Bible tells us that when we believe and receive Christ into our hearts, God plants the seed of the Holy Spirit into our lives. The seed of the Holy Spirit, like all seeds, has been designed to grow. Receiving the seed of God the Holy Spirit is a great honor, but to fulfill its purpose in your life, that seed must grow and mature. This happens as we each voluntarily choose to trust Jesus with more and more of our lives, by giving him greater and greater authority to guide & direct us for our great good and his great glory.
To explain how this works, please look at your red sermon notes, section C. Here you see a couple diagrams, which require some explanation for the symbols.
• The circles represent each person.
• The black dots symbolize our personal interests, concerns, activities, emotions, problems, and all aspects of our lives.
• The chair in the center of each circle is the throne of our lives, or our decision making capacity.
• In the top circle, there is a big S on the throne—which represents our SELF. So, the explanation of the diagram reads,
REGULAR CHRISTIAN—SELF IS ON THE THRONE: We may still primarily make decisions and take actions to satisfy our own wants and desire, like everyone else. This results in an unbalanced & conflicted life at best, and/or a life which may hurt us and/or others. The “Self” still wants and seeks money, recognition, self-serving love, and peace & happiness (based on achieving the right outward circumstances, which are unstable).
Now, the cross in the circle represents Christ, in whom the regular Christian has received through prayer. However, the regular Christian has not given Christ the authority to provide the spiritual leadership each person requires us that we can live an abundant, purposeful, and meaningful life.
So, now lets’ look at the second diagram. What is different about that one from the first? (Discussion)
• Note—there is greater harmony and order in the Spiritually Growing Christians’ life.
SPIRITUALLY GROWING -- JESUS ON THRONE:
We give Jesus authority to be our Lord (manager, boss, the one in control). This results in a more harmonious & peaceful lives, as we seek his direction in making decisions and taking actions. We then see the manifestations or the “fruit” of God: the Holy Spirit: exuberance for life; agape-love; inner peace; compassion; loyalty; perseverance; clearer priorities; wisdom; generosity; and hope. (See today’s reading from Galatians 5)
So, our task as Christians is to nurture the growth of the Holy Spirit within us, by learning to trust Jesus, more and more, because He invented the seed, and as the master gardener, he knows how to make it grow to the max, just like any wise farmer.
Our spiritual seed grows by watering it with Word of Christ, whom the Bible calls “ THE living water.”
• So, first of all, we ALL need to personally read the Bible. Now, I know that some of you think, 'Oh, the Bible is too hard. I cannot understand it.’ Well, you have to get a modern translation. Even I have a hard time understanding the 500 year old King James translation of the Bible. Get a good modern translation. Today’s reading from Galatians , which is very understandable, comes from “The Message Translation” of the Bible, which is one that I am primarily reading now. You can buy it on Amazon. Or, we have a table downstairs today where you can see my copy of the Message Bible, place an order, and we can get a copy fo you. So, first, read the Bible for yourself. I suggest that you start with the Gospel of Mark.
• Secondly, come to a bible study group. This fall , CCQF will host an expanded program of Small Bible Study groups, which will be offered at different times to accommodate busy schedules. There is no better way to grow in Christ, then to participate in a small group bible study. You see, it is within such small group setting that we can grow to understand and appreciate the rich inheritance which God has planned for us.
What am I on earth for? We are on earth to prepare ourselves as heirs of the Kingdom of God. When a child or older person is baptized, the sign of the cross using holy oil, will be made on the forehead of the child. In ancient times, holy oil was poured on the heads of future Kings and Queens, symbolizing their royal inheritance. This is what that oil symbolized when you were baptized. You have been chosen by God the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit to be a royal heir of Christ, because you are important to God. Amen.
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On this Pentecost Sunday, churches all across the world today are witnessing to their faith by reaffirming the universal Baptismal Covenant, which we shall do, too. Please open your red prayer books to page 415. We will begin with the questions at the bottom of the page,
Dear people of God
WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? May 20
Today we are running to 3rd base in our 4 part exploration on, “What on earth am I here for?"
• First base, Week One—We heard that we are not accidents; God intentionally made us so that we could be objects of his love.
• Second base, last Sunday: We explored how we seek things, outside of us, in order to find fulfillment, such as money, somebody to love, recognition, and other outward circumstances to make us happy. However, such things do not bring lasting fulfillment, because they are illusive, or disappointing, or on temporarily fulfilling. That indeed, in every person there is a God shaped hole, which only God can fill.
• Today, 3rd base, I want to discuss how to fill this hole—(h-o-l-e) that we can become whole (w-h-o-l-e).
As a young man, I was painfully aware of the big black hole in my life, which I experienced as loneliness. Some of you have been surprised to hear that I am a natural introvert. For most of my earlier life, I was just painfully shy. I experienced a fair amount of social anxiety, and was always tongue tied when meeting new people.
• Growing up in a dysfunctional family with an alcoholic father taught me to keep quiet in order to protect myself
Like everyone else, I wanted things which I imagined would fill the void:
• First, I wanted friendships. While I had a couple of close friendships, they did not fill the void.
• My dating relationship started with promise, but mostly went up in smoke, thereby making my void even deeper.
• Then in high school and college, I thought that I could fill the void by winning the approval & recognition of others, by making straight “As’ and getting elected Student Body President. But none of that filled the void.
However, in my 2nd & third year in college, I found a group of friends who seemed to fill the void. They laughed with me; I felt confident around them; we always hung out together; and it really seemed like I had found my nitch. But unfortunately, this was not a good group of friends. In order to win their approval and acceptable, I joined them in getting drunk and stoned. Getting high with them initially appeared to fill the void. However, these so-called friendships were all chemically induced—so these relationships were superficial at best, and dangerous, at the worst.
My life almost ended one night when my friend, Bruce, and I were both stoned.
• My judgment was impaired, so I agreed to let Bruce take me home in his little sports car. Bruce put his foot on the accelerator, and before I knew what had happened, the car sped off the road and over a cliff. The car rolled down the hill, over and over, until it was stopped by three trees, which kept the car from falling further into the creek below. The car was totaled. Miraculously, both of us walked away with a scratch. The police were amazed that we were still alive.
After that close call, I was very ashamed, and filled with the conviction that somehow, God had saved us. A silly thought popped inky mind, one which I originally dismissed as mere superstition or wishful thinking. Those three trees that saved the car from rolling into the creek, I wondered if three represented the 3 persons of God: Father, Son & Holy Spirit. But that thought sounded too superstitious for me to tell anyone. However, about 10 years later, after Bruce had stopped abusing drugs, he told me that he had had the same thought.
So, that night I swore off drugs, believing that God had a better purpose for my life. I grew to believe that God had better plans for me then lying dead in a creek.
Shortly afterwards, I joined a bible study group, where I learned some basic principles, which helped me to see the broader picture of my life and God’s purpose. To help explain this, we are now going to see a 31/2 minute video, called “God’s Graffiti.” This remarkable film summarizes the teaching of a person who, for the last 55 years, has been in the top ten list of most admired men in the United States—the Rev. Billy Graham.
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Although the format is decidedly modern, the content of this film is the Good News proclaimed by the Hebrew prophets, by Jesus Himself, by the apostles, and by countless millions of other Christians during the past 2000 years, Like some of you, I had heard this teaching previously with my head, but after the car accident, I embraced it with my heart. That’s when I decided to invite God into my life by praying the prayer of believing and receiving.
