FIRST UNITED CHURCH of CHRIST » Council News

What is a Church For?

Andrea Pegram — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 20:01:48 +0000

A Sermon from First United Church of Christ

Northfield, Minnesota September 26, 2010

Clyde Steckel, Guest Preacher.

The Rev. Dr. Clyde J. Steckel is Emeritus Professor of Theology with United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and has also served as Interim Conference Minister of the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ. In the New Year he will again take a turn in servant leadership with the Minnesota UCC during the sabbatical leave of the current Conference Minister, Rev. Karen Smith Sellers. Dr. Steckel’s thinking, scholarship and leadership is widely respected and in 2009 Pilgrim Press published his latest book, “New Ecclesiology and Polity – The United Church of Christ”, available via

www.ucc.org/the-pilgrim-press

Lessons : Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 Luke 16:19-31

“WHAT IS A CHURCH FOR?”

What is a church for? That’s bad grammar, poor style, ending with a preposition. But I put it that way in order to emphasize that word, for. I am asking you today to think with me about what the church is for in two ways: What is the use-value, the functional or utilitarian value of a church, this church? And, secondly, what does the church, this church, advocate? What does it believe? What does it try to accomplish?

You might think the answers are obvious. But maybe not. In the disappearing modern age dominated by Euro-North American culture, everyone knew what the church was for. While many disagreed with or disliked the church, they knew what it was for—ancient and often incredible truths to believe, and a strict moral code to affirm, even if not always to practice.

But that was then. In this new post-modern era, a large number of our cultural companions either have no idea what the church is for, or, if they pay any attention to religion at all, it is with suspicion and fear. We who love the church and have spent our lives in it find all this very difficult to grasp. If we invite a secular friend to our church services, they may say to us afterwards, “Well, that wasn’t bad at all. I had no idea there were churches like this one.” Why so wary and relieved? They may have assumed that the church is for a repressive, moralistic piety and political conservatism. They supposed that the church is against feminism, homosexuality, equality of marriage, sex education, abortion, stem-cell research, evolution, environmental protection, and big government.

It does no good for a denomination like ours, the United Church of Christ, or a local church like ours, to say, in the face of such a grotesque distortion of Christianity, “Hey, we’re not like that! We’re in favor of all those good causes. We’re as liberal and progressive as you are!” It does no good to say to the world, “We’re not like them, in any way, shape, or form!” It does no good to take so much for granted, to think that the world would come streaming into our doors if they only realized how hospitable and progressive we are, if we could only get our message out and if only people would pay attention to it.

Any form of the Christian religion, of the organized or institutional church—(I always find it amusing to think of the United Church of Christ as organized religion; perhaps I know too much about it!)—bit as I was saying, the organized or institutional church has a horrendous credibility problem in this post-modern world. Even deeply spiritual post-moderns shun organized religion because they think they know where it leads—intellectual and spiritual tyranny over mind and soul, political tyranny over society. Historical and contemporary examples abound—the Inquisition, witch hunts, heresy trials, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, or Christian white supremacists.

Therefore in this post-modern world we have to make the case for the church, what the church is good for, and what the church believes and does for the welfare of all. We can take for granted only that many do not know or care what the church is for, or that some think they know, but are profoundly mistaken.

I would put it this way: functionally the church is good for providing a community of love and service, hospitality and diversity, a community that is both local and global, a community grounded in worship rituals that re-enact the narrative of God’s way with us in creation and redemption, a community that is both compassionate and prophetic, and multi-generational community in a society where people typically associate only with their own kind and age.

And in its advocacy, the church is for peace with justice, for compassionate welcome to diverse cultural, racial and sexual orientations, for a just social order, and for courageous resistance to evil in all its forms. But that is not quite enough to say. All these things the church is for, come, finally, from the church’s vocation as communities of people following Jesus Christ. Right here is where a typical liberal or progressive congregation might hesitate. Mine would. You might also. Naming Jesus Christ as the one we follow seems narrow, exclusive, un-welcoming to any who find Jesus puzzling or problematic. Naming Jesus Christ seems to require believing something that is not quite credible to the modern mind. Can’t we just focus on a nice, loving God and leave Jesus in the museum with other religious antiquities? Can’t we just look to the beauty of nature or the awesomeness of the cosmos to see God, and construe Jesus as a nature mystic and wisdom teacher? Liberal churches tried that in modernity, and it worked for many. But we now live in post-modernity. That solution no longer works. We must not only say what the church is for, but why, on what ground. My starting point is Jesus Christ. He the face of God; and the church, the actual church, this church, is the worldly face of Jesus Christ. From this incarnate one, then, I read the creative and redemptive purposes of God in creation and human history.

