One of the things that has been most moving about watching the ELCA Churchwide Assembly this past week was the way in which those 1000 people serving as voting members became church together.People stood on opposite sides on contentious issues with deeply held positions. And yet, during regular intervals the discussion would pause so that there could be time for prayer. In those moments, people standing behind opposing microphones would come together, would join together, and pray. The CWA bore witness to what it means to be church
To stand together, even in disagreement
To stand together, grieving and rejoicing in the same day.
Today is one of those days. We grieve deeply.
Dave Ferber’s mother
Bill Corkin
Others –family and friends who struggle with illness...
We are overwhelmed with pain, can feel knocked senseless. We cry. As the words of the psalm proclaim, the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those whose spirits are crushed. It is true. Yet today we also rejoice. A little girl will be baptized in just a few moments. We have the privilege of helping this little girl get started on her journey of faith. It is a day celebrating new life, even in the midst of sadness and grief. My original theme for this day was “Choose” – drawing up on the Old Testament reading from the book of Joshua. In that 15th verse, Joshua challenges the people: choose this day whom you will serve. Sadly, there may be some today ready to make a choice – a choice to leave the ELCA. People might be choosing. But when I learned that Reagan would be baptized, and a different theme came to mind: Chosen. Reagan is chosen by God. You – the baptized children of God – have been chosen by God. We are chosen. The ELCA is made up of lots of people chosen by God . THOSE do not always agree – I suppose they shouldn’t, or else they wouldn’t be honest. But they have been called together into one body – the body of Christ.We might want to handle the choosing part ourselves. But God chooses. We might want to do the choosing, but the waters of baptism unite us in Christ. God chooses to give us his Son – the true bread that comes down from heaven. Jesus said “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven.” “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me.” In our living. In our dying. “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me.” As we step into new life each and every day. “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me.” In agreement and disagreement. Last week I worshiped at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. I was there with all of my family. It was the first time I’ve worshiped with my 2 3/4 year old nephew, Connor.Those of you with children will be pleased to know that Connor spent time lying under the pew in front of us. But he was listening. The pastor, preaching on the verses just before those we heard today, made the point that John used a different word at this point – he didn’t just say “eat”. The word used shifted to one that has the connotation of gnawing on, chewing on. It is a graphic word, a graphic idea. I thought that was pretty good. At one point Pastor Trester said, “Chew on Jesus”. Connor responded, “Chew on Jesus”. Maybe on a day when so much has happened and is happening, those are the words you can take home. Remember that you are joined to one another – and others – in Jesus. Chew on Jesus. Live in Jesus. Amen