Would you please take out the yellow prayer card from your bulletin, and if you would please pass those pens down the table. Let’s look at the prayer-----
Some of you personally may have previously prayed this prayer, or one like it; and others of you may have not. I really see this prayer as an expression of our love and faith in God. Since God made you to be the recipient of his boundless love, He now invites you to tell him that we love him too. By praying this prayer, you do not proclaim that you have all the answers. Rather, you ask Jesus to , quote, “COME INTO MY LIFE AND HELP ME TO LEARN TO KNOW YOU, TO TRUST YOU, AND TO LOVE YOU.” unquote.
So, when I initially prayed this prayer at my bible study, I did not initially feel anything at first. But later on, as I looked back, I could see that this invitation was the beginning of my finding fulfillment. I returned to church, where I began to form new friendships with people who like me, wanted to grow to better trust, love, and follow Christ.
• I still have problems, like everybody else.
• I have grown in my relational skills, and learned how to better give and receive love from my friends, my wife, and my children.
• I have grown to care more about the approval and recognition of Christ, and less about that from people.
• My wife and I have never had a surplus of money, but I have seen how the Lord has consistently provided for the financial needs of my family and churches, I have served.
And it all begins by praying the prayer of believing and receiving, so that Jesus might begin to fill your HOLE “H-o-l-e” so that you can become “W_H_O_L_E” WHOLE.
Now, I have prayed this prayer, in one form or another, hundreds of times, because love always needs to be renewed.
• IF I had told my wife that I loved her 25 years ago, and never did it again, she world rightfully question my initial sincerity;....and frankly both of our hearts would have grown cold, if I never reaffirmed my love to her.
• Likewise, this prayer is not a onetime obligation. Rather, it is a milestone in a spiritual journey that serves as the foundation of our personal faith. So, I recommend that those of us who have previously made such a prayer commitment, also join me in praying it again, as one expression of love to the one who created us to love us.
So, in A MINUTE, AFTER THE PRAYERS of THE PEOPLE, I am going to pray this prayer, and if you feel that you wish to express your love to the Lord in a similar fashion, feel free to do so, as well. But whether you pray it or not, keep an open mind and an open heart in the one who demonstrated his love for you through his death and resurrection.
What on Earth am I here for? May 6
4 week sermon series based on "What On Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren
--The Rev. John Donnelly
WONDERFUL. FANTASTIC. INCEDIBLE. That’s the way I describe our 4 week sermon series and bible study. I am not boasting about myself, because our sermon series is based on the internationally bestselling book, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
• Now, I believe that some of you have read this book, yes? Did you like it?
• Now, just in terms of book purchases alone, this is the most significant Christian book in the past 50 years.
• Well, the first 7 chapters of that book have been repackaged as the booklet that you received this morning, called “What On earth am I here For?’ This is your book and you are free to take it home today, but you will need to bring them back, because we are going to need these books during all of May. So, if you would like to leave it here, and then write your name on the back—pens can be found in white baskets in each pew. On your way out, you may leave your book in the basket by the door, and it will be waiting for you for the next time.
Before we continue, we are very pleased that our 8th through 12th graders are joining us. Our bible study will be made better by you being here. So, I want to begin by this very serious biblical study, by inviting one of your young people to come up here, and to join me in a game of dice. Yes, today we are making history at CCQF—because this will be the first occasion in 200 years that any clergy person will play a game of craps right before the altar.
So, you roll the dice. To win, you have to get the same score again before you get a 7, 11, or snakes eyes. Now in this crap game, we are not playing for money—rather, we are playing for IQ. In this game, we are pretending that ______, here, has as not been born yet. So, you are going to roll the dice, and see what you end up with. Now, you continue rolling the dice until that number comes up—and if you do, you win an average or above average IQ. If you lose the crap shoot, then you will receive a below average IQ.
There are some big thinkers in our society, who believe that everything that happens, happens by pure chance. “All that happens is purely random—including all the creation of the universe, our planet, animal life, and even human life.” In this worldview, there is not God, or if God exists, God is entirely irrelevant. There is no benevolent presence or spirit behind the universe. Rather, we are all at the mercy of the scientific laws of nature, which operate totally dispassionately until we die and exist no more. Such a world view has been around for several hundred years, and has a strong following among our friends, family, and even without our own community. So l what do you think? Was the universe created totally by random chance? Was your DNA make up a total roll of the dice?
So, let’s look at the Christian worldview. Turn to page 12 in your books, and let’s read the first 2 paragraphs. YOU ARE NOT AND ACCIDENT.YOUR BIRTH WAS NO MISTAKE OR MISHAP, AND YOUR LIFE IS NO FLUKE OF NATURE. YOUR PARENTS MAY NOT HAVE PLANNED YOU, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT GOD DIDN’T PLAN YOU. HE WORKS EVEN THROUGH HUMAN ERROR AND FAILINGS, AND HE WAS NOT SURPRISED BY YOUR BIRTH." The dropping down to the line in bold print, “YOU ARE ALIVE BECAUSE GOD WANTED TO CREATE YOU.”
Now to me, that sounds pretty heady. The Lord God king of the universe willfully created ME? Maybe he made a mistake. Why would he want to make little you and little me?
You can find the answer to that question by turning to page 15, looking at the line in bold print, “God made you so that he could love you.” This is the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the central power point of today’s message.
• So, I want you to get this down, but I also want you to personalize it. So, please repeat after me, “GOD MADE ME----SO HE COULD LOVE ME.
Now in the Bible, the Greek word for love, agape, is a verb—its and action. True love expresses itself to the beloved.
• So, let’s open up the floor and hear from some of you: If YOU are an object of God’s love, how does God express this love to you? (Make a list)
What a great God we have! His purpose driven life, is to love us!!!!
As part of God’s love fours, He has a plan for our lives. As Jesus says in today’s Gospel, his plan is that we would have a good life, that our lives would be abundant is hope, abundant in peace, and abundant in love. Ts theme is echoed in today’s Ephesians reading. You will find part of that reading on page 9 in your booklet, the 2nd section in italic print. Let us read together the first line of that passage: IT’S IN CHRIST THAT WE FIND OUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE ARE LIVING FOR.”
Look at the 2nd &3rd word of that sentence “In Christ.” Now this simple phrase is totally deceptive. You see, to be, quote “In Christ,” actually means the opposite. It really means that Christ is in YOU. To be In Christ, means that He is in your heart and should, along with his peace, hope, and love. To be in Christ is sort of like the Alien movies, where the monsters were living inside people’s bodies. Well, Jesus is no monster; and He’ll only live in you, if you invite Him in.
How many of us here today were baptized as small children?” How many of you remember it? Whether we remember our baptisms or not, your baptism in Christ was an objective milestone in your life. The Greek word baptism means to immerse, to saturate, like a sponge soaking up water. So that’s why we use the water –as an outward and visible sign of God’s inward and spiritual grace. So baptism is a promise...a promise from God that one day, we will be saturated in Jesus Christ. This occurs in a two stage process:
When a child is baptized, he or she is adopted into God’s family.
For most of us, stage 2 occurs later on, when we voluntarily, individually, invite Christ into our heats, to release His presence, His hope, His peace, and His love. This is the background that makes our scripture on page 9 so important. So, I’d like you to look at it again, but with my amplification.
