Epiphany 4 - Year C

Image and revelation - the journey of the season of Epiphany.

What images come to us in the Word, the scriptures, today?
There is the call of the prophet Jeremiah, of young age - and God said, "Do not say I am only a boy". The psalm gives us wonderful images of God in whom we are safe, can take refuge, God who is our hope and trust... and has always been so, "from my mother's womb you have been my help."
Paul claims that the sustaining force of the world, the thing that will never end, is love. It is the constant of the journey; but we only realise this partially. But one day we will know fully. His confronting message is nothing compared to Jesus today - Jesus who claims to be the living link of prophetic voice and already realises, and thus upsets the people of his home town, that he is not just there for them.

Trust me, says Jesus. Why should we, say the people? where is the proof?
Thus the dilemma of faith. Where is the proof?

It is timely to reflect on the images of Epiphany readings in their revelation of the nature and purpose of our living God, and indeed the identity of Jesus Christ. As we approach our parish annual meeting we too are reflecting on the identity of this community as another year closes. The images of who we are reveal much of who we really are - is that reality also a revelation of who God calls us to be?

I always remember the words someone said to me many years ago, of the identity of Christian community. People should know what we believe by what they see is there. There it is again, the proof factor. But Jesus himself says we are to be known by our actions. Faith with works, as Paul would say.

This homily is based on my Annual Report which you are receiving today with your papers. That is, a reflection of who we are and indeed asking... is our reality true to God's revelation and the revelation of who God calls us to be?
So, a series of images.......

Welcoming : being invitational
It is much more than a compliment to hear, as I often do, that Grovely parish is the most welcoming community many people have experienced. A key attribute of this is the grown and growing awareness of "where people are at", from the simple connection are you familiar with the Prayerbook to the reality that welcoming is much more than greeting newcomers. It is of the very nature of a faith community to care for each other, to care for the children, to care that some people have had a rotten week and others have cause for celebration. This only becomes part of our story if we are open to listening in that intentional way.

Care and concern: invitation to healing
From that listening comes the deep care I witness between so many of this parish family. A healthy community can take on the pain of others - not to absorb it, but to share the burden in a compassionate and indeed passionate way. The death of a loved one is the climax of such pain, and it is inspirational that so many of the bereaved come among us, teaching us all in that sharing.
The prayer chain continues to silently (electronically!) connect a small group with the heart of life's struggles and God. In 2010 we will also commence a monthly Healing Eucharist as the Wednesday service. The prayer quilters provide a deep pulse of prayer as they sew and focus on those in need.

Identity with the ‘mother church' : part of a whole
Praying with and for the Anglican Communion is a true mark of that identity; involving ourselves with the life of the diocese is also a sign of the wider church. One way we do so is through our growing strength as a "training parish" for ordinands. Today we formally welcome Peter Hall and Xochi Mace amongst us in that relationship. We look forward to a year of growing together in our faith journeys. Significantly, this parish has made a commitment to financially provide some funds for ordinands; I highlight this as it is a very big undertaking for the parish, and a commitment Parish Council wholeheartedly confirms. We see it also as part of our diocesan support.

Another way we are involved with the diocese is supporting your priest in her various diocesan roles as well - as a Diocesan Nominator (part of the process of selecting clergy for parishes), on Diocesan Council, and involved with the Faith Formation Taskgroup and postulants process. I am very glad of your support as I take on those challenges.

Another key identity of shared Anglican ministry was the parish's very significant involvement with Hillbrook Anglican School in 2009. You will pick up my rather huge relief that that is over now, with the appointment of a School Chaplan. ....................
The stipend contribution from Hillbrook enabled the essential appointment in 2009 of Father Jim Nolan to assist with priestly duties in the parish. Again significantly this appointment is continuing in 2010 without that financial backup, as I focus energy on faith formation for children and families this year. So, we have some challenges of a financial nature that are revealed in the draft budget you are also receiving with your papers.

Let us continue with our identity revelation:

Community amongst community : not existing for ourselves
The Being in Mission focus group has done a wonderfully insightful report reflecting on ‘being in mission'. These include the realities of being a very generous community in outward giving to what is asked of us through ABM etc, plus also community initiatives. The highlight of 2009 would be the relationship with the villages of Hatton and Buttala in Sri Lanka in our giving of materials, bags for the children, and other resources, as well as money.

The other emphasis from Being in Mission is the incorporating of our ministry identities agreed upon in 2006, my first year here, into a third identity.

That is, from being diligent in firstly creating an experience of Christian community in all we do, and secondly, creating space for exploring faith, we now this year are moving into an umbrella effort of working all that we do through the lens of ‘faith formation'. In my report I have called this part:

Space and learning for all ages: Faith formation - progressing on from ‘come and see'
The open invitation to explore life with Jesus Christ is our mainstay, beginning with worship and heading in hopefully many directions and opportunities from the inspiration of being the Body of Christ together. For the coming year we are hoping to secure more connection between the different places and stages people are at with the relationship with God. Part of this will be to look at everything we do as always offering opportunities for people to CONNECT, FORM AND BE NURTURED. I realise it sounds somewhat theoretical at this stage, but I can assure you that all the working groups that have met to get the year going are trying hard to see the context of what we do, say with children, say with adult groups, say with MU, say with welcoming, etc..... as connection with the whole.

Hence we are exploring ways that children and family are part of the 9am worship without separating them out as different. The prime base of that is they share the same story in their teaching; their teaching time is part of a worship as a whole (even if they are physically somewhere else). We are incorporating a children's song; everyone learns through music. There will be a sharing of story when we are together again: what did you hear today? from both sides. We need to be diligent in growing the story into all lives, from beginning to end.

It's not all about me : but me matters
Interestingly, I am going to reflect on worship under this heading. My sense is that we initially, and often, gather to worship to meet our own need to articulate the mystery of being in relationship with our Trinitarian God. Through that seeking, we learn the exponential value of being in community and from that experience, we make further decisions to take faith seriously and hopefully grow as God calls us.

One of my epiphanies into the leaning of forming faith through all we do is that as a community in worship we have learned the truth of welcoming. It is about seeing others for whom they are ..... and if we can learn that, we can also learn to companion each other, and children, and newcomers, in shared faith journey. I reckon it is a matter of listening... maybe I'll pick up that Jesus quote.. "those with ears, listen".

Thanksgiving
is my last image of revelation of God amongst us. It is not just a matter of being in thanksgiving relationship with God, and realising it, but to respond appropriately so that indeed we are proof of that relationship. Living proof...

Well, I could go on... but you know, it could all be just words. Except for something very significant. I feel loved by God; I feel loved by all of you. These words are a response to a loving God and a loving community.

Do you feel and know you are loved by God?? Do you feel loved in and by this community, this Body of Christ? Look around at each other and, I hope, know that feeling.

Love never ends. Love is the greatest of all things. And, love is all you need.

The Lord be with you.