Listen to the Sermon.
Dear People of God, my brothers and sisters in Christ here at St. Hilda St. Patrick,
I want to begin by saying that, four months into this interim time, I continue to be so very glad God called us to be in ministry together. I love getting to know you, and seeing how God is at work in your lives and in this faithful community. Thank you for welcoming me and my family so easily and warmly.
Our gospel today finds Jesus back in his hometown of Nazareth. He has begun his public ministry, and has already made a name for himself as a religious teacher. Now, home in the synagogue where he grew up, he opens the scroll of Isaiah, and reads aloud some of Isaiah’s most provocative prophecies. And then, after a pregnant pause, he says, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
Today. This scripture. Is fulfilled. In your hearing.
Today. Luke uses the word ‘today’ sparingly - this is the first of just 9 times in 24 chapters. In Luke, when Jesus says, ‘today,’ it usually has something to do with the saving grace of his death and resurrection. Like when he tells the thief on the cross next to his, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). In this passage, it points to the fulfillment of prophecies about God’s anointed one who brings good news to the poor, release to captives, sight to the blind, freedom to the oppressed. Salvation. Happening… Today.
This scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Greek geeks (of which I definitely am one) will quickly point out that the verb tense in this sentence is perfect tense. Perfect tense is a combination of something that is happening right now and will continue happening into the future. So, that this amazing prophecy is fulfilled in the hearing of a synagogue congregation 2,000 years ago doesn’t mean it happened once and was over. It continues to happen - in the hearing of every congregation and Bible study since Jesus’ time, in our hearing here and now, and in every reading for all time to come.
It’s not surprising that Jesus chooses these prophecies to read. They echo the song his mother sang about God’s power and salvation when Jesus was in the womb. They were powerful words in Jesus time, as they were heard by people who lived under Roman occupation and in a highly stratified economic system. They continue to tug at our hearts, minds and souls today as we hear them reminding us of the injustices that persist in our world. Today.
God is using Jesus, the One anointed in the Spirit at his baptism, to bring good news to the poor. To proclaim release to captives and prisoners. To bring sight to the blind. To free the oppressed. To proclaim God’s favor, in the form of grace and forgiveness and healing for all who ask.
These are words of hope if we are one of those who needs good news or freedom, sight or release. Harder words to hear if our life is comfortable in the status quo that perpetuates oppression of people because of their country of birth, their gender, or their sexual orientation. Or if we unquestioningly enjoy the comforts of an economic system which relies on perpetuating poverty.
At our baptisms, we too receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We are baptized into the body of Christ. Christ in each of us, and together we are the body of Christ. We are the body of Christ, anointed by the Holy Spirit at our baptisms. If we are living the ministry Jesus began, then does that mean that we are fulfilling the very same prophecies?
Prophecies of freedom, dignity, health and wholeness for all people? Prophecies about the Holy Spirit’s empowerment of every day people (like us) to bring new life and hope to others, to change the world by radically proclaiming the dignity of every human being.
God has already begun the work of salvation. How are we, here at St. Hilda St. Patrick, the Body of Christ, continuing in Jesus’ ministry?
Having been here just four months, I AM still getting to know you. I have noticed some things about this community of St. Hilda St. Patrick.
We are generous. We give of ourselves because we believe in this place and its ministries. We give time - thousands of volunteer hours in worship ministries, pastoral care, hospitality, leadership ministries, and caring for our buildings and grounds. We give money - which keeps the lights and heat on, staffs our ministry, and repairs our buildings. We give our passions - in the form of ministries, God’s love shared with one another and the world. And we are generous with our welcome of people from all walks of life.
We care deeply for our church, and we want to share it. We love worship and music that are beautiful, transcendent, engaging and energizing - often all at once. We take care of this building and its grounds, as a home and a place of welcome to to the community. We are actively striving to be a faith community in which people of diverse ages and backgrounds feel welcome and valued.
We care deeply for one another. We welcome everyone like family - whether it’s their first time here or they’ve been here for years. We love to eat together - as we will during the Annual Meeting today. We respond generously when one of our community is in need of extra support.
We care for our community. We have a passion for taking care of our neighbors in need, especially those who are hungry and/or without permanent housing. We will hear more details about the generous reach of our outreach ministries as part of the Annual Meeting.
We have faithful leaders for this time of transition. We are blessed with exactly the right people in leadership ministries right now, offering their skills and energy. 2019 will bring some changes in leadership, and those new leaders will bring their passions and gifts to bear - all to the glory of God and for God, here at St. Hilda St. Patrick.
We have much to be thankful for. And, like nearly every other Episcopal congregation in the country, we have some challenges ahead of us in 2019.
Some of our facilities are starting to show their age, and need deeper and unsexy repairs. We are in the midst of an extended conversation about how to be the best stewards of our property. The Vicar Search Committee is persevering to meet a candidate who brings the right energy and passion to journey with St. Hilda St. Patrick into the future. We want to invite more people to find us and find a home here, and need help with marketing ourselves. The bishop’s committee and I are learning more all the time about our responsibilities and relationship with the diocese as a mission congregation, especially about our outstanding loan of more than $400K.
You will hear in the Financial Report at the Annual Meeting that we have a small shortfall budgeted for 2019, because your bishop’s committee is optimistic about the ministry ahead of us this year. All of these ‘challenges’ are good and important. They show that we are actively engaging with the practicalities of life here and now, while we are seeking to live faithfully and share the Good News with the world.
My role as your interim is to provide support, encouragement, and best practices in the routine and necessary tasks, while preparing to leave you healthy and excited to welcome your next vicar.
A strong and healthy transition to a new vicar requires every one of us to continue to be fully engaged in the life of St. Hilda St. Patrick. I see a congregation actively engaged in who we are and want to be, and that is a strength to build upon.
Here are three things everyone can do to help ensure that we join with what God is bringing to fulfillment and live into that fullness of life this year:
- Be faithful in worship. Come to church! It makes a difference, in your life and in the lives of everyone else in our community. We all have busy lives. Time with our faith community praising God and praying together helps us cope with the rest of life, and stay connected with this vital community of support. And we miss you when you’re not here.
- Pray, daily, for St. Hilda St. Patrick - for our people, leaders, and clergy. Pray for the search process and for the Holy Spirit to inspire our potential vicar candidates. Put a note on your bathroom mirror, or in your car, or on your desktop - wherever you will see it and take a moment to talk with God.
- Continue giving generously of yourself to St. Hilda St. Patrick - in time, in your skills and passions, with your financial pledge, and by inviting a friend or two who might find something they are missing in their life in this holy and amazing place.
Sisters and brothers, God is working something new in each of us, in our life together here at St. Hilda St. Patrick, in our nation and our world. 2019 is just beginning to unfold. We may not know all the twists and turns of the journey ahead this year, but we do know that Jesus invites us to continue his ministry. To use the gifts we are given at our baptism, to use our gifts in concert with all the members of the body of Christ, bearing the light of hope, freedom, and good news to all who sit in darkness, unsure and alone, afraid and hungry.
If Jesus stood in our midst this morning, and chose a passage to read aloud, I wonder what of God’s amazing promises he would say is being fulfilled in OUR hearing today.
I am so excited to see what God is already doing here, in a red barn church in unincorporated Snohomish County, and how we can continue fulfilling God’s promises to the world here, in this place, in this time.
This comes with my love and prayers,
Sabeth+
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