It is when we have been baptized into God’s family, and has invited Christ into our lives, that we find out who we are, and what we are living for.
So, why on earth and I here? Because God has a purpose for your life and part of that purpose is that you will receive all the abundant love and life that he has planned for you. This is true, no matter if you are: old or young; rich or poor; smart or dumb; healthy or sick; religious or not. None of that matters, because God loves you anyway.
So, I invite all of you, including those of you who are visiting today, to continue to join us in this journey of discovery, as we learn just what on earth we are here for.
• We hope some of you visitors will come back and join us next Sunday.
• Whether you do or not, take your booklet home and enjoy it for yourself.
• Also, we have even launched an online bible study, to which you are invited. Details are in your bulletin.
It is my hope that you will continue to reflect upon these matters. Simply to ask you the question, what on earth am I here for, is to enter a whole dimension of life that is sacred and holy. In Christ, you will find some wonderful answers. AMEN.
Friday, April 13, 2012
The Resurrection Community Part 1
THE RESURRECTION COMMUNITY Part 1
EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 8, 2012
Many Christians are surprised to learn that Jesus did not invent the idea of the Resurrection.
-Resurrection is an ancient term, affirming that the dead will come back to life. Zoresthanism, an ancient Persian religion, affirmed that good would triumph over evil at some date in the future; and that the dead would be brought back new life.
-Throughout the Old Testament, the Hebrew faith speaks of a time when the dead will supernaturally come back to life.
No, Jesus did not invent the idea at the Resurrection.
Of course, the Wright Brothers, they did not invent the idea of a flying machine; they were just the first to do it. Likewise, Jesus was the first to Rise from the dead and to open the door to eternal life. This is wonderful for us, because a recent Gallup pole reports that 85% of all Americans believe in heaven.
Over the next 50 days of Easter, here at CCQF we will together explore the proofs of the Resurrection and the resulting reality of eternal life. But today, I would like to explore with you one proof at the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and that is the Resurrection Community.
The first member of the Resurrection community was Mary Magdalene of whom we hear in today’s Gospel. She encounters the Risen Lord and calls him “rabboni” which means honored teacher. Contrary to the recent popular fantasy fiction, “The Da Vinci code, Mary Magdelene could not even touch Rabboni Jesus, much less sleep with Him. In today’s Gospel, she is so overcome with joy at seeing the Risen Lord that she reaches out to touch Him. Jesus replies, “No, Don’t do it.” Then Jesus spoke His word to her and taught her about the victory over death. He instructs Mary to go teach His disciples – that they might spiritually grow to understand the incredible significance of the Resurrection. Shortly after that, as we hear in today’s reading, Peter preaches God’s Word of New Life and that day the community of the resurrection grew by 5000 . It was quite a mixture of people – Jews, Greeks, Romans, the rich and poor, the young and the old, saints and sinners, skeptics and believers, longtime followers of Jesus and thousands of newcomers. This unusual diversity of people joining together is only possible, as Peter proclaims, because, quote, God shows no partiality. The community of the resurrection accepts all comers. Period. All people are important to God.
In our day and time, many people are surprised to learn that the earthly Resurrection Community is not the same thing as the institutionalized Christian church. Now some Christian churches are resurrection communities, but not all. Most frequently resurrection communities emerge from dead and dying churches. You see resurrection means coming back to life, after death. No cross and tomb, No East, No New Life.
Today, CCQF is celebrating our 200th Easter Sunday in this, our Bicentennial year. Since I arrived here in September, I have been learning the history at this church through studying and reading, and by listening to hundreds and hundreds of stories about the past life of this church. As some of you know much better than me, during the first 200 years this church has gone through cycles of life, death and resurrection; times of growth and times of decline; times of prosperity and times of scarcity; times when our church was as full as it is today and times when nobody came to church at all for long periods of time.
I believe that CCQF is now growing into a resurrection community. This becomes apparent by looking at the first resurrection community of the apostolic church after the first Easter Sunday, and comparing that with what God is doing among us now.
First, upon encountering the Risen Lord on the first Easter and during the following 50 days that ensues, the disciples and new believers were filled with joy. Mary and the other disciples were so overcome with joy at encountering the Risen Lord, and they fell down and worshipped him.
Likewise, this church is rediscovering that worship is not meant to be BORING, BULLYING OR BURDENSOME. No worship is meant to be joyful. You see, each Sunday is meant to be a mini Easter Sunday, where we encounter the Risen Lord, through hearing his encouraging word, by energetically and joyfully singing his praises, and happily receiving His real and living presence through Holy Communion. Jesus is alive!!!!!Is Jesus Alive? If you believe it say, “He’s Alive.” Okay, we can laugh, smile, sing off key, and enjoy sharing in His Resurrection presence. Joyful worship is becoming a core value of CCQF.
Secondly, another characteristic of a Resurrection community is the positive, encouraging and relevant teaching of God’s work, not as an academic study, but as a means of hearing God’s voice
Some of you may remember my first Sunday here, when during my sermon, I received a cell phone call from God. That occurs because the Risen Lord and I wanted you to know that we can grow to hear His voice, expressing His love for you. Christ Church is dedicated to nurturing everyone’s spiritual growth. For example, rarely have I ever seen a church with such a strong Sunday School as the one this church is blessed to have. I have been so looking forward to today because I have so wanted to worship with our dedicated and faithful Sunday School Teachers and Your Advisors. You see, most of the time we never see these folks during the first part of the service, because they are busy nurturing the spiritual growth of our kids so that they can grow into young women and men of character, faith and generosity. I would like all our Sunday School teachers, youth advisors, first communion teacher, acolyte director and your choir and band director to please stand up, because I have something to say to you.
We honor you. We are proud of your. We are grateful for you. You see, a church without children is a dying church. Because of your labors of love, we are alive in Christ. The Bible says that little children will lead us. Today, we comment you as Resurrection teachers, who serve the same teaching function to us as Mary Magdalene and Peter served on that first Easter. I love them, don’t you?
So, Resurrection communities are characterized by Joyful Worship, Spiritual Growth, and also, New Friendships
To paraphrase Peter in today’s reading, “All people are important to God, and therefore, all people are important to us.” CCQF is growing as a resurrection community as we welcome and make more and more new friendships. We at CCQF are so grateful for the friendships that we have, and we wish to share that with all who wish to come. If you want to come to church once or twice a year, we welcome you. But is you would like friendship, then you will find it here if you hang around for a while. Our children, especially, our new youth group, are showing us how to develop new friendships. You see members of our youth group have family and friends outside of church. But I have seen how they have developed new friendships with kids from different schools, different grades and different cliques. But the hardest barrier to overcome – they have become friends here with kids who even listen to different types of music.
I can testify that I am here today because of the friendship I received at church as a teenager.
-Family dysfunctional and emotionally abusive
-Friends all abused drugs and alcohol
Church became my real family during those troubled times and have ever since.
Now that I am all grown up. Also, church provides a place to celebrate happy times – happy times in daily life and spiritual happy times with our church friends.
God wants us to have friendships with children at the Resurrection.
So, Jesus rose from the dead bringing New Life, which we are now privileged to experience through joyful worship, spiritual growth, and new friendships. This is the Light of Christ shining through this resurrection community and into the Worlds. May all of us come to the light – where like Mary and the first disciples, we will be able to see, hear, be healed, and renewed through the Risen Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
--The Rev. John Donnelly, Christ Church Quaker Farms
EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 8, 2012
Many Christians are surprised to learn that Jesus did not invent the idea of the Resurrection.
