Worshiping Together

Exodus 14:19-31, 15:1b-11, 20-21, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Matthew 25:14-30

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 11, 2005, Renewal Sunday

Heritage Congregational Church, Madison, WI

Welcome to Renewal Sunday! It is a joy to see all of you here (I hope I see you every week!), and I hope you are planning to stay for the church picnic following worship. Today, we will take a look at where we are as a church, how God has worked in our midst and where the Holy Spirit is leading us next.

This is an exciting time at Heritage Church. We certainly have reason to celebrate—here are just a few reasons why: In the last few years we have welcomed to our fellowship many new members who have become very involved. Participation and activities have increased, and last year’s stewardship campaign exceeded all its goals. Our mission group is growing and becoming active. We have new carpeting in the Fellowship Hall, as well as newly decorated Sunday School rooms. And, our music program just keeps getting better and better. We can see God working wherever we look. Truly I tell you, we have much to be thankful for.

But before we look at where we are and where the Spirit is leading us, I believe we need to take a look at what it means to be a church and what church membership is all about. It is always a good and holy thing to define who we are and why we are here. It provides us with a context for how God has been working at Heritage, sets the stage for what is coming next and keeps us focused on our center, Christ our Lord.

The nature of Church is an interesting one, because it has the reputation in our society of being an organization like any other, an institution with rules and practices, and often, unfortunately, nothing more. Church is a part of our culture, engrained in our society, and too often its presence is taken for granted. It is the place where we go for weddings and funerals and the place we go when we need help.
But in reality, Church is much more.

The Church, Heritage and the Christian Church in this world, is a community that is called together by Christ. The purpose of the Church is to bring people together in praise of God--worship. Our faith in God is the common thread that ties us to each other, and to all other Christians from every time and place, and so together we praise God in a way that we are not able to do alone. Our spirits join as we sing and pray and read God’s Word, making our voices one—traveling to our Creator and encouraging each other in the faith.

When we worship, we are like the Hebrews who fled from slavery in Egypt, looking only ahead to where God was leading them. They trusted God, followed God’s appointed leader Moses, and walked through the sea. And after they had safely passed through, with one voice they sang and danced their thanks. Only together were they able to walk in faith through difficult times and then join their spirits in praising God. Only together were they able to be God’s people in that time and place.

It is no accident that together we are able to be God’s people. God brings us together intentionally, arranging us 1 Corinthians 12 says, in such a way that we are best able to be one body, one voice, though made of many members. The purpose of God bringing us together in this way--as a church--as Christ’s body here on earth--is the common good. God works through the gathered body for the good of us all.

The Church is a place where we find a way of life that is centered on God. We work together toward this goal, centered on Christ’s teachings and listening carefully to where God’s Spirit is leading us. God works in our midst, forming us into a people who are united in purpose. When we worship together, focusing our energy on God and expecting God to speak to us, a sense of the sacred emerges. When that happens, the Church is the Church—helping us to live in God’s reality in spite of the distractions of the world. When we feel surrounded by holiness, we are automatically pulled closer and closer to our God and to one another. This is not because of our efforts, however, but by the grace of God. By God’s grace we are gifted with faith, with skills and tools for that faith to grow and blossom, and with each other, that we might know the sacred.

As a member of a Congregational Church, we are the owners of the Church Covenant. Each church writes its own covenant when it is first gathered, weighing carefully the relationship with God and with other members. In the covenant we find our purpose, our direction. In our covenant we find the promise that we will be cared for, and the calling to care for others. In our covenant we say what we believe about God and church, and what we promise to do because of that belief. Our covenant tells us what being a member of Heritage Church is all about. We will say it in a little while—and I encourage you to think carefully about what you are promising, just as you did when you first became a member.

We come to the Church for different reasons. Some come because they are looking for a church home, some come looking for comfort or respite, some come to find an expression of faith they can relate to or a way to deepen their faith, some come for the music and some come to be part of a meaningful community (and many other reasons). And while it is a good thing to remember how God called us here in the first place and why we decided to join, the reason we came is not the most important thing. What matters most is that we did come. We were true to God’s call to be here at Heritage Church. That is how it works. We come and God works, forming us into the body we are meant to be.

God has called each one of us to come here for a specific reason. We are a community of faith—arranged by God. We have different gifts and strengths. All are necessary for this body. When one is missing, we are out of whack, like a puzzle without all of its pieces. In our covenant we promise to worship together and to give generously of ourselves. As church members, we choose our own level of participation. Some choose to be more involved than others. Some choose to change how they are involved from time to time. But in reality, we have all been given gifts, or talents, to use for the building up of the community of faith, for the common good.

In the parable of the talents we find the master giving talents to each slave, and he expects the talents to be used. When the talents are hidden, the master is not happy. When the talents are used, though, the slave is rewarded with words of praise and even more talents to be used. This parable is one of the most important for the church. As members of Christ’s church, we have all been given gifts, and they are to be used, not hidden. That is what our membership is all about--sharing what God has given us so that God’s purposes might be accomplished.

