"IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DIVINE"
Luke 19:1-10
Rev. Gary Paterson
October 31, 2010
Well, today is the launch of our Stewardship Campaign for 2010, when we are being asked to consider all that we have been given in our lives, naming our blessings; and asked to ponder how we might express our gratitude within this community of faith by offering our gifts of time, talent and treasure. In times past, I have often come to this Sunday with some trepidation, even an apology, not wanting to offend, not wanting to be seen preaching for my own salary. But somehow, this year it feels different. Perhaps it’s because all of us have, over the past couple of years, become more comfortable talking about money. I’m not sure, but I do know that I don’t’ feel anxious, nor apologetic.
In fact, I feel very Biblical. Talking about money is a very Biblical thing to do, and holy conversations about money are just about everywhere in Scripture; frankly, there are a lot more verses that focus on money, possessions, wealth, on “stuff,” than there are about faith and prayer. Go figure… well, exactly! How we earn our money; how much we have; what we do with it; how much we spend on ourselves; how much we give away -- to answer these questions is to declare our theology: not what we publically say we believe, not even what we think we believe, but what we actually believe… putting our money where out mouth is, where our heart is, where our faith is… that talks, loudly and clearly. What’s your bottom line? … so to speak. That’s why the Bible talks a lot about money; that’s why we have to.
Maybe I feel less nervous, though, because this Sunday offers me an opportunity to affirm the generosity of this congregation. For the past few years we have been taking a candid look at our stewardship, our givings, our financial plans. And we have been doing well. I consulted with our Treasurer, Sue Parker, to get a handle on what has been happening, money-wise. In 2007 the congregation gave $240,000; the following year, that was up to $280,000. And then, in 2009, we took a big jump, to $350,000. This past year, we took a bit of a breather, though still we are aiming for something like $360,000. That’s something like a 50% increase over the past three years. And that says something about the vitality and growth of this congregation. Well done, people of St. Andrew’s-Wesley.
On the other hand, our Treasurer also wanted me to point out that expenses have risen as well, something like 690 to 830 thousand. And yes, while $360,000 is a huge jump, we still aren’t covering even half the operating costs. It’s true, we are blessed by having income from rentals, investments and from Wesley Place Residence; but we’re probably going to face a deficit at the end of year; not one that we can’t handle, temporarily, but not in the long run. So this sermon is a bit of a “Yes-And” message: yes, we’re doing well, we’re making it; and, we’re facing a challenge…
This would probably be the moment for me to talk about this year’s campaign, “In Partership with the Divine”. To point you to the salmon insert in the bulletin….no, no , not now; later, later…. but to read about the mail-out you’ll soon be receiving, with an invitation to respond with a financial commitment, small or big. All of us together; all of us in partnership with God. I could even mention the Legacy Luncheon on Nov. 14th … an opportunity to think about a gift that might be offered at the end of your life.
I could say more about money, now that I’m getting going… but really, what I want to talk about is the vision, the why of giving. You see, I’m excited about what’s happening within this congregation. That’s my bottom line… something special is happening here. You should have seen what went up on the walls at our congregational Day Apart last month, when we were walking through the last twelve months, naming highlights and memorable moments in the life of St. Andrew’s-Wesley -- took up most of the wall space! Or I should wave the announcement bulletin, and point to all the various programmes and activities; it’s been suggested that we keep a few cots here at the church, just in case someone needs to sleep over. I could talk about kids, seniors, younger adults, Visiting Elders, World Religions, Prayer, Healing Touch, study and learning, social action…. like the groceries offered this last Thanksgiving, for people of the Downtown Eastside – the largest amount we’ve ever given. Or I could tell you about the meeting that our End Homelessness Now representatives, Jean Budden, Nancy Hall and Lorna Seaman, had with Mayor Gregor Robertson and Councillor Kerry Jang, to talk about homelessness in our city, the progress being made, and the challenges still to be faced. Or I could encourage you to think about going to Gautemala this July; with Doris’ leadership and connections, you’ll discover a different country and you’ll probably return a changed person.
But deeper than all this, are the lives that have been touched, changed, supported;. There is a growing sense of a deep and very real community here, where the saints… and that’s all of us… where the saints are equipped to live faithfully and joyously, engaged in ministry, partnered with God in the world; it’s a community where we are discovering (with lots of practice, and lots of mistakes) how to care for each other, and how to care for our neighbour, the stranger, and the poor. Progressive, Inclusive, Committed to Justice – and Passionate; those are the words that describe the vision we are growing into.
This is worth supporting. Something is happening here that involves all of us, and depends on all of us… and God. Something, someone… beyond us, breathing energy and dream and vision into us. A holy Presence that invites us into relationship; that inspires us into gratitude; that enables us to be generous. This is worth supporting.