-Resurrection is an ancient term, affirming that the dead will come back to life. Zoresthanism, an ancient Persian religion, affirmed that good would triumph over evil at some date in the future; and that the dead would be brought back new life.
-Throughout the Old Testament, the Hebrew faith speaks of a time when the dead will supernaturally come back to life.
No, Jesus did not invent the idea at the Resurrection.
Of course, the Wright Brothers, they did not invent the idea of a flying machine; they were just the first to do it. Likewise, Jesus was the first to Rise from the dead and to open the door to eternal life. This is wonderful for us, because a recent Gallup pole reports that 85% of all Americans believe in heaven.
Over the next 50 days of Easter, here at CCQF we will together explore the proofs of the Resurrection and the resulting reality of eternal life. But today, I would like to explore with you one proof at the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and that is the Resurrection Community.
The first member of the Resurrection community was Mary Magdalene of whom we hear in today’s Gospel. She encounters the Risen Lord and calls him “rabboni” which means honored teacher. Contrary to the recent popular fantasy fiction, “The Da Vinci code, Mary Magdelene could not even touch Rabboni Jesus, much less sleep with Him. In today’s Gospel, she is so overcome with joy at seeing the Risen Lord that she reaches out to touch Him. Jesus replies, “No, Don’t do it.” Then Jesus spoke His word to her and taught her about the victory over death. He instructs Mary to go teach His disciples – that they might spiritually grow to understand the incredible significance of the Resurrection. Shortly after that, as we hear in today’s reading, Peter preaches God’s Word of New Life and that day the community of the resurrection grew by 5000 . It was quite a mixture of people – Jews, Greeks, Romans, the rich and poor, the young and the old, saints and sinners, skeptics and believers, longtime followers of Jesus and thousands of newcomers. This unusual diversity of people joining together is only possible, as Peter proclaims, because, quote, God shows no partiality. The community of the resurrection accepts all comers. Period. All people are important to God.
In our day and time, many people are surprised to learn that the earthly Resurrection Community is not the same thing as the institutionalized Christian church. Now some Christian churches are resurrection communities, but not all. Most frequently resurrection communities emerge from dead and dying churches. You see resurrection means coming back to life, after death. No cross and tomb, No East, No New Life.
Today, CCQF is celebrating our 200th Easter Sunday in this, our Bicentennial year. Since I arrived here in September, I have been learning the history at this church through studying and reading, and by listening to hundreds and hundreds of stories about the past life of this church. As some of you know much better than me, during the first 200 years this church has gone through cycles of life, death and resurrection; times of growth and times of decline; times of prosperity and times of scarcity; times when our church was as full as it is today and times when nobody came to church at all for long periods of time.
I believe that CCQF is now growing into a resurrection community. This becomes apparent by looking at the first resurrection community of the apostolic church after the first Easter Sunday, and comparing that with what God is doing among us now.
First, upon encountering the Risen Lord on the first Easter and during the following 50 days that ensues, the disciples and new believers were filled with joy. Mary and the other disciples were so overcome with joy at encountering the Risen Lord, and they fell down and worshipped him.
Likewise, this church is rediscovering that worship is not meant to be BORING, BULLYING OR BURDENSOME. No worship is meant to be joyful. You see, each Sunday is meant to be a mini Easter Sunday, where we encounter the Risen Lord, through hearing his encouraging word, by energetically and joyfully singing his praises, and happily receiving His real and living presence through Holy Communion. Jesus is alive!!!!!Is Jesus Alive? If you believe it say, “He’s Alive.” Okay, we can laugh, smile, sing off key, and enjoy sharing in His Resurrection presence. Joyful worship is becoming a core value of CCQF.
Secondly, another characteristic of a Resurrection community is the positive, encouraging and relevant teaching of God’s work, not as an academic study, but as a means of hearing God’s voice
Some of you may remember my first Sunday here, when during my sermon, I received a cell phone call from God. That occurs because the Risen Lord and I wanted you to know that we can grow to hear His voice, expressing His love for you. Christ Church is dedicated to nurturing everyone’s spiritual growth. For example, rarely have I ever seen a church with such a strong Sunday School as the one this church is blessed to have. I have been so looking forward to today because I have so wanted to worship with our dedicated and faithful Sunday School Teachers and Your Advisors. You see, most of the time we never see these folks during the first part of the service, because they are busy nurturing the spiritual growth of our kids so that they can grow into young women and men of character, faith and generosity. I would like all our Sunday School teachers, youth advisors, first communion teacher, acolyte director and your choir and band director to please stand up, because I have something to say to you.
We honor you. We are proud of your. We are grateful for you. You see, a church without children is a dying church. Because of your labors of love, we are alive in Christ. The Bible says that little children will lead us. Today, we comment you as Resurrection teachers, who serve the same teaching function to us as Mary Magdalene and Peter served on that first Easter. I love them, don’t you?
So, Resurrection communities are characterized by Joyful Worship, Spiritual Growth, and also, New Friendships
To paraphrase Peter in today’s reading, “All people are important to God, and therefore, all people are important to us.” CCQF is growing as a resurrection community as we welcome and make more and more new friendships. We at CCQF are so grateful for the friendships that we have, and we wish to share that with all who wish to come. If you want to come to church once or twice a year, we welcome you. But is you would like friendship, then you will find it here if you hang around for a while. Our children, especially, our new youth group, are showing us how to develop new friendships. You see members of our youth group have family and friends outside of church. But I have seen how they have developed new friendships with kids from different schools, different grades and different cliques. But the hardest barrier to overcome – they have become friends here with kids who even listen to different types of music.
I can testify that I am here today because of the friendship I received at church as a teenager.
-Family dysfunctional and emotionally abusive
-Friends all abused drugs and alcohol
Church became my real family during those troubled times and have ever since.
Now that I am all grown up. Also, church provides a place to celebrate happy times – happy times in daily life and spiritual happy times with our church friends.
God wants us to have friendships with children at the Resurrection.
So, Jesus rose from the dead bringing New Life, which we are now privileged to experience through joyful worship, spiritual growth, and new friendships. This is the Light of Christ shining through this resurrection community and into the Worlds. May all of us come to the light – where like Mary and the first disciples, we will be able to see, hear, be healed, and renewed through the Risen Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
--The Rev. John Donnelly, Christ Church Quaker Farms
Saturday, March 17, 2012
THE GREAT BELL & THE CROSS
SERMON: The Great Bell and the Cross
The following is a traditional children’s story from Imperial China, early 15th century:
Once there was a Chinese artisan, who was given an impossible job. The Great Emperor of all China commissioned the artisan to make the new imperial bell. Now this was not to be just any bell. This was to be a bell of great power, of perfect tonal quality, whose sound would be unmatched throughout the world.
The future bell maker was met with the Emperor, who told him, “This BELL must be so great that the sound of it will ring out to a distance of thirty-three miles in every direction. To this end, you should add in proper proportions gold and brass, for they give depth and strength to everything with which they mingle. Furthermore, in order that this giant may not be lacking in the quality of sweetness, you must add silver in due proportion.”
Well, the bell maker did not fell up to the job. He knew that if he failed, that he would be executed, for failure was not an option. Likewise, the bell maker’s daughter was deeply disturbed by this assignment. The girl loved her father dearly and there had come into her heart a strange terror at thought of his possible danger.