That is what is meant in our covenant by sharing of ourselves. Some might call it an expectation of membership, but I have heard it called integrity of membership (Not my phrase—from a workshop that Diane and Bob and I went to). We have followed God’s call to come here, we have joined, and now we need to decide for ourselves what membership at Heritage means to each of us. Have we thought about the talents God has given us to share and how we might use them? Have we become as involved as we would like, or is something holding us back? What do we expect from Heritage? Where are we on our spiritual journey and where do we want to go? What is God telling us to do now?

I think that one of the best ways to discover what God is telling us to do now is to look at how God is working in our midst. In the beginning of this message, I shared some of the wonderful things that have happened at Heritage in the last few years. It is good to take stock, because it helps us to see where we have been and in what direction we are headed.

I truly believe that all of the good things that have happened are because of God’s grace. God has work for us to do, and God sets about the business of leading us. We have new members because God has brought them to us. They have become involved because they feel led by the Spirit to do so. Our activities and participation have increased because of God leading us that way. Our boards meet in annually in January for a brainstorming session for this very purpose—seeking truth about where God would have us go next. The goal we set two years ago was to heighten awareness about church activities and increase participation. We were listening to God, and I believe that God is making it happen right before our eyes. Little by little more and more members are embracing their gifts and contributing to the life of the church, that we might fulfill the mission God has placed before us. This is God’s work—God’s doing.

Another indication of how God is working in our midst is the successful stewardship campaign we had last year. We set high goals, and all were exceeded—the number of pledging units, the turnaround time, the amount of money pledged. As I watched and worked with last year’s stewardship committee, I sensed the Holy Spirit at work. So many ideas were shared, so many hopes, so much faith. Together, as a group, a cohesive and faithful plan was developed. And because the process was faithful, the response was the same. Faithfulness begets faithfulness. This is a beautiful reflection of how God has grown us spiritually.

It was true of last year’s stewardship campaign, it is true of our Christian Education and Mission programs, is it true in the way we welcome visitors, and of many other areas of our ministry at Heritage. Our faithfulness is our biggest strength at Heritage, and I pray we will never lose it. We are cared for and we care for others, this is how we encourage one another in the church. This is how God works for the good of us all.

When I first came to Heritage I could sense a feeling of looking forward. This church was not in maintenance mode, as so many churches are, struggling just to keep programs going and talking about the way things have always been. Instead, at Heritage people feel free to dream and to look ahead, to share ideas and to think outside of the box (remember Polka Night last night?—not your usual church activity). We are a church who has accepted that God is in charge; and that attitude, that perception, that knowledge, has given us the freedom to move ahead with the help of the Holy Spirit.

I couldn’t believe in my first few months here the amount of ideas that were going through my mind, and then I realized it was due to that very freedom that I see in you. You accepted my gifts and ideas, you let me be myself, and we all worked together—in divine freedom. I had never experienced this freedom of thought in a church before, and so I began to write down some of my ideas. On my computer is a list of ideas—or goals—or things I think God would like us to do here at Heritage. I try very hard to share these goals with the boards and anyone else who indicates an interest.

The first year we worked on Christian Education—Sunday School, PF, Vacation Bible School and Confirmation, as well as a hiring a coordinator for these programs. We have tried to include the children more in worship, through singing, special programs, collecting for the food pantry and family worship. By the grace of God, our program is in the process of growing and becoming more vital.

The second year we worked diligently on Missions, making our communications more intentional, encouraging more people to become involved, and working hard on some hands-on projects. We are planning for the future, and listening carefully to God about what direction we should take with our outreach projects. Two ideas that surface frequently in our discussions are a Habitat House, and an international mission trip. God is planting these seeds and bit by bit equipping us for these future tasks.

This year we have been developing a five-year plan, both financial and spiritual. The Trustees have already done a great deal of work in this, and I’m thrilled to say what a great Saturday morning meeting that was. (Did you ever think you would hear that about a Trustee meeting?) In June, the Board met to talk about our financial health. It was an amazing meeting. We talked about money, but not only money. Every one at the meeting felt free to speak and they did, sharing ideas and hopes and dreams for Heritage Church. We talked about God and where we are headed. We talked about how our financial health reflects our spiritual health. Do you see why I believe it was an exciting meeting? God was speaking and we were listening!

The Board of Spiritual Life is working in the same direction, thinking about our future of faith as a church. We have worked hard this year to increase fellowship opportunities—Heritage Men has been reactivated, and already they are making their mark on the life of the church. The Mary and Martha Circle is growing and offering opportunities for church members to be involved. We had a new members potluck and Family Fun Nights, as well as Lenten suppers with a book study for the adults and activities for the children. Why is fellowshipping so important? Because with it we get to know one another, and when we know one another we are better able to love one another. When we love one another, we are then able to be a church that reaches out to others. It is a simple formula—another way that God works with us for the common good.

