Well, here we are. Today is our Stewardship Ingathering. Today, we gather up our pledges and offer
them to God. It is an important day in our life
together. It is an opportunity to choose to serve God
through the ministries of Trinity Church.
For a moment, let’s turn our hearts to an
ancient story.
Once upon a time in a land far, far away there
lived a man named Joshua. On this particular day, he offers his last
speech as the leader of Israel. His goal: to remind them who they are and renew
their commitment to YHWH. He begins with the great ancestors: Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob, Rachel and Leah. These nomads traveled the land searching for
and finding God. In their wandering, they discovered God’s mercy, faithfulness and
justice. And, no matter how many times
they turned away, God was always
there. Then, there is Moses, the one who led them through the Red Sea and out of slavery in Egypt.
Joshua remembers Moses. Most likely, he sat at Moses’ feet, learning
the ways and wisdom of God from the prophet. Moses anointed Joshua the leader of Israel
and commissioned him to lead Israel into the Promised Land.
This was no small task: occupying the
Promised Land. Joshua led the people into battle. His skills as a soldier and warrior led the
way. Joshua, though, is also an expert in the
law. Like Moses, he is a prophet, reminding the
people that their life means nothing without YHWH.
As Israel made their home in this new land, they were tempted to accept and follow other
gods. Their journey with Joshua is not only about
land; it is also about their relationship with
YHWH; it is a test of their
faithfulness.
Joshua tells the story of the Israelites to remind
them of their salvation. God has brought them into a new life, a life
free from slavery. This is a new
beginning and it is all from God. So now they have a choice: “Now therefore revere
the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods
that your ancestors served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve the LORD…” The Israelites must leave behind their other
gods, the gods forsaken by
their ancestors. In exchange for their new life, they must serve
only YHWH.
The Israelites respond with a resounding yes, “Far be it from us
that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods,…” they say, “…Therefore, we…will
serve the LORD, for he is our God.” It seems to be a forthright, honest
answer. Joshua, though, does not accept their quick
response. He challenges them, “You cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy
God.” Joshua knows that serving God is
not an easy choice. It requires more than words, witnessing
miracles or conquering the land. To serve YHWH, the people of Israel must
return their hearts to YHWH. To say yes to God demands their fidelity in
all things, forsaking all others gods. They must do more than say yes; they must live and follow ONLY the way of
YHWH.
The story of the Israelites is not so
different from our own. Each one of us comes from a long line of
ancestors whose stories influence our own. The stories of our families offer reminders
of God’s work in our lives and the world around us. Trinity Church also has a story to tell, a history that offers a reminder of God’s
faithfulness to us. It’s important to remember these stories, to
put our lives in a larger context. The leaders of Israel often invited the
people to renew their covenant with YHWH. We, too, must take a moment and renew our own
faith.
What is our covenant with God and how do
renew our promises, our relationship, with God?
At our Baptism, there are two primary events: our lives are bound to God and we are bound
to one another. The water of baptism signifies a new birth
into the life, death and resurrection of Christ. This means that God’s mercy and grace are a
guarantee; they are sure and certain. This new life is the one thing we all have in
common. Because we are all members of Christ, we are members of each other. This is how we become Church; our faith
unites us.
The gift of Baptism does not require a
response. Yet, as our faith matures, we do respond. As we begin to claim our faith, we do respond to God’s gift of grace and
mercy.
Our Baptismal Covenant defines this in two
ways: our beliefs and our way of life. As Christians, we claim One God who is our Creator,
Redeemer and Sustainer. This claim means we forsake all other gods’
power in our life. This means that
before all other things, we follow Christ. It influences every aspect of our lives;
it influences the way we live. We become more and more inclined to forgive, to work for justice
and peace, and to serve
others. Our Baptism does more than declare what we
believe, it is the beginning of a way of life.
We renew this Covenant, the Baptismal Covenant, every time we baptize. Several things happen during this
renewal. First, we remember that we are not
alone. We renew the Baptismal Covenant as a community. This is a faithful reminder that the journey of
faith is more than an individual experience. We make these promises together; we are a people
of faith and a community of faith. Second, the response to each way of the
Covenant is: “I will, with God’s help.” It is akin to Joshua questioning the
Israelites. It is a faithful reminder that these are not
easy promises; this is not an easy
way. It is by the grace of God that we are able to
be faithful. At the end, a remarkable thing happens: we find that, once again, we are bound to God and one another.
Today, Joshua renews Israel’s covenant with
YHWH. Then, he places a stone in their midst as a
witness to their promises. This is a common tradition in Ancient Israel, akin to building an
altar in a holy place.
We do not have a Baptism today. Yet, today, we make a promise. Our Stewardship Ingathering is one way that
we renew our commitment to Christ’s life in our midst. As members of Trinity Church, our ministries are an outpouring of our Baptismal promises.
Our pledges of financial support are
witnesses to the ongoing ministry of Christ in our midst. Generations of faithful parishioners created
a way for us today. They made a choice
to serve God here, in this place. Today, we make the same choice. And our pledge cards are our witnesses. As we place them on the altar, we make a
choice: to serve God here, in this place.
If you’ve made a pledge to Trinity
Church. Thank you. Thank you for your support and trust.
If you’ve not made a pledge, I ask you to explore the ministries of Trinity
and your life here. I hope you’ve found
a safe, inviting place to experience Christ in your life. I hope that you’ve found a way to express
your own vocation and ministry here. I hope you will reconsider and make a pledge as a witness to your life
in Christ and Christ’s work here.
No matter what: I hope we all leave here refreshed, renewed
and ready to serve God with our whole lives. This is who we are: faithful stewards of Christ’s body, the
Church. May God grant us the strength and courage to
serve God in all that we do.
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