For two months, the bell maker undertook elaborate preparations for the intricate job of casting the Great bell. All the metals had to mix properly, or he would fail. Finally, the day for the casting arrived. The Emperor and his courtiers assembled at the foundry, next to the daughter. She peered anxiously towards the cauldron of molten liquid, knowing that her father’s life depended on the success of this enterprise.
At last , the Emperor gave the sign. Then the glowing liquid ran forward faster and faster along the channel that led into the great earthen bed, which was the mold or the bell. Well, to the dismay of the bell maker, something had indeed gone wrong. When at last the earthen moulding had been broken, even the smallest child could see that the giant bell, instead of being a thing of beauty was a sorry mass of metals that would not blend.
Upon seeing his failure, the bell maker cried out in agony. However, the Emperor was a reasonable man, and he gave the bell maker another chance to make successfully make the great imperial bell.
For weeks, the bell maker consulted with metallurgists and sought to learn from his mistake. Meanwhile, his devoted daughter continued praying and worrying, with even greater intensity. Once the preparations were finished, the Emperor and his courtiers returned to the foundry. Once again the liquid metal flowed into the cast. But alas, there was failure once again. It was dreadfully ugly, for the gold, silver and the baser elements had again refused to blend into a united whole. Well, this time the Emperor was furious, and he demanded that the bell maker try one more time. If this next time, the bell maker was unsuccessful, then he would be hung.
So, for this last time as the bell maker made these final preparations,
• his heart was heavy, for he felt that he would soon journey into the dark forest, the place from which no pilgrim ever returns.
• His daughter, of course, was deeply distressed. Willingly she would have done anything to save her beloved father. Night and day she racked her brains for some plan, but all to no avail.
On the day before the third casting, the daughter went to consult a local scholar and holy man. She told her story, and the holy man prayed. Then, he spoke to her, saying, “Nothing could be plainer than the reason of your father's failure, for when a man seeks to do the impossible, he can expect only expect failure. Gold cannot unite with silver, nor brass, unless the blood of a maiden is mingled with the molten metals.”
The next day, everyone assembled, one last time, and the foundry. However, unnoticed by all, the bell maker’s daughter had planted herself directly opposite the huge tank in which the molten, seething liquid bubbled. She waited the exact moment when it was starting to be poured. The girl sprang with a wild leap into the boiling liquid, and in her clear, sweet voice, she cried,
"For you, dear father! It is the only way!"
This, then, my children, is the time-worn legend of the great bell of Peking, a tale that has been repeated a million times by poets, story-tellers and devoted mothers. You must know that on this third casting, when the earthen mould was removed, there stood revealed the most beautiful bell that eye had ever looked upon. When it was swung up into the bell-tower there was immense rejoicing among the people. The silver and the gold and the iron and the brass were all held together by the blood of the one who willingly sacrificed herself for the one she loved. That sacred bell rang out over the great city, sounding a deeper, richer melody than that of any other bell within the limits of the whole empire, or, for that matter, of the entire world. And later the Emperor had the bell engraved, to extol the girl who died to save her loved one.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, some people who initially hear this story find it disturbing. I know I did, when I first heard it in a professor’s sermon in seminary. But, then again, the blood sacrifice of Jesus is very disturbing, so maybe it is appropriate or us to reflect upon this as we prepare for Good Friday and Easter.
You see, there are some ways in which we can be compared to the bells in today’s story.
• Those bells were each comprised of different elemental metals. Like the bells, each of us is comprised of many elements—like our bodies, our minds, our hearts, and our relationships, our work, and our families, and the like.
• Like the Emperor in the story, God has a picture of us being perfect and uniquely wonderful, because God created us to ring out our chimes with beauty, boldness, and abandon.
However, also like the first two bells in the story, there are times when the elements of our life not mix well together:
• Spending too much time at work, on a regular basis, does not mix well with a wholesome and balanced family life.
• How often do we face problems where our heart is pulling us in one direction, our head in another direction, and someone else recommending a 3rd way?
• Or maybe one of our relationships breaks our heart, or dies ?
• Or maybe our bodies suffer health problems, which do not mix with the rest of our life?
But like the bell maker, we have someone in our lives who loves us more than life itself. 2000 years ago, there was a perfect man, who looked into our futures, even though we had not even been born or thought of. Like the girl in the story who foresaw her father heading for disaster, Jesus also foresaw us heading for disaster. You see, humanly speaking, our lives are very fragile. They can be shattered in an instant. So Jesus foresaw that, He decided to help us out:
• You see, Jesus can help us make reconciliation in our broken relationships, because He is the Prince of Peace.
• Jesus can help us when we are confused, and feeling pulled p part in different directions. He is THE wonderful counselor.
• Jesus can help us and our families discover and live out new priorities, because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
• Jesus can help us when we are sick or bereaved. Today’s scriptures remind us that He lifted up upon the cross that we might be saved from our troubles and our sins.
All of this is available to us, because Jesus, the perfect God-man voluntarily sacrificed his human life and shed his blood in an act of unselfish love. Like the girl in the story, he plunged to certain death. Simultaneoulsy, he absorbed our heart ache and sins within in Himself, and that killed Him. But something miraculous then occurred: God raised Jesus to new life, so that He might bring to you and me the very peace, wisdom, guidance, healing and comfort that God wants us to receive.
All this, done or for you and me, because of His love and because, as the little girl said when she plunged to her death, “There was no other way.”
We may not understand it all, but here is something that we can understand---God’s love is like a supernatural adhesive, which can taken the broken pieces of our lives, and put them back together. And not just put them back together, make us stronger. Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel that he came not to condemn us, but to put his arms around us to pull each of us together in his amazing love. All we have to do, according to today’s scriptures is to turn to him and to ask for “Help.” The Bible says that in this way: Please repeat after me: “ Lord has mercy on me.”
I know this is true, for I have seen it happen in the lives of many people, not just the super spiritual, but regular folks like you and me.
I can remember several times when my whole life and everything I valued seemed to be falling apart: Deep conflict in family; chronic debilitating asthma, followed by depression, which was then followed by burnout at work. On each occasion, I felt had no way to turn. So, not knowing what else to do, I turned to the cross o Jesus. I am speaking figuratively, of course, but each time I mentally visualized Jesus hanging on the cross, with me looking up at Him. Then, I mde a very complicated and theologically correct prayer, and here is the transcript: HELP. I had no fancy words. I felt desperate. I didn’t know what even to ask for. I just called out for help and then waited. ..Patiently waited, beneath the cross of Jesus.
Well, shortly after my prayer, I somehow began to feel stronger. I did not have solutions, but as Paul says in today’s reading, by grace through faith, I chose to believe that God would help in some way.
• So, I began by deciding to trust Jesus with the next ten minutes of my life. Did I believe that God could help me through the next ten minutes? Later, trusted him with the next hour, and the next hour then became the next day.
• Slowly, I began the darkness began to lift and through the dim light I can see new paths, leading to some possible new solutions, As I started making progress, I felt stronger both physically and emotionally. The conflict moved to reconciliation, and I later rediscovered God’s joy in my work.
