SERMON March 1, 2009 (Pastor Lise
Sparrow)
We
had been to three beaches already during the week and there we were again
facing turquoise waters shaded by palm trees and soothed by the warmth of the
equatorial sun. I thought I had
the beach idea down.
Then
the boat came for my little group of divers and we set out for snorkeling. I hadn’t practiced yet with the
mask—the not breathing through the nose part, the relax and breathe through the
tube part-the face in the water kick your feet only part so it took me a while
and then-breathing kicking I put my face in the water and there was as the song
says—a hole new world. I could see to the bottom of the ocean, a squid with its bulging eyes, a
school of pink and green fish, little striped fish and wiggly fingers of fish—all of which had been
there all the time-- right there when had thought sun and sky and water was enough.
It
is so easy when one travels to see God in new ways. One sees new sights, hears new sounds, tastes new foods and
feels emotions—high and lows—which seem sometimes un recognizable. Even within us we have voices and
talents, ways of being and doing
which are yet unseen and unknown to us…. Which appear when we go adventuring.
The
force of the Holy Spirit is a breeze which soothes but one which also beats
against our backs pushing us forward into the unknown. Our lives if we allow them can be
holy adventures --unfolding before us ever and always in new ways.
Lent
is the time we celebrate this force of nature that pushes sap from the roots of
trees up the fine veins of the tree trunk into the farthest reaches of the
branches. It is the time we
celebrate the 40 days it takes new life to push beyond the seed into the earth
and finally into the light of day. It is the time which unfolds the new tendril of life straight into the
air unfolding leaf after leaf and bud after bud into bloom after bloom in every
color of green and every color of the palette.
But
that seed cannot do the work of bursting forth without the blessing of water
and warmth. Neither can we start fresh
again living lives of goodness
unless we too are washed clean from time to time, given fresh canvases to work with--- unless we are reminded
we are good ,we are God’s children and we have new work to do.
In
St Croix our group of 26 disciples were washed fresh in the warm waters of the
Caribbean—turquoise waters warming us and washing our cares away and last
Sunday we were washed clean as well in the sacrament of holy communion as we
worshipped with Cruxians and tourists ---all celebrating with even more than
the music we offer today.
We
worshipped in the center of Christiansted with cars honking, roosters crowing
and wind blowing outside the doors. A mother hen and her chicks roosted just outside on the steps. Palm trees leaned into the wind and with
the chants of the music and the pastor had to bellow his words to be heard
amidst the city noise.
Daniel
Fooks gave us the now famous quote it was a service different than ours in that rather than folks asking the
question “Do we believe in God?” their every word and suggestion proclaimed “We
DO believe in God!”
In
today’s scripture we hear about Gods’ covenant with Noah established
between God and all flesh that is on the earth." We hear about God’s call within that covenant for a call to
good conscience and we hear in the gospel about Christ’s own battle with his
conscience even after knowing he was beloved by God.
In St Croix most of
us slept on concrete floors and were bitten by bugs and burned by the sun just
as Christ might have been during those forty days but those small burdens were
made light by the company we kept.
Most apparent in all
of the journey was the divine blessings we were constantly being given and the
rewarding work we had to do. Working together, we scraped
and peeled paint, repaired and repainted tables and fences and built the church
and the Boys and Girls Club there anew so they could do their work in new ways.
But
more importantly we built new friendships and concern for one another, new ways
of seeing and being with one another. We searched our consciences for ways we and our ancestors had harmed
others in the past and searched for ways to mend and heal those injuries and we
realized how much there is left to do.
God
is bigger now than ever before. The
waters of the tropics and the winds of the Holy Spirit still breathe through us
all and we carry them to you today…hoping you will join with us in this Holy
Adventure of opening anew and afresh to God of knowing you are beloved and an important part of the Body
of Christ Giving the gift of love to the world. Amen
Let
us pray.
