Handel’s oratorio, The Messiah, is often offered at this time of year. To me, it is one of the greatest pieces of music. It tells the story of the coming of the Christ child through Scripture and music. The more of our senses that are engaged in an activity, the deeper the message goes. How many of us have sung, some quietly and some at the top of our lungs, “halleluiah, halleluiah…” and stood when that chorus is sung in respect, following tradition and perhaps even with soul-deep joyfulness in hearing once again that God so loved us that God became human.
The reading from Isaiah: “comfort, o comfort my people, says your God” is the text for one of the earlier segments in The Messiah. A reminder that God is ever present. That we are the ones who turn our backs on God. “Our constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades…” (Is. 40:1, 6). God continues, however, to send messengers and prophets to prepare the way for our salvation. And we wait for the “new heavens and the new earth where righteousness is at home” (2 Peter 3:13).
And then there is John the baptizer. “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Mark 1:3). Movement all around us. God’s presence with us will we or won’t we. Whether we see it or whether we ignore it. Immanuel – God with us.
Today we celebrate St. Andrew as well as the Second Sunday of Advent. Andrew, a fisherman, who was called to be the first of the disciples together with his brother Simon Peter. Andrew, who dropped his livelihood and all else that was familiar upon hearing the words “follow me” (Mark 1:16-18). It is the same Andrew who becomes a martyr and who is crucified for his faith but upon a cross different from that of Jesus. Andrew claimed he was not worthy to be crucified in the same way and so the cross was turned sideways. You can see this is in the symbol of St. Andrew – an “x” rather than the traditional upright cross.
Andrew is credited with being the first evangelist. The one who called his brother Simon Peter to follow Jesus as recounted in the Gospel of John (1: 40-41). It is Andrew who proclaims to Peter that “we have found the Messiah, the anointed one.” It is Andrew who brings the boy with the loaves and fishes to Jesus so that the multitudes can be fed.[1] Andrew who was courageous enough to step out of his comfort zone and follow the one he understood to be from God. Andrew understood Jesus to be the one who could offer life and offer it abundantly.
Andrew is also the patron saint of Scotland. We commemorate this day with bagpipes, the traditional instrument of Scotland. Haunting melodies traveling through the highlands, stirring our soul. Scotland has a special place in the history of the Episcopal Church. At the time the Episcopal Church was formed following the American Revolution, there were no bishops in the newly formed United States. Our polity requires three bishops to consecrate a new bishop. You can imagine that the English bishops were not about to consecrate someone for the territory just lost in the war. Further, those darn Americans deleted the prayer for the preservation of the monarch. Since the United States had no monarch, it was no longer appropriate (or politically feasible) to pray each Sunday for the preservation and well-being of the monarch.
What to do? The Americans contacted the Episcopal Church in Scotland. Those bishops, who had already fought the fight about not praying for the monarchy, were willing to consecrate an American- or two-or three- provided the American church adopted parts of the Scottish Book of Common Prayer. That was an acceptable request and so the American clergy were consecrated as bishops and the American Episcopal Church came into being. To this day, there are strong ties with the Episcopal Church of Scotland.
Movement, journeys, stepping out in faith. Everywhere you look in Scripture and in this place, you see people stepping out in faith. Uncertain about the future but holding fast to a belief that there is life in Christ in this place. That St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church would be missed if it was not here, at the corner of Bloomington Rd. and East Seminary Street in Greencastle, Indiana.
It is with joy that I announce that you, that the people of St. Andrew’s believe so much in the vision of this church, that you have pledged sufficient funds to enable St. Andrew’s to call a full-time rector. Your prayers and your courage to step out in faith have made this possible.
The Finance Committee, our Vestry, our Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer have each worked hard to create budgets for 2012, 2013 and 2014 that were then presented to the Diocese. The Diocese commended everyone for the hard work – and diligent prayers- that have brought us to this result.
The next step is for you, the people of St. Andrew’s, to nominate persons to serve on the Search Committee. Jim Ensley, Jr. Warden, will speak a bit more about this at announcements. There is an insert in your bulletin that explains a bit more about the qualities needed to serve on the Search Committee. Your continued prayers are needed now and will be needed in the days and months to come. While we celebrate this milestone, we are far from finished with the work to be done.
This is the time to prayerfully consider yours and others gifts. As Paul says to Timothy “do not neglect the gift that is in you” (1 Tim. 4:14). For some, that will be serving on the Search Committee. For some, that will be praying for those who serve. For some, it will be offering hospitality when the time comes to bring candidates to St. Andrew’s. Each of us has gifts to be offered during the next phase of our transition to the call of a new rector. As you consider whom to nominate, pray. Ask yourself the question: do I trust this person to make wise choices for this parish? And, of course, you may nominate yourself if you believe you are so-called.
One of the gifts that will be needed especially during this next phase of our transition is the ability to listen. Not to offer advice but to listen – for many of us, it is hard to just listen and not give advice. In this instance, we need to listen and not offer advice.
A major part of the work that the Search Committee will do is to create a Parish Profile. In order to do that, you will be asked to share your hopes and dreams for – as well as your experience of- St. Andrew’s. It is imperative that we be honest with each other during this process so that the Profile accurately reflects who we are and what we hope to find in our next rector. Sharing your story – telling and listening- are both critical to a successful call.
As Brent Bill reminds us in his book Sacred Compass: listening says to someone we care about, ‘Here we are, you and I, and I hope a third, Christ, is in our midst.’ Being invited to share our gift is also a call: to create a safe place for spiritual investigation, to embrace hope, to hear the Spirit, to encourage faithful obedience. Sharing our gift honors the truth that God gives each of us opportunities to share spiritually with others on the pilgrim path.[2]
Never forget that we are accompanied by God on this journey. Never forget that our prayers are needed and God hears our prayers. Our way will become straight if we step out in faith. God has given us the tools – and the gifts- to perform this next phase of our transition in ways that will glorify God and witness to God’s love for us in this place. Do not be afraid to nominate someone for the Search Committee. This is a task of us all – everyone has a part to play. Everyone is needed to ensure that the call – when issued- will be to someone who can proclaim the Gospel if life-giving ways, teach the precepts that we are live by, be a pastoral presence to all in need, and be a light to the world with God’s grace. Amen.
[1] Lesser Feasts and Fasts, 86.
[2] Brent Bill. Sacred Compass (Brewster, MN: Paraclete Press, 2008), 148.