Now, you story is probably different than my story. But know that God wants your life to ring out with beauty, boldness, and beneficence. This we all can do, due to the cross and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
--The Rev. John Donnelly, Christ Church Quaker Farms, Oxford, CT, March 18, 2012
The following is a traditional children’s story from Imperial China, early 15th century:
Once there was a Chinese artisan, who was given an impossible job. The Great Emperor of all China commissioned the artisan to make the new imperial bell. Now this was not to be just any bell. This was to be a bell of great power, of perfect tonal quality, whose sound would be unmatched throughout the world.
The future bell maker was met with the Emperor, who told him, “This BELL must be so great that the sound of it will ring out to a distance of thirty-three miles in every direction. To this end, you should add in proper proportions gold and brass, for they give depth and strength to everything with which they mingle. Furthermore, in order that this giant may not be lacking in the quality of sweetness, you must add silver in due proportion.”
Well, the bell maker did not fell up to the job. He knew that if he failed, that he would be executed, for failure was not an option. Likewise, the bell maker’s daughter was deeply disturbed by this assignment. The girl loved her father dearly and there had come into her heart a strange terror at thought of his possible danger.
For two months, the bell maker undertook elaborate preparations for the intricate job of casting the Great bell. All the metals had to mix properly, or he would fail. Finally, the day for the casting arrived. The Emperor and his courtiers assembled at the foundry, next to the daughter. She peered anxiously towards the cauldron of molten liquid, knowing that her father’s life depended on the success of this enterprise.
At last , the Emperor gave the sign. Then the glowing liquid ran forward faster and faster along the channel that led into the great earthen bed, which was the mold or the bell. Well, to the dismay of the bell maker, something had indeed gone wrong. When at last the earthen moulding had been broken, even the smallest child could see that the giant bell, instead of being a thing of beauty was a sorry mass of metals that would not blend.
Upon seeing his failure, the bell maker cried out in agony. However, the Emperor was a reasonable man, and he gave the bell maker another chance to make successfully make the great imperial bell.
For weeks, the bell maker consulted with metallurgists and sought to learn from his mistake. Meanwhile, his devoted daughter continued praying and worrying, with even greater intensity. Once the preparations were finished, the Emperor and his courtiers returned to the foundry. Once again the liquid metal flowed into the cast. But alas, there was failure once again. It was dreadfully ugly, for the gold, silver and the baser elements had again refused to blend into a united whole. Well, this time the Emperor was furious, and he demanded that the bell maker try one more time. If this next time, the bell maker was unsuccessful, then he would be hung.
So, for this last time as the bell maker made these final preparations,
• his heart was heavy, for he felt that he would soon journey into the dark forest, the place from which no pilgrim ever returns.
• His daughter, of course, was deeply distressed. Willingly she would have done anything to save her beloved father. Night and day she racked her brains for some plan, but all to no avail.
On the day before the third casting, the daughter went to consult a local scholar and holy man. She told her story, and the holy man prayed. Then, he spoke to her, saying, “Nothing could be plainer than the reason of your father's failure, for when a man seeks to do the impossible, he can expect only expect failure. Gold cannot unite with silver, nor brass, unless the blood of a maiden is mingled with the molten metals.”
The next day, everyone assembled, one last time, and the foundry. However, unnoticed by all, the bell maker’s daughter had planted herself directly opposite the huge tank in which the molten, seething liquid bubbled. She waited the exact moment when it was starting to be poured. The girl sprang with a wild leap into the boiling liquid, and in her clear, sweet voice, she cried,
"For you, dear father! It is the only way!"
This, then, my children, is the time-worn legend of the great bell of Peking, a tale that has been repeated a million times by poets, story-tellers and devoted mothers. You must know that on this third casting, when the earthen mould was removed, there stood revealed the most beautiful bell that eye had ever looked upon. When it was swung up into the bell-tower there was immense rejoicing among the people. The silver and the gold and the iron and the brass were all held together by the blood of the one who willingly sacrificed herself for the one she loved. That sacred bell rang out over the great city, sounding a deeper, richer melody than that of any other bell within the limits of the whole empire, or, for that matter, of the entire world. And later the Emperor had the bell engraved, to extol the girl who died to save her loved one.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, some people who initially hear this story find it disturbing. I know I did, when I first heard it in a professor’s sermon in seminary. But, then again, the blood sacrifice of Jesus is very disturbing, so maybe it is appropriate or us to reflect upon this as we prepare for Good Friday and Easter.
You see, there are some ways in which we can be compared to the bells in today’s story.
• Those bells were each comprised of different elemental metals. Like the bells, each of us is comprised of many elements—like our bodies, our minds, our hearts, and our relationships, our work, and our families, and the like.
• Like the Emperor in the story, God has a picture of us being perfect and uniquely wonderful, because God created us to ring out our chimes with beauty, boldness, and abandon.
However, also like the first two bells in the story, there are times when the elements of our life not mix well together:
• Spending too much time at work, on a regular basis, does not mix well with a wholesome and balanced family life.
• How often do we face problems where our heart is pulling us in one direction, our head in another direction, and someone else recommending a 3rd way?
• Or maybe one of our relationships breaks our heart, or dies ?
• Or maybe our bodies suffer health problems, which do not mix with the rest of our life?
But like the bell maker, we have someone in our lives who loves us more than life itself. 2000 years ago, there was a perfect man, who looked into our futures, even though we had not even been born or thought of. Like the girl in the story who foresaw her father heading for disaster, Jesus also foresaw us heading for disaster. You see, humanly speaking, our lives are very fragile. They can be shattered in an instant. So Jesus foresaw that, He decided to help us out:
• You see, Jesus can help us make reconciliation in our broken relationships, because He is the Prince of Peace.
• Jesus can help us when we are confused, and feeling pulled p part in different directions. He is THE wonderful counselor.
• Jesus can help us and our families discover and live out new priorities, because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
• Jesus can help us when we are sick or bereaved. Today’s scriptures remind us that He lifted up upon the cross that we might be saved from our troubles and our sins.
All of this is available to us, because Jesus, the perfect God-man voluntarily sacrificed his human life and shed his blood in an act of unselfish love. Like the girl in the story, he plunged to certain death. Simultaneoulsy, he absorbed our heart ache and sins within in Himself, and that killed Him. But something miraculous then occurred: God raised Jesus to new life, so that He might bring to you and me the very peace, wisdom, guidance, healing and comfort that God wants us to receive.
All this, done or for you and me, because of His love and because, as the little girl said when she plunged to her death, “There was no other way.”
We may not understand it all, but here is something that we can understand---God’s love is like a supernatural adhesive, which can taken the broken pieces of our lives, and put them back together. And not just put them back together, make us stronger. Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel that he came not to condemn us, but to put his arms around us to pull each of us together in his amazing love. All we have to do, according to today’s scriptures is to turn to him and to ask for “Help.” The Bible says that in this way: Please repeat after me: “ Lord has mercy on me.”
I know this is true, for I have seen it happen in the lives of many people, not just the super spiritual, but regular folks like you and me.
I can remember several times when my whole life and everything I valued seemed to be falling apart: Deep conflict in family; chronic debilitating asthma, followed by depression, which was then followed by burnout at work. On each occasion, I felt had no way to turn. So, not knowing what else to do, I turned to the cross o Jesus. I am speaking figuratively, of course, but each time I mentally visualized Jesus hanging on the cross, with me looking up at Him. Then, I mde a very complicated and theologically correct prayer, and here is the transcript: HELP. I had no fancy words. I felt desperate. I didn’t know what even to ask for. I just called out for help and then waited. ..Patiently waited, beneath the cross of Jesus.