Breathe
through us God
Live
through us God
Give
though us God
Work
through us God
That
all may know your love and all may know your glory.
Now
and forever. Amen
SERMON March 1, 2009 (Pastor Lise
Sparrow)
Then
the boat came for my little group of divers and we set out for snorkeling. I hadn’t practiced yet with the
mask—the not breathing through the nose part, the relax and breathe through the
tube part-the face in the water kick your feet only part so it took me a while
and then-breathing kicking I put my face in the water and there was as the song
says—a hole new world. I could see to the bottom of the ocean, a squid with its bulging eyes, a
school of pink and green fish, little striped fish and wiggly fingers of fish—all of which had been
there all the time-- right there when had thought sun and sky and water was enough.
It
is so easy when one travels to see God in new ways. One sees new sights, hears new sounds, tastes new foods and
feels emotions—high and lows—which seem sometimes un recognizable. Even within us we have voices and
talents, ways of being and doing
which are yet unseen and unknown to us…. Which appear when we go adventuring.
The
force of the Holy Spirit is a breeze which soothes but one which also beats
against our backs pushing us forward into the unknown. Our lives if we allow them can be
holy adventures --unfolding before us ever and always in new ways.
Lent
is the time we celebrate this force of nature that pushes sap from the roots of
trees up the fine veins of the tree trunk into the farthest reaches of the
branches. It is the time we
celebrate the 40 days it takes new life to push beyond the seed into the earth
and finally into the light of day. It is the time which unfolds the new tendril of life straight into the
air unfolding leaf after leaf and bud after bud into bloom after bloom in every
color of green and every color of the palette.
But
that seed cannot do the work of bursting forth without the blessing of water
and warmth. Neither can we start fresh
again living lives of goodness
unless we too are washed clean from time to time, given fresh canvases to work with--- unless we are reminded
we are good ,we are God’s children and we have new work to do.
In
St Croix our group of 26 disciples were washed fresh in the warm waters of the
Caribbean—turquoise waters warming us and washing our cares away and last
Sunday we were washed clean as well in the sacrament of holy communion as we
worshipped with Cruxians and tourists ---all celebrating with even more than
the music we offer today.
We
worshipped in the center of Christiansted with cars honking, roosters crowing
and wind blowing outside the doors. A mother hen and her chicks roosted just outside on the steps. Palm trees leaned into the wind and with
the chants of the music and the pastor had to bellow his words to be heard
amidst the city noise.
Daniel
Fooks gave us the now famous quote it was a service different than ours in that rather than folks asking the
question “Do we believe in God?” their every word and suggestion proclaimed “We
DO believe in God!”
In
today’s scripture we hear about Gods’ covenant with Noah established
between God and all flesh that is on the earth." We hear about God’s call within that covenant for a call to
good conscience and we hear in the gospel about Christ’s own battle with his
conscience even after knowing he was beloved by God.
In St Croix most of
us slept on concrete floors and were bitten by bugs and burned by the sun just
as Christ might have been during those forty days but those small burdens were
made light by the company we kept.
Most apparent in all
of the journey was the divine blessings we were constantly being given and the
rewarding work we had to do. Working together, we scraped
and peeled paint, repaired and repainted tables and fences and built the church
and the Boys and Girls Club there anew so they could do their work in new ways.
But
more importantly we built new friendships and concern for one another, new ways
of seeing and being with one another. We searched our consciences for ways we and our ancestors had harmed
others in the past and searched for ways to mend and heal those injuries and we
realized how much there is left to do.
God
is bigger now than ever before. The
waters of the tropics and the winds of the Holy Spirit still breathe through us
all and we carry them to you today…hoping you will join with us in this Holy
Adventure of opening anew and afresh to God of knowing you are beloved and an important part of the Body
of Christ Giving the gift of love to the world. Amen
Let
us pray.
Breathe
through us God
Live
through us God
Give
though us God
Work
through us God
That
all may know your love and all may know your glory.
Now
and forever. Amen