I’m not asking you this morning to agree with or dispute my proposals on these matters. But I am urging you, as you plan the future mission and ministry for this church while seeking a new minister, that you reflect seriously on this foundational question: On what grounds do we believe in the church, this church, and its mission? You cannot take anything for granted. To say, “We’re the UCC (or Congregationalist) and everyone knows what that means,” is to delude ourselves. To say, “We’re a liberal, progressive church, and everyone knows what that means,” adds a complex layer of confusion. And to say, “We really can’t talk together about foundational questions, because we might disagree,” is to give up being the church altogether.

I conclude with brief reflections on our two scriptural texts. The prophet Jeremiah lived in terrible times: his nation conquered by foreign invaders, the capital city of Jerusalem under siege, the best people exiled in far-away Babylonia, economic and social collapse, violence and death in the streets: no hope; much despair. God speaks to Jeremiah and commands him to buy a piece of property, a parcel on which Jeremiah has a family right of first refusal. No one with an ounce of common sense would buy property at that time. But God tells Jeremiah that “houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.” So Jeremiah weighs out the money. When we enter this ancient biblical narrative we become Jeremiah, the prophet who hears God’s word and follows its foolish instruction. We speak and act with Jeremiah a word of hope, in this life, trusting God that this precious land of ours, so devastated by a damaged economy, by wars, and by political extremism, will still be a place of hope, a place of promise, a place where houses and vineyards will flourish. This is what the church is for: a word and a deed of hopefulness.

Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus takes hope a step further: not just houses and vineyards, but also hope for life prevailing over death. Jesus doubts that people will believe. If they do not believe Moses and the prophets, they will not believe one who “rises from the dead.” But the parable does not stop there. The Jesus narrative steps out beyond his own doubts. As we enter into the Jesus narrative we follow him to death on a cross and new life rising from the tomb. Like those at that first Easter, we too are witnesses to a mystery beyond our human grasp, yet a mysterious promise we trust. That is what the church is for: to teach and act as if life prevails over death.

I wish you the very best as you enter the narrative of your own visioning and planning process in the days ahead. As you refresh your sense of purpose for this church, look to the Jesus narrative and join its movement, counting on its fresh energy for the mission of your church, here in Northfield, and across the world. And keep looking to the one we follow, Jesus Christ, for he will speak a new word to you, in the power of the Spirit. Amen.

Thoughts on Giving to the Church

Andrea Pegram — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:29:54 +0000

Last Sunday in our morning worship Shawn Nuebel offered a heartfelt personal reflection on his sense of giving to the local ministry of First UCC. We thank Shawn for that witness and offer an additional thought piece to our member testimonies as we approach our 10-10-10 Stewardship Sunday.

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I am First UCC member Lynne Severson. My parents taught me about giving to the church when I was in elementary school. When they decided I was old enough to earn an allowance, my father brought 3 envelopes to me. He had written Spending on one, Christmas Fund on another, and Church Offering on the third. We sat down and he explained how I should divide my allowance each week and put a specific amount in each of the envelopes. I kept those envelopes in the top left drawer of my desk and each Saturday I divided my allowance into those 3 envelopes.

Sunday mornings were always busy for our family since my mother was superintendent of the Sunday School and my Dad was head usher and sang in the choir. Every Sunday, before he drove out of the driveway, my Dad would ask my sisters and me if we had brought our church offering. There were no excuses for not having the money! One of my sisters tried going to the store on the block next to the church and using her offering money to buy candy – someone told on her and the rest of us heard a long lecture on the importance of giving to help others and not spending everything on ourselves.

When I was old enough to join the church, I heard those words, “Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior? Do you trust him?” I understood that if I said I was a Christian, that meant I was trying to follow the teachings of Jesus. Through the years I have tried to understand what those teachings are and what they mean for me. I think that those lessons Jesus taught can be reduced to two; love others and give extravagantly.