Well, shortly after my prayer, I somehow began to feel stronger. I did not have solutions, but as Paul says in today’s reading, by grace through faith, I chose to believe that God would help in some way.
• So, I began by deciding to trust Jesus with the next ten minutes of my life. Did I believe that God could help me through the next ten minutes? Later, trusted him with the next hour, and the next hour then became the next day.
• Slowly, I began the darkness began to lift and through the dim light I can see new paths, leading to some possible new solutions, As I started making progress, I felt stronger both physically and emotionally. The conflict moved to reconciliation, and I later rediscovered God’s joy in my work.
Now, you story is probably different than my story. But know that God wants your life to ring out with beauty, boldness, and beneficence. This we all can do, due to the cross and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
--The Rev. John Donnelly, Christ Church Quaker Farms, Oxford, CT, March 18, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Celebration/Installation Sermon by The Rev. Ellen A. Donnelly
Celebration of Our New Ministry
With the Installation of The Rev. John A. Donnelly
Christ Church Quaker arms, Oxford, CT March 3, 2012
Sermon by The Rev. Ellen A. Donnelly
Well, here’s is a historic occasion. This is, of course, the bicentennial year for Christ Church, which is celebrating 200 years of ministry in this place. And now we are gathered today to celebrate the latest chapter in that history – the new ministry which belongs to the people of Christ Church and their new Rector, John Donnelly. It is also a real family occasion, since we have among us today, in addition to the Christ Church family, the family of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, represented by Bishop Laura and others, the St. Michael’s Wayne, NJ family (welcome, old friends), the far-flung Donnelly family, and the family of the Quaker Farms community. Of course, it’s also a family occasion because the preacher is the wife of the new rector. I admit I was rather surprised when John invited me to preach at this service, since he had just escaped from 30 years of having to listen to me preach every other week. So I want you to know, dear, that I am strenuously resisting the temptation to regale your congregation with stories that might embarrass you (like falling through the roof of the parish hall, for instance), or, on the other hand, to impress upon you the priority of your Honey-Do list over your church work. Not going there. So you can breathe easy.
Now, turning to the Word of God, the Scriptures that John chose for this occasion, you will notice, are all about LIGHT. The prophet Isaiah urges us to “walk in the light of the Lord.” The psalmist says “in your light we see light.” St. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, says to us, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. [So] Live as children of the light.” And the Apostle John says that Jesus was Himself the “[true] light of all mankind…..[and that light continues to shine] in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Now I happen to know that Fr. John has been lifting up this light theme in recent months, and – no surprise there - has even come up with a visual representation of what the Bible says. So here is Christ Church, lit up with the light of the Lord, as the Bible tells us God wants it to be. And today we’re singing some of Fr. John’s favorite songs about that light – “Praise the Lord, I saw the light!” and “Shine Jesus shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory” – great songs all. But perhaps we would do well to look a little more closely at what exactly this light of the Lord is. The Bible, in both Old Testament and New, uses “light” as an image, a symbol, of the very presence of God Himself. God wants to be present in our world, He wants to be present in this church. When He is present, a church shines with His light; when He’s not, the light is out..
So the question is: how does Christ Church get lit, so to speak? It seems to me that 3 things are needed for any church to shine. The first is that God’s light must shine inside you individually. After all, the church isn’t a building, it’s a community of believers; if this church is going to shine, it’s going to have to start with you. So what does it look like when God’s light shines in you? Well, it’s all about love. The Bible says that God IS love, which is to say that what God does is to love, and that means that He loves YOU personally. But God’s love doesn’t do you any good til you believe it and accept it; and then you begin to love Him back out of gratitude that He loves you. It’s that love relationship between the Lord and you that gives you the peace, joy, and hope that is visible – and that’s the light of God’s love shining in you. Now I can see the light shining in a bunch of you this morning. And I think you’d all agree that there’s nothing spooky about it; it’s not just for the spiritually advanced. It’s for everybody. So if you know you don’t have it, then just look around and fine someone who’s shining and ask them how they got it; it’s that simple.
So that’s the first thing that has to happen for a church to shine with God’s light: a critical mass of its members have to have the light inside them. The second thing that has to happen is that the light of God’s love has to shine inside the church. Again, it’s all about love: God’s light shines inside these walls when you love each other. That’s what St. Paul means when he says “you are now light in the Lord, so live as children of the light.” You have the chance every time you come together to be the human face of God’s love to each other, by accepting each other as God has accepted you.
Now, unless Christ Church is very different from every other church I’ve ever known, that’s easier said than done. In any church, there are some people you like and some you don’t; in any church there are disagreements, conflicts, grudges. And the light of God’s love can get smothered by the lack of love among its members. But a church where sincere love among the members is taught and highly valued is a church that is much more likely to have the light of God’s love shining inside it. And I know that many of you are making an effort in that direction with your Lenten Bible study “Love One Another.”
And finally, the third thing that has to happen is that the church – which means YOU – must be committed to shining the light of God’s love outside the walls of this building. God loves you individually, each of you, but He also loves the world outside your doors; the Bible tells us that He loves that world so much that He gave His son to bring each and every human being home to His family. And He needs YOU to be channels for that love to shine forth into Oxford today. He needs you to be the human face of His love in your community. He needs you to offer His love to the world just the way He offered it to you.
Of course, you are already doing that here at Christ Church; your pizza nights open to the community are one example. But generally speaking, people who don’t know God’s love aren’t going to come to you; you have to go to them. How do you do that? Well, try asking yourselves this question: If Jesus lived in Oxford today, who would touch His heart? Who would He want to reach out to with His unconditional love? If you ask the Lord to open your eyes to the needs in your community, He will do it. And then you will be able to see those people around you who need YOU to be the human face of God’s love. The more you put your time and energy and resources into serving the world for Jesus’ sake, the brighter God’s love will shine through you. That is God’s plan for His church. That is the reason He planted this church in this spot 200 years ago and has allowed it to keep going….so that you can be a shining light for Him.
Fortunately, you have chosen a Rector who excels at love. John Donnelly is undoubtedly the most indiscriminate lover I have ever known! He loves the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the sad and the happy, the powerful and the weak; he loves those he agrees with and those he disagrees with; he loves believers and sceptics alike. He has been the human face of God’s love to hundreds and even thousands of people during his 30 years of ministry. He is uniquely suited and qualified to lead this church to become a church that shines with the light of God’s love. What a gift of grace He will be to you in the years to come!
In conclusion, it is customary on these occasions for the preacher to deliver a “charge” – a word, hopefully from the Lord – to the new Rector. But I sense that the Lord wants to speak to the Rector and the people of Christ Church together. So I would ask Fr. John and all the members of Christ Church to stand.
Dear people, deeply loved by God, as you embark on your third century in this place, be closely attentive to the new Word the Lord has for you today. Love is not an optional extra. God’s amazing, extravagant, unconditional love for the world He made IS the message. God’s love – shining in you, shining among you, shining outside you – IS what the church is meant to be. So don’t waste your time and His by putting all your energies into merely surviving. Dare to dream big dreams, dare to believe that God can use you to be the human face of His love in Oxford. Dare to hope that you can shine the light of His love into the darkness of a world that has no hope without Him. God has sent your Rector here to be the human face of His love for you, and through you, the world around you. He wants you to cherish him; John, He wants you to cherish them. Never forget that it is all about love. Everything else will fade away – the sermons, the programs, the dinners, the magic tricks, even this beautiful building – none of that will last. But the love that you receive from the Father of all mercies will last; the love that you give Him in return will last; the love that you show to each other will last; the love you show the world around you will last. Let that be your purpose, your mission, your goal.
