CELEBRATING:
SERMONS
"Flowers Will Bloom"
Jul 27th
Texts: Isaiah 43:16-21;
Psalm 14; John 6:1-14 A sermon by A.H.Harry Oussoren
Prayer: Send out your light and your truth, O God,
and let them lead us. We pray in Christ. AMEN
Fools say in their hearts "There is no God." But God
is the refuge of the poor.
There is this persistent theme in scripture that God
reaches out to those who know their need. The Psalmist
has God looking for wise people who seek God. They are
often the poor, who know how much they need God. They
at least acknowledge their hunger, and look to God for
salvation.
In the Isaiah passage, the wandering people of Israel
are remembered. They journey but not without purpose
because God led the way. They went through deep and
troubled waters to God's safety. In the wilderness on
the way to the Promised Land, God gives the guidance
and direction and most important of all, the living
water to survive.
When the faithful are in exile in Babylon, it is God
who enables them to return home - to the land of their
ancestors. God transforms desert sterility into an oasis
- where plants and trees and animals and people can
flourish.
In the Gospel reading, we see Jesus continuing this
redeeming activity. When the people are hungry and thirsty,
Christ trusts that God will provide and from very little
a miracle of abundant sharing takes place.
People of deeply rooted faith know that God is the
creating, redeeming, and sustaining One, who delivers
us from bondage, from wilderness, from exile, from hunger,
and from death. God's gift to all, who would receive
it is life in its fullness.
In our time, we have had less than full confidence
in this fundamental Gospel message. We could read about
it, but we found it hard to make it part of our core
being.
But happily there are changes occurring. It is interesting
to hear commentators across North American say that
in the historic ecumenical churches - like the United
Church - something special is happening. There is today
a growing awareness of our need for God - not the hollow
statement that after all "we all believe in a God, don't
we?" But rather a deep yearning for God in a strongly
relational sense. Increasingly people are saying: "I
don't want to play at being the church - managing, politicking,
just perpetuating a ritual or an organization. Rather
I want to be part of a lively community where God is
truly at the centre, where God is encountered, and where
we can continue together the ministry of Jesus."
But interestingly, the yearning for "the real thing"
- for God - is not just confined to folks already in
the church. Reg Bibby is a sociologist based at the
University of Lethbridge in Alberta. He's been tracking
the religious inclinations of Canadians for almost 30
years. He reports that nationally 81% of Canadians believe
God exists and that 73% of Canadians believe that God
cares about them, but only about 47% of Canadians have
experienced God's presence. And when people are asked
whether they are more interested in matters spiritual
over the last decade, then about 26% of Canadians say
their interest has increased and about 60% said it was
the same - still interested. Bibby concludes that "the
market for spirituality has been and continues to be
extensive. As Canadians look at churches, they assume
those institutions will be giving primary attention
to spirituality." (p. 194 in Restless Gods). What I
found even more interesting and challenging in Bibby's
work is that he reports that 55% of adults and 39% of
teens would be open to the possibility of being more
involved in a religious group if they found it to be
worthwhile for themselves or family. (p. 50 Restless
Gods).
I find these are astounding figures - that's a lot
of people interested. But put that against how we as
mainstream church folk have too easily concluded that
people just aren't interested - we say: - they don't
believe in God - but 81% do - they don't care about
spirituality - but 86% say that their interest is the
same or higher - they're the wrong religious heritage
- but only 6% of Canadians claim other religions than
Christian - they wouldn't come into church community
- but 55% say they could be interested, if… What would
make it worthwhile for such people to be interested
in something worthwhile? Bibby gives some clues to that
question as well. He lists three groups of factors for
church folk to consider:
First, ministry factors: it would be worthwhile for
these potentially interested people if church really
involved: personal needs, personal fulfillment and growth,
and affinity with others - including programs geared
to specific age and family groupings.
Second, organizational factors: it would be worthwhile
if it involved changes in style and outlook, better
leaders, less hypocrisy and more open views. In other
words to be more effective in helping people find meaning
in life and convince people that churches are relevant,
fulfilling and not boring. (p. 222)
Third, personal factors: it would be worthwhile if
there were creative places for children, if family and
friends participate, if works schedules could be arranged.
For us who are United Church, Bibby's this information
is important and challenging. Across Canada there are
over 3 million folks who still identify with our denomination.
But only about 600,000 are participants and even these
may not really be involved. We have our own constituency
of about 175 SHUC households on the congregational list.
