In our old testament lesson today the Prophet Isaiah proclaims that the people who walked in deep darkness have seen a great light. Isaiah, called by God to speak the words of the Lord, devoted his life to proclaiming the good news that the Lord loves, cares for, watches and saves each of his Children.
Paul tells us in the epistle lesson that he understands his call from God in exactly the same way. It is not his job to create a church based on himself or his own teachings. Nor is he called to make mandates. He has heard the good news of Christ and his call is to proclaim that news to all who will listen. Both Paul and Isaiah knew that what they needed in order to follow the call of God were disciples. People who could hear the word of the Lord and speak it truthfully to all of the children of God.
Jesus knew this same thing and so one of the very first things that he does as his ministry begins is call people who will listen and learn to speak. He finds, by the seaside, Simon who was to be called Peter and his brother Andrew. He tells them the story of God's promise to the people. They listen and decide that they can follow and learn to speak the same words. Next they see James and John. Jesus calls them and, together with Andrew and Peter, he tells them the story and James and John decide that they can follow and learn to tell the story too.
The story of the church goes on in much this same way. As Jesus traveled and taught, as he healed and prayed with all those who stopped to listen he kept gathering people, disciples, who could listen and follow and learn to tell the story by words, actions or simply their presence.
As you might have guessed this progression doesn't stop. It stills happens that people hear a story about the promises of God and they decide to follow. As they follow they learn, in many different ways, how to share the story themselves. Even just by being a person that knows God's love as they go about their daily tasks; working, playing, doing chores, meeting neighbors, eating, drinking and above all else living, Jesus' modern day disciples tell the story.
I'm going to tell you all a story now. In many ways it the story of why I am here though I'm not sure I understand exactly why that is true. When I was ten years old my mother and I got up on Sunday morning I want to say that it was in the Spring time and we went to the local Lutheran church. Emmanuel in Cheney, Washington(my first time really attending a worship service). It was a U-shaped church that was originally built in the late forties. all wooden with a lovely courtyard in the center, the sanctuary off to the right and the offices off the the left. We walked in the front door, me in my little dress shoes, my mom wearing makeup and a coral colored sweater and we were greeted by Cliff Greshem. A man at least 20 years older than my mother (ancient to a ten year old). He took one look at me and asked what school I went to, we had five elementary schools in our district. I told him and without even asking my age, he said oh, your teacher must be Mrs. Dourghty! I was mystified and have loved Cliff ever since. He was the first to know where I was headed to college, then that I was getting married, then that I was going to Seminary and finally he helped with my ordination. Cliff took us up the stairs to the narthex (the back of the sanctuary), pointed out some people we might want to sit with and we found a Pew. I was amazed as service started that my mother knew all the words to the songs and most of the prayers. She knew them and they seemed to mean something to her. The only other clear memory that I have of that day is looking back from my pew to a glass cross shaped window above the choir loft. It was made of those clear glass blocks and set into the brick of the building and sparkling in the morning sun.
I remembered that so clearly the first time I stood up to preach in the pulpit of that church, I was nervous but the cross caught my eye, it was beautiful and I really couldn't see anything else for the rest of the sermon. I had a picture of that cross on my wall all through college and seminary and as I worked in Philadelphia and as I was interviewing for a call. It became a symbol for me of a community that prayed for me and of the promise that God was with me.
Now to get us all in the mood to work at the annual meeting as disciples and workers in the church I would like for us to take a minute to tell each other a story. So with someone near you in the pew take a minute to talk about the first time you remember coming to Trinity. Just what you remember, who you saw what happened while you were here, why you came in the first place. What were your first impressions. Like my story it might not seem too significant but it is part of the history of your discipleship. Part of the story for your faith. So take a second to really think about the first time you walked through the doors of this building (or the first time you remember if you were raised here)...and go ahead now, tell a story to your neighbor. You'll have about a minute apiece.
So as I was telling you, the first memory I have of Emmanuel was being lovingly welcomed by Cliff and the last clear memory I have of that morning was the cross. I have no idea how hard Cliff had to work to always be a cheery and loving greeter who knew a little something about everyone who came through the door. I have no idea what kind of debates took place over whether or not there would be a cross window in the choir loft. And I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that from the moment I saw that cross it was easy to be a member of that church. There were certainly ups and downs. But our epistle this morning says that the message of the cross is both foolishness and the power of God. How true this seems when trying to parse out the ways that God works. I'm not sure how that first morning when I was ten years old led to that morning years later as a stood in the pulpit speaking God's words with the cross shining down on me but I know that it had everything to do with the disciples who had been called from that congregation to tell their stories and to listen to mine. May we all be blessed in the work of discipleship that we do as we conduct that business of the church here in this place and as we move outside these walls for the rest of the week. Amen
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