So I invite the congregation to join you in standing and making this song a prayer: “I want to walk as a child of the light….shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.”
With the Installation of The Rev. John A. Donnelly
Christ Church Quaker arms, Oxford, CT March 3, 2012
Sermon by The Rev. Ellen A. Donnelly
Well, here’s is a historic occasion. This is, of course, the bicentennial year for Christ Church, which is celebrating 200 years of ministry in this place. And now we are gathered today to celebrate the latest chapter in that history – the new ministry which belongs to the people of Christ Church and their new Rector, John Donnelly. It is also a real family occasion, since we have among us today, in addition to the Christ Church family, the family of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, represented by Bishop Laura and others, the St. Michael’s Wayne, NJ family (welcome, old friends), the far-flung Donnelly family, and the family of the Quaker Farms community. Of course, it’s also a family occasion because the preacher is the wife of the new rector. I admit I was rather surprised when John invited me to preach at this service, since he had just escaped from 30 years of having to listen to me preach every other week. So I want you to know, dear, that I am strenuously resisting the temptation to regale your congregation with stories that might embarrass you (like falling through the roof of the parish hall, for instance), or, on the other hand, to impress upon you the priority of your Honey-Do list over your church work. Not going there. So you can breathe easy.
Now, turning to the Word of God, the Scriptures that John chose for this occasion, you will notice, are all about LIGHT. The prophet Isaiah urges us to “walk in the light of the Lord.” The psalmist says “in your light we see light.” St. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, says to us, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. [So] Live as children of the light.” And the Apostle John says that Jesus was Himself the “[true] light of all mankind…..[and that light continues to shine] in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Now I happen to know that Fr. John has been lifting up this light theme in recent months, and – no surprise there - has even come up with a visual representation of what the Bible says. So here is Christ Church, lit up with the light of the Lord, as the Bible tells us God wants it to be. And today we’re singing some of Fr. John’s favorite songs about that light – “Praise the Lord, I saw the light!” and “Shine Jesus shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory” – great songs all. But perhaps we would do well to look a little more closely at what exactly this light of the Lord is. The Bible, in both Old Testament and New, uses “light” as an image, a symbol, of the very presence of God Himself. God wants to be present in our world, He wants to be present in this church. When He is present, a church shines with His light; when He’s not, the light is out..
So the question is: how does Christ Church get lit, so to speak? It seems to me that 3 things are needed for any church to shine. The first is that God’s light must shine inside you individually. After all, the church isn’t a building, it’s a community of believers; if this church is going to shine, it’s going to have to start with you. So what does it look like when God’s light shines in you? Well, it’s all about love. The Bible says that God IS love, which is to say that what God does is to love, and that means that He loves YOU personally. But God’s love doesn’t do you any good til you believe it and accept it; and then you begin to love Him back out of gratitude that He loves you. It’s that love relationship between the Lord and you that gives you the peace, joy, and hope that is visible – and that’s the light of God’s love shining in you. Now I can see the light shining in a bunch of you this morning. And I think you’d all agree that there’s nothing spooky about it; it’s not just for the spiritually advanced. It’s for everybody. So if you know you don’t have it, then just look around and fine someone who’s shining and ask them how they got it; it’s that simple.
So that’s the first thing that has to happen for a church to shine with God’s light: a critical mass of its members have to have the light inside them. The second thing that has to happen is that the light of God’s love has to shine inside the church. Again, it’s all about love: God’s light shines inside these walls when you love each other. That’s what St. Paul means when he says “you are now light in the Lord, so live as children of the light.” You have the chance every time you come together to be the human face of God’s love to each other, by accepting each other as God has accepted you.
Now, unless Christ Church is very different from every other church I’ve ever known, that’s easier said than done. In any church, there are some people you like and some you don’t; in any church there are disagreements, conflicts, grudges. And the light of God’s love can get smothered by the lack of love among its members. But a church where sincere love among the members is taught and highly valued is a church that is much more likely to have the light of God’s love shining inside it. And I know that many of you are making an effort in that direction with your Lenten Bible study “Love One Another.”
And finally, the third thing that has to happen is that the church – which means YOU – must be committed to shining the light of God’s love outside the walls of this building. God loves you individually, each of you, but He also loves the world outside your doors; the Bible tells us that He loves that world so much that He gave His son to bring each and every human being home to His family. And He needs YOU to be channels for that love to shine forth into Oxford today. He needs you to be the human face of His love in your community. He needs you to offer His love to the world just the way He offered it to you.
Of course, you are already doing that here at Christ Church; your pizza nights open to the community are one example. But generally speaking, people who don’t know God’s love aren’t going to come to you; you have to go to them. How do you do that? Well, try asking yourselves this question: If Jesus lived in Oxford today, who would touch His heart? Who would He want to reach out to with His unconditional love? If you ask the Lord to open your eyes to the needs in your community, He will do it. And then you will be able to see those people around you who need YOU to be the human face of God’s love. The more you put your time and energy and resources into serving the world for Jesus’ sake, the brighter God’s love will shine through you. That is God’s plan for His church. That is the reason He planted this church in this spot 200 years ago and has allowed it to keep going….so that you can be a shining light for Him.
Fortunately, you have chosen a Rector who excels at love. John Donnelly is undoubtedly the most indiscriminate lover I have ever known! He loves the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the sad and the happy, the powerful and the weak; he loves those he agrees with and those he disagrees with; he loves believers and sceptics alike. He has been the human face of God’s love to hundreds and even thousands of people during his 30 years of ministry. He is uniquely suited and qualified to lead this church to become a church that shines with the light of God’s love. What a gift of grace He will be to you in the years to come!
In conclusion, it is customary on these occasions for the preacher to deliver a “charge” – a word, hopefully from the Lord – to the new Rector. But I sense that the Lord wants to speak to the Rector and the people of Christ Church together. So I would ask Fr. John and all the members of Christ Church to stand.
Dear people, deeply loved by God, as you embark on your third century in this place, be closely attentive to the new Word the Lord has for you today. Love is not an optional extra. God’s amazing, extravagant, unconditional love for the world He made IS the message. God’s love – shining in you, shining among you, shining outside you – IS what the church is meant to be. So don’t waste your time and His by putting all your energies into merely surviving. Dare to dream big dreams, dare to believe that God can use you to be the human face of His love in Oxford. Dare to hope that you can shine the light of His love into the darkness of a world that has no hope without Him. God has sent your Rector here to be the human face of His love for you, and through you, the world around you. He wants you to cherish him; John, He wants you to cherish them. Never forget that it is all about love. Everything else will fade away – the sermons, the programs, the dinners, the magic tricks, even this beautiful building – none of that will last. But the love that you receive from the Father of all mercies will last; the love that you give Him in return will last; the love that you show to each other will last; the love you show the world around you will last. Let that be your purpose, your mission, your goal.
So I invite the congregation to join you in standing and making this song a prayer: “I want to walk as a child of the light….shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.”
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