You have already heard a great deal about Christian Education and Missions, but other areas the Board of Spiritual Life is directing their energies include worship, congregational care and membership. You have experienced first hand the work of the membership and fellowship committee with this weekend’s activities. By working with board members and interested individuals from the gathered body, we evaluate these aspects of our spiritual life and do what we can to make them fruitful for the glory of God and the fulfillment of our calling.

The Boards have a variety of displays in the Fellowship Hall for us to peruse. We are asking for your opinions and your input. If you have not been very involved in the life of the church up to this point, this is a great place to begin. Share with your church family what you think and how you feel about what is happening at Heritage. And, take the opportunity to be involved—God is reaching out to you through the work of the church!

So, where do we go from here? What is God calling us to do next? We are listening to God’s call and doing our best to respond in faithfulness. We are like that puzzle I mentioned a while back. We are doing our best to put all the pieces in place, but we have a way to go. Some of the pieces are still in the box, while others are making their way inward, joining with the whole. We are moving in the right direction, but we have farther to go. I believe we are at a point where God is challenging us to put our faith into action. In the Christian life, and in the life of every church, we are called on to be imitators of Christ—a seemingly impossible task. We are not perfect, nor will we ever bet, and yet, we are called to try. We are to come and to try, no matter what.

We have increased involvement, and yet there are members we hardly ever see. We have taken in new members, but have we done our best to get to know them? We have grown financially, and yet we are still a long way off from paying for our ministries with our pledges. We have joined the church, but are we completely fulfilling what God would have us do in this time and place? These are our areas of growth. This is what lies ahead of us. Our challenge from God is to persist in the calling, to keep working together, to take action.

God has called us to be His people in this time and place. God has called us here—to Heritage Church. So now what do we do? All the growing yet to be will come from what is in our hearts. As we grow in faith, our hearts grow closer and closer to God’s presence. How can this be accomplished? I have some suggestions:

First, we need to learn to think theologically—putting God first in our decisions and our thought processes. This will strengthen our sense of commitment to God and to Christ’s Church.

Secondly, we rely on the covenant we have made with God and with each other. This will give us a

sense of unity and purpose—helping us to remember how God called us here and why we came.

Thirdly, we should continue to celebrate our gifts and strengths. We are assisting in God’s work when we do. And we need to commit to using our gifts—they were given to us for a reason, we dare not waste them!

Next, we need to get to know one another, really know one another. We are called by God to see in each other what God has created and what God sees in us. We need to look into one another’s hearts and offer encouragement in the faith, that we might truly love God by loving each other.

Lastly, we should listen to God and to each other—for that is why we were brought together. When we share our faith stories, our image of God becomes more and more complete, enabling us to live lives of fullness in God’s grace.

I’d like you all to look at the banner that is hanging on the wall. It is an image of the Holy Spirit, surrounded by colors and shapes, all heading in one direction. To me, it is an image of what our church can be, if we continue to grow and be faithful. The colors and shapes represent us, the individual members of Christ’s body here at Heritage. We are different in opinions, in gifts, in the way we live our lives, in a multitude of ways. And yet, we are all the same. We are children of God who God has placed in this fellowship, and it is possible for us all to move in one direction, if we let the Spirit be our guide. That direction is living in God’s grace. We are traveling a journey together, for God has ordained it so. We have our own space, color and shape, but we have unity of spirit.

But we cannot travel together if we are not here. Worship is the main purpose of the Church. All the other work of the Church emerges from this foundation. It is the primary reason why God has called us together. We need to be present with the gathered community. We need to do our very best to keep the covenant we have made to worship together, for a church is not an institution or a building to be taken for granted. A church is a living, breathing organism made up of people—believers—disciples—who sit in the pews together week after week, seeking God’s presence, God’s truth and God’s direction, working side by side for God’s purposes to be accomplished.

Those who are not able to be with us every week because of health constraints can be with us in other ways. In days of better health, these members have worshiped with us faithfully. And now, through prayer, by listening to tapes of the services and reading the Highlights and through visits, we are still united with each other through the power of the Holy Spirit, traveling toward God’s grace.

But still, there are many that we miss each week, and we do so pray that we will worship together soon in the way that God intended.

This is a glorious time in the life of our church. We have much to be thankful for, and much to look forward to. God is working here, and we are God’s people in this time and place. God has called us here and we have come. We have taken action and yet there is more work to do. God has planned for each one of us to be here, and has a job in mind for us, whether we come every week or once in a while. When it is God who is calling, how can we possibly say no? We have come this far, let us take just one more step toward God’s grace.

In just a moment, we will be taking in a new member. Ruth Darling has already joined by transfer of membership from another church, and today we officially welcome her to Heritage. Many of you know Ruth already, but to those of you who do not, here is a great opportunity to get to know someone new at Heritage. Welcome her with the right hand of fellowship, share with her about your lives and learn about hers (but do that during the picnic!).

And when we say the covenant together as Ruth officially becomes a member, I ask that each and every one of us renew the covenant we made when we joined. May we let the words filter into our hearts, and may the promises we make lead us to recommit our lives to Christ’s church in this time and place, using the many gifts with which we have been blessed, loving God above all else.

Amen.