Reading for Epiphany
3A: Mt. 4:12-23/Annual Meeting
January 27, 2002
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
This is the vision that was put forth by the vestry when I first became rector some 3.5 years ago. It is a vision that subsequent vestries have kept before them as they discern the goals and direction of this parish. It is the vision that I keep before me each day as I labor to be a faithful priest, pastor, and teacher to this community of faith. It is a vision that speaks to a time when our community is truly inclusive: "Whoever you are, wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome here." It points to a time when every Sunday is like Easter: beautiful music, excellent sermons, pews overflowing with parishioners and visitors; a time when worship is compelling and is the unifying theme which holds us together. This vision points to a time when our hearts are transformed such that each of us becomes the fingertip of Jesus. It is a time when we no longer ask, "What's in it for me?" but rather, "How can I be of service to others?"
We have already begun a good work in this direction. For the past three years, we have put much effort into re-building the infrastructure of this parish. If you come onto this campus, you will notice the significant improvements that have been made with the buildings and grounds. Not only do we want our campus to be welcoming, but we also want it to be fully utilized by our many partners. Several new ministries have been initiated to meet the needs of our members such as faithful families, Stephen Ministry, an expanded youth program, covenant groups, educational opportunities, prayer chain, and meditation group. We are changing the way we build up leadership by empowering individuals to use their gifts freely, rather than hinder their efforts through committee approval. We have worked hard to invite and incorporate the newcomer and we have enhanced our worship service with the purchase of a new organ. What is left to do?
The core business of the Church is to transform lives. If you do not feel that your life has been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, then we still have a lot of work to do. If you do not feel empowered to use your gifts to go out and help transform other lives, then we still have a lot to do. Let's take a look at today's gospel as a model of being "the Church."
In today's story, Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James and John to join him in the process of personal transformation. Jesus doesn't say to them I have a list of theological propositions, dogmas, and doctrines that I want you to embrace. No. He simply says, "Follow me." And so as they follow him for the next three years, he teaches them what they need to know in order to be transformed. He teaches them about compassion, repentance, forgiveness, prayer, and service to the poor, the sick, and the needy. He teaches them about servant leadership and the appropriate use of money. As they learn this new way of thinking and acting which is different from the cultural wisdom of the day, they slowly become disciples. It is at this point that they are sent out as agents of transformation to share the good news and to invite others on the journey. This is called "apostleship".
The other day, I went to the movie to see "Black Hawk Down." It is a movie about a failed American military engagement in Somalia. In 1992, Africa's worst drought affected Somalia. The people were dying of starvation. U.S. Troops were sent in to protect the delivery of food that had been sent by foreign nations. In spite of this effort, most of the food did not get to the hungry people but rather was taken by the warlord, Mohamed Farah Aidid, and his terrorists. At the beginning of the movie, these historical facts were shown on the screen. One sentence referring to this warlord and his total lack of compassion continues to haunt me. It read: "And hunger was his weapon." Keeping the people of Somalia hungry gave Farah Aidid the power to control the people. If you do not think that there is great darkness in this world, I suggest you see this movie. It is within the context of this darkness that we point to Christ as the light of the world, the teacher of love.
Now most of us will never experience a darkness as great as the people of Somalia. But that does not mean that darkness is absent in Santa Clara County. There is much suffering all around us. People are depressed, anxious about their job status, struggling with family life, and wondering what life is all about. As Christians, we are called to be agents of transformation, beacons of hope, and messengers of good news. This means we need to identify the pain and darkness in our community and respond with compassion, truth, and point to a path which leads to wholeness. How do we do this? Let me tell you my story.
When I came to California many years ago, I was pretty lonely. I didn't know anyone and the people that I worked with were introverted research scientists. It took me a long time to find people who wanted to be friends. One day I was invited to brunch for Easter. The invitation extended to attending church first and then to brunch. I guess at that time, the presenting darkness in my life was this sense of loneliness. I was grateful for the invitation. I was also delighted with the Easter Celebration at Trinity Episcopal Church and started attending there on a regular basis. I made the effort to allow the liturgies, the sermons, the teachings, and the community to reorient my lifestyle. As time went on, I realized that my darkness was more than loneliness. I had become self-absorbed. I had been focused on me- concerning myself with finding the right person, the right job, the right place to live. I had forgotten that the world revolves around God and not me. But through this community of faith, I learned about another way of walking in this world.
At that time, there were young men dying all around me. And so I began to respond to that darkness by becoming a minister of healing to those with AIDs. In our parish kitchen, there was a cadre of volunteers preparing food for these dying men. And so I spent many weekends, cleaning and painting the facilities so that this feeding program could do its work. As new people came into the church, I offered them my gift of hospitality, embracing them with a warm welcome and friendship. I knew what it felt like to be lonely. It was during these years of active lay participation in the church community that I learned the path of Jesus and was able to developed the inner strength to meet a challenge that would presented itself some twelve years later. In summary, I learned to respond to the darkness.
(A personal story of darkness, faith, and good news is told by the rector)
Reflecting back on the events of that year, it was not my ego strength that kept me on course. It was faith; a faith that been consciously developed over a period of time. It was faith that made me pay attention to that small still voice. There were times during that year when I had been filled with fear and anger. Courage is "fear that has said its prayers" and I prayed diligently. It was the church community who supported me through this ordeal. Within the church community, lawyers and child advocates gave me advice. People prayed for me. They listened to my lament. They drove me to the airport, took care of my dog, and when it was time to transition to a new home, parishioners nurtured both of us through the transition.
Spreading the good news is not simply about quoting the Scripture although it is important to know the Story. Spreading the good news is simply responding to the darkness in the context of everyday life and pointing to a way out. As St. Francis once said: "Spread the good news at all times and when necessary, use words!" This world is transformed one person at a time; one act of compassion at a time. The Church is the training ground for developing compassion; for becoming like Christ. What kind of training do you need? Where is the hurt, the darkness, that is crying out around you for healing and good news? Are you aware of the needs around you and are you equipped with the inner strength, the conviction, and the compassion to respond?
For the next several years, I want us to focus on this process of transformation, the making disciples, and the movement outward into the community as agents of healing and messengers of good news. I want the leaders in this church to help in developing a long-range plan that focuses on spiritual formation and personal development. And I want all of us to make the commitment to engage in this process of transformation. For without this, we cannot develop into serious disciples. It is when our faith becomes strong and is integrated with our actions, that St. Jude's will be a welcoming community where every Sunday is Easter, our sanctuary overflows with spirit-filled people, and our services and ministries are spiritually nourishing, rejuvenating, uplifting, joyful celebrations of God's love.
| Updated 1/29/02 |
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