John and I gave the 3 envelopes to our boys when they were getting an allowance and when they were older we also talked with them about our decision to tithe to the church. I don’t know what they thought or if they were even interested in it – but we decided they needed to know that our family believes in giving to the church first and then to other organizations.

I was listening to MPR and heard an interview with Diana Nyad, the long distance swimmer. Diana is now 60 years old and is going to attempt another swim from Cuba to Florida. When asked why she was training and going to try this long swim again after she had failed in an attempt to do this years ago, she talked about the need to be committed to something. She said that commitment to something or someone gives life meaning. That made me think about the church; it’s easy to practice good stewardship and give to the church when you have made that commitment .

Lynne Severson

Stewardship 2011

Andrea Pegram — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 19:52:16 +0000

Greetings from your Stewardship Committee! Thank you for joining with us in this Stewardship season. Please look for your 2011 pledge materials in your mailbox within the next week.

Pledge materials are also available in the church office, and in the wooden display rack next to the main office door.

You may also pledge online via the “Giving” page on our website.

If you have questions, please contact the church office at 645-7532.

Local Needs

Andrea Pegram — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:36:31 +0000

I am Sarah Entenmann and I have been a member of First UCC for thirteen years. Soon it will be time for me to decide how much I want to give to the local ministry of First UCC. Because UCC’s needs are great this year, due in part to a nasty flood and a broken furnace, I’m thinking about this topic already. And I’m thinking aloud, perhaps to get you to ponder this issue now, too.

Giving to the local ministry of First UCC is optional. It is not a fee for services or a tax required of us. We get to choose each year how much we are able to give and how much we want to give.

No one in our community has remained untouched by the harsh winds battering the U.S. economy. Some of us still are not on our feet. Giving to anything is not as easy as it used to be, and often it feels like we are robbing Peter to pay Paul. But God’s love for us does not rise and fall like the Dow Jones average. It is constant.

One of the ways God’s love is made manifest in my life is through my church family here. An imperfect body made up of human beings, it nourishes and sustains me as I face a troubling world, personal struggles, and occasional loneliness. Even though I may not know you well, I feel a vibrant connection to you because we regularly worship God together and face the world together. This feeling of connectedness prompts me to give to First UCC as generously as I can.

The sanctuary of this room is also something I cherish. It is a meditative space, often filled with thought-provoking ideas and wonderful music. This place can be a safe haven for me, as well as a change of pace from noise and commerce. But we have an old building that’s in need of some serious propping up. I give as generously as I can to the local ministry of First UCC for this reason also.

Thank you for listening to my approach to giving to First UCC this year. As a member of the church council, I ask you to think about what your approach is and plan to give accordingly.

Politics, Religion, and Giving

Andrea Pegram — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:16:37 +0000

I am First UCC member Carol Rutz, and in my work with college students I find that some of them are confused about the political spectrum: what are the characteristics of “right” vs. “left” points of view? One quick (and necessarily incomplete) definition goes like this. Those on the right think of government as a means of protecting individuals and their rights. Therefore, government is responsible for an orderly society that is peaceful and law-abiding, that keeps its citizens from harm through national defense and local police but does not impose on them unduly. For such folks, having a personal choice about how to invest one’s efforts and earnings is more important than responding to compulsory taxes or other means of collecting from the public to finance services beyond those required for public order.

Those on the left agree that society should be orderly and law-abiding. They also believe that citizens should combine their efforts and material wealth to support public services such as schools, roads, hospitals, and programs for the disadvantaged. This group is more willing to pay taxes, reasoning that greater public good for all comes of the services that taxes make possible.

The church, of course, is not a government, but like government, it is a social institution that relies on its members to support its ministries through personal investment of time, talent, and treasure. Unlike a government, the church has no power to tax and little discretion to require anyone to contribute anything. Nevertheless, whatever position a person occupies on the political spectrum, giving to the church out of one’s political beliefs makes sense.

Those on the right can celebrate their choice to support ministries that matter to them and to the community—ministries that promote an orderly and innovative approach to the principles and values the church represents. Those on the left can support programs and outreach that serve collective ends and are increased by generous community investment with the expectation of returns for all. Those who have a middle or independent position on the spectrum can combine the reasons for giving, knowing that their contributions advance the church’s ministries in keeping with broad community values and vision.

Giving, therefore, is a spiritual discipline that is congruent with political leanings. Please give out of your convictions!