They hardly contribute nor participate. But Bibby puts
it to us that these people are an affinity constituency
that we should be addressing. Those are people who still
label themselves United Church when the census folks
ask them what religion are you - these are people, Bibby
tells us, we should be talking with. Not by telling
them: you SHOULD. Not by demanding they get on board.
But by inviting them into respectful conversation about
their spiritual needs and about our Christ mission to
make God real in people's lives.
I personally hope that in the coming year we will take
Bibby seriously and begin engaging some of those people
who self-identify as United Church but who don't have
a real faith home. We need to have the courage to engage
those groups of people who still believe in God and
who know they have spiritual needs and who often seem
open to conversation about faith issues.
There are times when I think we are more inclined to
let people serve phony idols like consumerism and materialism
and hedonism and egoism, than risk engaging people about
discipleship with Christ. Are we really so unsure of
ourselves as people of faith that we would rather watch
people explore religious fringe groups rather than inviting
them to discover the living God who changes lives and
our world?
The challenge is before us. It is God's challenge.
God is asking us whether we have only our needs in mind
as we gather in this place, or are we concerned and
willing to do something about the hungry, the thirsty,
the wandering, the lost, the seeking in our neighbourhood
and city? There is great need in our world and we serve
the God who feeds the hungry, quenches thirst, and responds
to the longing of those who are spiritually searching
and wandering. But for us to be effective partners in
God's mission, we have to be far clearer about who we
are as people of faith and far more intentional about
our faith and our mission in Christ's name.
This is where books like "Power Surge" by Michael Foss
and Tony Robinson's "Transforming Congregational Culture"
are so important for us today. They point not just to
simple solutions or tricks to make mainstream churches
more saleable. Rather, they are calling for deeply grounded
faith, which leads to visionary leadership and community
transformation. We here at SHUC have barely started
the process of transformation God is calling us to.
But we have started. Fragile signs of transformation
are beginning to show. Michael Foss in his book "Power
Surge" says that being a Christian - a companion of
Christ - a person of faith in God today requires: Daily
personal prayer Weekly worship in community Regular
Bible reading and learning Nurturing relationships to
encourage spiritual growth in others Generous giving
of time, talents and resources. That's the agenda for
us personally. Then what about the congregational agenda:
For Tony Robinson who spoke here July 1st on his book
"Transforming Congregational Culture", the church "delivers
the goods" when it pays particular attention to a few
vital things - these are: worship, learning, and relations
with others to deepen faith, in a context of mission.
(in Transforming Congregation Mission, 2003 Eerdmans)
We need to be far more intentional about that than any
of us can remember.
We need to be "weaving new strands of connection between
the Source of meaning… and our present situation - with
all its perils, opportunities and choices." (Alice Mann,
in Where does Vision Come from? Cited in Congregations,
Winter 2003, p. 9). Then, I believe, Christian congregations
like ours will be enabled to "make a substantial difference
in the Spirit of Christ." "In the Spirit of Christ"
means that we are convinced that God is transforming
lives and that God transforms our world. We long for
the day when all will have enough - enough food and
drink, enough money to survive well, enough knowledge
to enjoy God's creation, enough faith to really trust
God, enough courage to risk for God's truth, enough
hope in God's promises to not fear death. As Christians,
we are about making God real for people, but to do that
God will need to be real for us personally and for us
as a community. We need to know our own need for the
bread of life and the water of salvation. If that is
not the case, then the people outside will recognize
our hollowness and our hypocrisy and they will seek
other ways of "meeting their spiritual needs" - even
if that has little to do with the living God.
One of our number has invited people to discuss "Power
Surge" with him next month. I invite any who would like
to, to discuss as well the Bibby and Robinson book over
the next year. I will offer dates and opportunities.
But for now, I invite you to consider the Disciple Bible
Study program and that most basic way of experiencing
transformation by encountering God through the Scriptures.
We have a long way to go and huge needs and hungers
to respond to. As God has given us food and water for
living, so let us trust God as we gear up to share the
bread and water of life with all who hunger and thirst.
God will provide. Thanks be to God. AMEN
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Shaughnessy Heights United Church
congregation is a Christian faith community respecting
each other in our diversity and reaching out to all
who seek God’s love.
1550
West 33rd Avenue,
Vancouver, BC V6M 1A7
Canada SEE
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Tel:
604-261-6377
Email: admin@shuc.ca
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