Now, this is about where the sermon ended last Friday afternoon; but then Tim and I went out with friends that night. It was fun; a couple of beer, laughter, but then, serious conversation; I mean, not too heavy, but more than you expect on a Friday down at the pub. The friends we were with said they wanted to come to church on Sunday morning; to this church. They never come to church. Why, I asked myself, must they want to come on Stewardship Sunday… when I’m talking about money, the fall campaign, budgets and financial challenges. That’s when I remembered some advice from Barbara Brown Taylor at a preaching workshop. “Just remember,” she said, “as you prepare your sermon, every Sunday morning there will probably be somebody in the congregation who is dealing with news about a terminal illness… their own, in the family, a friend. And there’s probably somebody else who has walked into church for the first time in many years... with a question, a heartache, a hurt, a hunger… wondering if they’ll discover a word that will touch them, help them, make them a little more joyful to be alive.” And then she looked at us fellow preachers, and said, “So don’t you dare waste their time.”
I don’t know if my friends made it this morning; I mean, this is Hallowe’en weekend, and there were a lot of parties happening on Saturday night. But nevertheless, I knew that I had to be able to talk about stewardship and money and gifts in even a broader context. So I turned… surprise, surprise… to the gospel; specifically, to today’s reading about Zaccheus, which is all about good news that includes money. Who would have guessed?
There’s this guy… a despised and hated tax collector; collaborator with the Romans; rich, which means he took a good cut for himself. Not welcome in good society; a runt, pretty much alone. But this was just the person that Jesus wanted to have dinner with. Now that was a big deal back then; who you shared a meal with was really important. Still is, really; when was the last time any of us invited a street person home for supper? Takes a lot of grace – which is what Jesus was all about. Everybody welcomed to the table; everybody at the party. Even Zaccheus; even me; even you.
And that’s when Zaccheus’ heart breaks open… “I will give away half of what I have to the poor; and if I have cheated anyone, I’ll pay it back fourfold!” Talk about a turnaround, a repentance, a change of ways; talk about gratitude. And generosity.
I came across an earworm way of talking about this Zaccheus story, the title of a sermon by Rev. Dr. James Moore, a United Methodist from Texas… I’ll bet Kathryn [our associate minister, who is from Texas] knows him. “Grit, grace and gratitude” … that’s the phrase. And may it stay in your mind as it has in mine… grit, grace and gratitude.
So, just for a moment, put yourself into a Zaccheus reality – when you feel lost, or compromised, or isolated, wondering about the cost of your work… is it what you really want to spend your life’s energy on?; living with heartache, loneliness, guilt, hurt… different circumstances for each of us; but you know what I’m talking about. It takes grit to live in that reality; endure; hang in. But it also takes grit to reach out towards the possibility of something different. What was it Jesus said, “Seek, and you shall fine; ask, and it shall be given to you; knock, and the door will be opened.” Grace is all around us, seeking to make connection. Call it God’s love, or the deep down wonder of being; Call it Spirit, call it The More; call it the welcome, acceptance, affirmation; discover it to be an invitation to the party... an open invitation. For Zaccheus, it took grit to acknowledge the emptiness within, his deep loneliness. And it took grit to push through the crowd, and climb up the sycamore tree, throwing dignity to the wind; determined to see this Jesus. Did he know what would happen? Did he hope that it would happen? Maybe it’s like hitting bottom, or coming darned close, and choosing to go to that first AA meeting; maybe it’s a long walk in the snow, on the beach, when you prayed; sometimes it takes grit to walk into a church; to talk honestly to your spouse; to cut up your credit card, to let the tears come. But you do it.
And the grace comes; maybe that’s the good news in this sermon. It’s always been there, even if hidden. “Listen!” says the risen Christ, “I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come into you and eat with you, and you with me.” (Rev.3:16) We simply have to learn how to listen, how to see, to name what is really happening in any given moment… mindful, open to the kindness of strangers -- your sponsor calls; your spouse forgives; a friend calls; the chickadee alights on your fingers to peck at the peanuts in your palm; a child falls asleep in your arms. The grace comes.
And then… well, your heart starts growing, filled with a spirit of joy, of strength, of comfort; and before you even know what’s happening, you’re gobsmacked by gratitude, just welling up within you, and spilling out. You might even call it generosity, just to wind up this list of “g” words. Generosity --you just can’t stop yourself. Then you start to find it becoming a habit, a good one, so that when life isn’t so easy and beautiful, gratitude still hovers within you--- that takes practice, I think
Grit, grace, gratitude… and generous. Now that’s a partnership with the Divine that’s worth getting behind. Happy Stewardship Sunday… and I really mean