Rector’s Address for the Annual Parish Meeting
St. Matthew’s, St. Paul, 2008
Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23
Today’s Gospel from Matthew is full of good news. It is the kind of news that will radically change our lives – if we dare to hear and receive it. After a period of testing in the wilderness, Jesus learns of John the Baptist’s arrest and travels to Galilee. Once in Galilee Jesus does not hide or soften his message in order to avoid John’s fate. Rather he travels to Capernaum, to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee and invites people to follow him to another level of commitment. Becoming a disciple or student of Jesus means living lives formed and informed by the in-breaking of God’s kingdom. God’s kingdom or reign embodies priorities different from those of the powers that be. They include peace, reconciliation, protection for the vulnerable and good stewardship of relationships, belongings and the earth. God’s kingdom involves a transformation of the hatred and violence that destroys our families, communities and world.
Participation in God’s kingdom includes repentance, meaning turning 180 degrees from the choices, habits and lifestyles that keep us from becoming the men and women God created us to be. Obviously, this isn’t easy. It is painful to let go of our own agendas and ways of doing things. It is difficult to loosen our hold on control and trust in God. But this is what we must do if we want to become Jesus’ students. We must be open to learning whatever it is he wants to teach us, even and especially if that means loosening our grip on power and privilege,
In Jesus’ day it was unheard of for a rabbi to recruit potential students, urging them to follow him. Rather, students sought out teachers. Here, however, Jesus asks two sets of brothers, Peter and Andrew, James and John, to follow him. God reaches out to them first. God likewise reaches out to us first. Our God is a God who pursues us before we even think about pursuing him. God reaches out to us, meeting us wherever and whoever we are, in the very ordinariness of our daily lives. Encountering us where we are, God invites us to partner with him to bring healing and transformation to a broken and anxious word.
How can the people of St. Matthew’s truly become students of Jesus and how can we partner with God to bring healing and hope to those living in fear, poverty and despair – what our reading from Isaiah calls “darkness”? Several years ago, before God called me here, the people of St. Matthew’s discerned that they wanted to go deeper spiritually. Since that time we have dedicated ourselves to that very goal through worship, prayer, study, community conversation and service, building on the gifts and strengths already here when I arrived. We have come far in the last two years – thanks be to God – but we still have far to go. Jesus is calling us, like those first disciples, to another level of commitment.
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o go to another level of commitment we must truly live our faith. By the grace of God we must commit ourselves to the life-giving practices of our faith, and engage in them on a daily basis. This means committing ourselves to regular prayer, study of the scriptures, theological reflection, discernment, service, simplicity, stewardship, and Sabbath.
One of the practices our congregation has been engaged in this past year is discernment. Spending time intentionally listening to God and others is the only way we can attempt to learn what God is calling us to do and to be. This past year the Appreciative Inquiry discernment process reminded us of some of our communal gifts: food, hospitality, the arts, service, intergenerational community, and openness to innovation, creativity and change. Discernment sessions shared by the Vestry and Social Justice Ministry revealed great excitement for the Social Justice Ministries in which we are currently engaged, a desire to go deeper in these commitments and to make connections between them, and above all to prioritize relationships. We don’t just want to allocate resources to worthy ministries, we feel called to have meaningful relationships with those with whom we have the privilege of sharing the in-breaking of God’s kingdom. The Vestry has supported our congregation’s calling to and passion for ministries of social justice by increasing our Social Justice Ministry budget by 54 percent.
In discernment sessions between the Vestry, staff and Education Ministry leaders we not only celebrated the 70 percent increase in children in our Sunday School programs, but realized that many of our adults are not as engaged. The desire for greater integration between theological reflection and acts of justice and mercy was also expressed. One participant suggested a theological practicum as a follow up to Loaves and Fishes or Project Home – a chance to reflect theologically on what we experienced and learned. Many of you have theological questions with which you want to wrestle, in community, in light of the Christian tradition.
In response to the overwhelming desire that the adults of our church learn more about the riches of their faith and how to live their faith daily, the vestry voted to provide increased office and communications support so that I would be freed up to spend more time praying, thinking about and developing opportunities for adult Christian formation. In this next year there will be more ways to learn how to pray, to study scripture, to go deeper theologically, and to integrate service and reflection. There will also be opportunities to learn more about your spiritual gifts so that God can use you to your fullest potential.
I could be standing here all day lifting up exciting ministry developments in our midst. Let me just convey how thrilled I am by the Spirit’s work among us and the explosion of activity, excitement and hard work that has enabled us to offer Taize candlelight prayer, Compline from the New Zealand Book of Prayer, rich art exhibits, a youth mentoring program, excellent Sunday School programs for children, engaged Adult Forums, exceptional choral offerings, opportunities to discern spiritual gifts, hospitality, a warm welcome to newcomers, a Youth Ensemble, an Angel Choir, and a passion to continue our commitment to Loaves and Fishes, Project Home, the Blue House, the Tutoring Program, and St. Barnabas.
May God bless, keep and direct the people of St. Matthew’s this coming year, and may we all listen to and heed Jesus’ call to deeper commitment: “Follow me.”
