State of the Parish
Mark 1:14-20
January 27, 1991
It’s good that we end our annual meeting in the Church. This annual get-together of the stockholders (too much like Wall Street ) , owners (too corporate) , voting members (too political ), I know – this annual get-together of the ministers is always a good time for breaking bread, listening to the word, and singing hymns; a time of celebration.
This celebration gives me an opportunity to express my gratitude to all of you for allowing me to minister in this community. Saint Philip’s is an extraordinary, diverse, and remarkable place . People come here from all over the country. we have a national reputation for excellence in programs and music, and for the beauty of our architecture, all of which makes it a privilege and a blessing to be a part of this institution. You challenge me to live up to, and into, my profession as a Christian minister and as a human being.
I thank you for that.
I am also convinced that being a part of Saint Philip’s is a blessing for all of you. I recently read that tests have shown there is less depression and disease, and lower mortality for churchgoers than for non-churchgoers. I have an idea! We ought to take out a full page ad in one of our : Local papers: ” Lower your chances of cardiovascular disease, pulmonary emphysema, cirrhosis of the liver; become a member of Saint Philips! ” Who knows? This may be a new way of evangelism.
But seriously, at a time of celebration like this, we ought to begin thinking of reasons to give thanks. Why are we part of this community? And what does it do for us?
I would like to suggest that, first and foremost, being a part of this church community makes you a minister. To be a part of Saint Philip’s is to be given a ministry. You are one of the called-out ones.
Someone came up to me a while back and remarked how difficult a job it must be, ministering to 1,400 families. “That is not the difficult part of my job,” I said, The really tough part of the job is convincing all the other people that they are called out to minister. It’s primarily to coach, to encourage, to manage, to empower ministry in other people. ”
On Super Bowl Sunday, the analogy seems very appropriate. If Marv Levy or Bill Parcells, the coaches for the Bills and the Giants, thought they ought to play on the field, we would think it’s bad football. Coaches should coach, and players should play. And so it is with the Church. The clergy should coach; you are the players. Our task is to assist you in your ministry; it’s not the other way around. You’re not here to help us with our ministry.
But let me come back to the purpose of this address, the state of the Parish,
And I want to report to you that we’ve made some major strides as a community in our shared ministry this year more and more people are leaving the stands and coming into the field of play
. Let me single out three areas. These certainly are not the only ones but in their own way these activities have made a terrific impact in our ministry
the first is the meta church leaders with their cell groups there are, so far, eight groups or small Apostolic communities of caring ministering people with six more ready to go by the end of the year we should have about 25 groups going with about 260 people involved. These are communities of ministers who are learning to love, to share, to be disciples, to be Apostolic communities. And I want you to know about them, just pick up the New Testament the acts of the apostle it describes them well.
The second area is in the past oral services. This includes the eucharistic ministers, the Stephen ministers, the telephone group, the post hospital group, and many other groups within this broad area. If we are learning to take care of ourselves, to minister to each other and that’s what it’s all about. A very clear message is being spread the message of caring.
To be a member of Saint Phillips is to be cared for and be a caregiver, to serve and to be served, to minister and be ministered to.
The third area was the loaves and fishes, our newspaper Very lifeblood of our communication. Have you ever speculated what might have happened to the early church that Paul and a few others not been such good communicators and newspaper piercings. One of the things that mixed the early church together in ministry is Paul’s newsletter and we’re still reading from them. The loaves and fishes staff has been doing a remarkable job and I thank them for it they are also becoming a cell group
let me insert a fourth area which is really future business. I mentioned it at the meeting. This is the mission in the northwest. All the parishes have agreed to call out three families to be missionaries for one year to form a community in the northwest. I am hoping and praying that each one of you will ask himself or herself is that what God wants me to do for the next year? Can he be that fissure of men and women in the northwest?
So much for the good news common now for the less pleasant parts if you were at the meeting you would have heard it. We have some serious financial problems. They are going to necessitate major cuts in personnel and possibly in programs. I think it was JP Morgan the millionaire who once said to a friend money young man is good for the nerves. Well it is and lack of money makes me very nervous. I don’t want to derail any of our ministries but that’s what we’re facing. The other day, when I was looking at the pledge figures and numbers, I became really nervous and depressed. I went into Paul’s office and shared my feelings. First, he listened and then he reminded me that this year might be very special. Any problem could be a mirror so that this community can begin to see itself and see what its priorities truly are. And maybe his right there isn’t a great obstacle, oftentimes a brilliant opportunity disguised. Possibly this is an opportunity to see ourselves as we are. Possibly, this is an opportunity to move ahead in mutual ministry. Possibly, this is an opportunity to move out and not keep the same old ways of doing things
Now listen again to our gospel. Jesus passes by Andrew and Simon and later the two Zebedee boys and he says 2 words. Follow me. Follow me into the ministry. These words are heard because they knew the old ways were not working and there was a need for change period to be sure there was financial risk but they received their destiny in the following to be sure they gave up a comfortable life that in their place they found integrity in the following to be sure they lost their security, but in his place they found ministry in the following. Jesus walked by and said follow me and the choice was to be part of a community dedicated to discipleship or to stay with the same old ways. The choice was to be numbered among the chosen or to stay quietly indoors safe and secure they chose to be disciples
Jesus came by and said follow me and I’m convinced that what he’s saying today is follow me into ministry, where you are chosen to be my arms, my legs, my heart, and my people. We have a lot to be thankful for but especially may we be grateful that he has chosen us to the ministers, to hear this challenge, to follow
Amen