From The Acting Lead Pastor:
Looking at Legacy
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From The Acting Lead Pastor: Looking at Legacy |
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As I write this, we are mid-way through our celebration of our 125th birthday. Last Sunday we spoke of our legacy, of what has been handed down to us: not only our land and our music, our pews and our traditions, but also the spirit within this gathered body, that no matter what happened; no matter who came and who left; God was and is still among us, still speaking, still prompting us to new understandings and new service. This coming week we will celebrate our birthday: in worship with songs, prayers and commissioning our travelers to the National Youth Event; and the day after with one wonderful dinner! I was struck Sunday morning by what Ruth Martin shared. I wondered ahead of time: what does a long-time member choose to high-light in such a moment? One of the things she spoke of is the longer view: the Pilgrims and Puritans of our heritage, who came to this country in order to practice their faith. She spoke of their conviction that faith was not to be narrowed to or held to a creed, but that our forefathers and -mothers valued the individual conscience and the individual walk of faith and the importance of making each our own decisions about how God speaks and what God desires. We've all learned that at some point that the UCC is called a "non-credal" church, but I don't know that we also then consider what that means for us as believers. No, we don't have to memorize a creed and repeat it in worship….or surreptitiously remain silent for those parts that give us theological trouble. But what we are required to do is to think through our faith; to ask questions; to ask more questions, especially when the first wave of answers did not satisfy; to listen to others' thoughts and concerns; to pray; to ponder. In other words, we have to work. In the national UCC's Constitution, there is a marvelous invitation. It doesn't sound like one at first. It says that it is "the responsibility of the Church in each generation to make this faith its own in reality of worship, in honesty of thought and expression, and in purity of heart before God." Each generation - and every person in it - bears the responsibility of considering, pondering, praying and learning in order to "make this faith its own." There is an anticipation of change; of shifting; of learning; of becoming. What holds us together then, when our opinions or ideas differ, is the word "covenant." We covenant with one another to ask those questions and struggle together for answers, to weigh possibilities of how the Spirit is moving and discern together. This, too, is work. It at times seems so much easier to give up and move on. But we don't. That is also part of our legacy, and part of what we celebrate on our birthday.
How glad I am to be celebrating….and working… with you. |