Sermon: "A Call to Community"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

Christ Church has arrived at an important moment in your history … the moment in which you celebrate one hundred and twenty five years of service and of worship. I am delighted to join with you in that celebration today. Also, some of you here are candidates for confirmation and reaffirmation. For you, this is a significant moment in other ways, as you - along with the rest of us - remember your baptismal promises from the past and as you look forward to new dimensions on your spiritual pilgrimage in the future. In addition, today all of us find ourselves approaching the end of the current church year. In fact, only one more Sunday remains in the long season of Pentecost. After that comes the first Sunday of Advent, a new year in our church calendar.

Therefore, this Sunday marks a kind of bridge time for us. We celebrate the anniversary of the founding of Christ Church; we participate in the service of confirmation; and we prepare to cross from one church year into the next. And our Bible lessons this Sunday focus our attention on a rather unusual theme - the day of the Lord. Therefore, as we mark this particular time in several significant ways, we also consider the end of all time as we know it. And that biblical subject can present a bleak and frightening image, indeed.

Not long ago I read some comments by Mark Twain. He pointed out that most people are bothered by passages of the Bible that they do not understand. However, he observed that he was different in that regard, for he was bothered by passages that he did understand! The subjects of our readings for the next several weeks - the day of the Lord, the end of time - these subjects involve matters that are difficult to understand. Further, like Mark Twain, I suspect that as we do understand them, they will bother us. Nevertheless, because the theme is so prominent throughout the Bible, we need to try to understand it … and, subsequently, to be bothered by it.

For instance, in our First Reading, Malachi the prophet describes certain signs that indicate the end of time. In writing a word from God, he promises, "See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts"(4:1). Not a very comforting picture, is it? Rather, it is a picture of harsh judgement.

Then, St. Luke records words about this time just prior to "the great and terrible day of the Lord." Luke writes these comments from Jesus: "You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all"(21:16-17a). Thus, we can see damaged and broken relationships as signs of life prior to the Lord's day.

Such judgment and brokenness surely is not unknown to us. In fact, we know well the pain and disappointment of being "betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends" - betrayed, that is, through such judgements as gossip, petty criticism, and other indications of ill-will. We may not often have to defend ourselves in the halls of justice at such times, but the courts of public opinion are quick to convey their own verdicts.

The history of this parish - and of all churches - is written in the wonderful and faithful deeds of the past … and in the disagreements and power struggles that characterize all human communities. We are broken in our efforts to be who God calls us to be. However - and this is most important - we do have a call to become more whole and loving than we are in our brokenness … and we have an example to follow in getting there.

We might consider another familiar text in this regard, as we think of our time … the time prior to the end of time. Jesus said, "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged…Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?"(Matt 7:1,3). Indeed, why do we notice that speck in the other person's eye, without seeing the log in our own?

It seems to me that there is much speck-seeking in today's world … much looking for whatever is wrong or imperfect in other people's lives. And, at the same time, there is an equal amount of denying what is wrong or imperfect in our own.

Having said that, though, about our brokenness, I need to make another point here. It does seem that times of crisis put the specks into perspective. For instance, the racial divides in New York have been less significant since September 11. Also, several nations that usually oppose each other have cooperated in Afghanistan. In the past two months, I have noticed people reaching out to assist one another in unlikely ways. In fact, such crises indicate to us the reality that the things which divide us are less significant that those which unite us. The specks, that is, become less important.

The people of Christ Church - and of our diocese and beyond - have a particular calling at this point in history, it seems to me. And I want to point to this calling, which is related more to the community than to the individual. Like the diverse people who have experienced unity in response to crisis, we are called to join in community. Our calling as Christian people in this church and beyond is to be the Body of Christ - to live together in community, for the sake of Jesus Christ.

More precisely, our call as a community involves several particular aspects of the life we share - to worship, to nurture one another in the faith, and to do good works in the name of Jesus on behalf of others. A community called into existence to follow Christ necessarily demonstrates those features in its common life: to worship, to nurture one another in the faith, and to do good works in the name of Jesus on behalf of others.

In conclusion, as we celebrate Christ Church's anniversary, as we participate in confirmation, and as we approach a new church year, may we make appropriate resolutions as Christian people. May we honor and respect the past, as we give thanks for those who have preceded us on this journey of faith. May we always set our sights on the crucified and risen Christ, especially in times that will be difficult. May we choose the high road through life's attempts to drag us down. And may we have the strength and the will to persevere on the way that our Lord has traveled and on which he calls us to follow. Amen.

Copyright © 2001 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee