“LOVE STAYS” Sermon preached by the Rt. Rev’d Dr. Terry Brown, Bishop-in-charge, Church of the Ascension, Hamilton, Ontario, on Sunday. September 8, 2013, Pentecost 16, at the signing of the contract for the renovation of the church’s main worship space and the last time to worship in the old configuration. Texts: Jeremiah 18:1-11 and Luke 14:15-33. When we hear of parables, we usually think of Jesus’ many parables in the New Testament, especially in Luke’s Gospel, for example, the parable of the Prodigal Son or the Good Samaritan. But today, in Jeremiah, we have an Old Testament parable. Jeremiah is commanded by the Lord to go to the potter’s house, where the potter is making pots with wet clay. The potter starts one pot, but it goes wrong, so he or she works the same chunk of wet clay into a new and beautiful but different pot. So it goes, the potter works and reworks chunk after chunk of clay into new pots. And then the punch line, the teaching: God is like that potter: God works and re-works us. Perhaps we fail, but God still makes us into something new. We are wet clay in the hands of God. In other words, life, and our lives, are dynamic, moving, developing; and failure and loss can always be turned to good, if we are penitent, creative and open to the Holy Spirit. What a wonderful parable for what we will be doing here as we reconfigure our worship space to give greater glory to God and better ministry to the community. This church has never been a static museum. It has changed over the years. For example, many of you remember that the font was once at the back of the church, symbolizing our entry into the church; but it moved forward to the south transept to heighten its importance. It will now move to the centre of the church, reminding us of the centrality of baptismal ministry to our lives. Likewise, many other items, including the altar, have changed over the years. The Liturgical Movement (which we share with Roman Catholic and Protestant churches) and study of the early church have taught us that the celebration of the Eucharist was amongst the people as we are doing this morning [at our nave altar], the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ amongst us, not set aside and isolated apart. So it is appropriate that our beautiful high altar rest here [at the front of the nave], where we can gather around it. We have gifted architects and contractors who will help us make this a place of new beauty, of light, of brightness. We are not on an iconoclastic crusade. The reredos will move forward and finally be properly lit and visible. Almost all the memorials will remain, including the colours of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. (Their commander visited last week and is happy with the arrangements and they look forward to worshipping with us in our new configuration.) The Hawkins chapel [being moved from the north to south transept] will have pews, enough to use and not be cramped as now. Another parable of Jesus is perhaps appropriate: the [scribe of the] Kingdom of God is like the householder who bring new and old treasures out of his storeroom [Matthew 13:52]. We have many old treasures and we shall not lose them; we are, however, trying to create a new treasure. For some, this day may have some sadness. You have long and familiar memories of this place. Or we simply do not like to see change. This is understandable and human. But for the sake of the future, we cannot become a museum. And there is a danger in letting what is comfortable and familiar be the main thing that shapes our lives. Christianity is also supposed to be a challenge. The last part of the Jeremiah passage is frightening: God tells Israel, because you have not changed, I will shape a terrible and destructive future for you. I believe is calling us always, if it within our power and God’s will, to be an Anglican presence on the corner of John and Forest Streets. I do not want us to be a Grace Church, a St. Mark’s, a St. George’s, a St. James’, a St. Thomas’: all Anglican churches (and more) that used to be in Undermount, Lower Hamilton, but are no more. But we are called not just to be a historical and beautiful building (which we will still be, and more) but a community and city presence. As I wrote in the recent parish newsletter, our new configuration will help make our continued presence here possible. And if the Charlton Avenue plans go well, we shall even have parking. In today’s Gospel, Jesus turns to the crowds following him and says, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” In one sense, these words are exaggeration. We are called to love all the members of our families, and we are called to love life. Yet the point is that we are not to be so attached to human loves (including, I daresay, church pews) that we cannot take on the Cross of Jesus Christ. This was a passage that encouraged me as I worked overseas many years away from friends and family; now it encourages me as I live apart from my friends and family in the South Pacific whom I dearly miss. So we cannot let our love of a familiar and comfortable place stop us from moving forward and bearing the Cross of Christ. And there will be crosses to bear. To start with, we have to move the chapel pews back into the chapel for next Sunday’s services. But there may be pain as we see the construction going on: but out of that pain comes resurrection. To be specific, one thing I would like us to begin to do during this transition period is to plan for a Church of the Ascension Festival to celebrate our new space. It might include, for example, a grand service of worship (for example, Shubert’s mass, with John’s leadership and our choir), a hymn sing, a play, a concert (or even a concert series), a public lecture, a dinner, and an open house for all the groups who will use this space. We are not to hide our light under a bushel but show it off. All are welcome to be a part of this planning. The parish council will discuss this on Tuesday evening. This morning we welcome our contractor and architect and we shall have the signing of the contract just before the closing hymn. But we also have a cake and the cutting of the cake to mark this historic day. Those with long memories of this parish have come up with very appropriate words for the top of the cake. They were once on the sundial on the lawn on Forest Avenue until metal thieves stole the brass some 20 years ago. (I particularly want to thank Ruth Faulks for finding these words.) The words on the cake are, “New Days, New Ways, Love Stays”. Researching the words, I discover they are from a 1902 poem by Henry Van Dyke, “Katrina’s Sundial”. The full poem which is frequently inscribed on sundials, reads, Hours fly, Flowers die, New days, New ways, Pass by, Love stays. But the words on the cake take only three of these phrases: “New Days”: We are indeed in new days, good or ill: secular days, confused days, violent days, global days, changing days, sometimes happy days: but days that are still seeking God. “New Ways”: Clearly we need new ways of engagement, ministry, reflection, relationship and worship. “Love Stays”: Love never faileth. Love is at the very centre of our Christian faith, for God is Love. Love is what the world needs, and we can offer it. I believe these three phrases are a good motto for this project: perhaps they should be put on a banner or billboard and on our electronic sign for our neighbours and those who pass by to see. But most of all they should be engraved in our hearts, shaping the practice of our Christian faith today. Clay in the hands of God, seeking to bear the Cross of Christ and share in his Resurrection beyond the old and familiar, let us remember, New Days, New Ways Not “Pass by” but stay, for, Love Stays. God grant us the strength and grace to live these words: and stay. Amen. PRAYER AFTER THE SIGNING OF THE CONTRACT O God of grace and mercy: look upon us with your love. Bless the work we are about to undertake. Bless our architects and contractors: that they may work with skilled hands and under your protection. Bless us as a parish: that we may look with hope and expectation upon what is being created. And broaden our hearts and minds as we prepare to worship and minister in this new space. All this we pray through you Son, the great builder, in the power of the Holy Spirit, who is also perfect love, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 14:19:10 +0000
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