Sermon: "Understanding the Covenant"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

[This sermon by Bishop vonRosenberg was delivered using the following notes.]

I am grateful to be with you at Christ Church once again, and I thank you for your welcome of me today. Further, I am grateful for your ministries here at Christ Church - and also beyond this church, as you accomplish the work of our Lord in the world. Indeed, I give thanks that you lead your lives according to the Baptismal Covenant that we have with God.

This is the Baptismal Covenant that we all will have the opportunity to renew in just a few minutes. The Baptismal Covenant states the faith that we share - our faith, that is, in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As a part of that Covenant, we also indicate our intention to lead a Christian life of worship, of repentance, and of service to others, in the name of Jesus Christ.

Amid the church challenges of our day, we may be tempted to divert our attention and energy away from what is basic to our faith. For that reason, as I travel about the diocese this year, I am upholding central aspects of our mission as the Diocese of East Tennessee - that is, mission and ministry that are consistent with the Baptismal Covenant.

In the year to come, therefore, we will emphasize four diocesan ministries in particular. Grace Point Camp and Retreat Center provides a wonderful resource for Christian nurture and spiritual formation for all Episcopalians and for others as well. Lay ministry development focuses the attention of us all on living lives consistent with the call and intention of the Baptismal Covenant. Outreach ministries with the people of Appalachia and with native Americans in South Dakota give us practical ways to respond to Christ's call to love our neighbors. Also, these outreach ministries offer us ways to "seek and serve Christ in all persons", to "strive for justice and peace among all people", and to "respect the dignity of every human being" - affirmations from the Baptismal Covenant.

The last year has been one of trial, of sadness, and of challenge for many Episcopalians - although not for all of us in East Tennessee. However, this year - with a concentration on the ministries I am suggesting - perhaps we can refocus our attention on the call of the Baptismal Covenant. … Also, notice the first letters of those ministries I am emphasizing - Grace Point, lay ministry development, Appalachia, and the Dakotas. You see that I am proposing a "glad" year for us in East Tennessee! On the one hand, I think we all need it. And, on the other hand, this attention will bring our lives in line with our Lord's call, through the Baptismal Covenant.

As I have considered more seriously the Baptismal Covenant in recent weeks, I also have become aware, once again, of how important the theme of covenant is throughout holy scripture. Interestingly, too, the idea of a covenant among Anglican churches worldwide was quite prominent in the Windsor Report of the Lambeth Commission, published several weeks ago. Indeed, as we concentrate more intentionally on the theme of covenant, then we find a means of access to a profound reality and practice of our faith. A covenant is an understanding and an agreement between two parties. Once the two have agreed to their covenant, then certain behavior may be expected as a result. Such is the call implied by the Windsor Report, and understanding such covenants also is crucial in reading the Bible.

I do want to deal with the remarkable covenant in our Gospel reading - the agreement, the understanding between God and His creation that was wonderfully fulfilled in the birth of the Christ child. However, before that consideration, perhaps we can mention another example - in this case, a misunderstanding that can tend to undermine a covenant.

Apparently, when I introduced the Rev. Peter Keese to you some two and a half years ago, some of what I intended to say was not clear. Therefore, our understanding - our covenant - was not at all complete. In my introduction, I indicated that Father Keese had been assigned by another bishop in another diocese to a church that the bishop expected to close at some future time. For some folks at Christ Church, that part of the introduction indicated a certain understanding - a covenant - between the bishop and this congregation. That is, some understood me to be saying that I would send Father Keese but that I expected the church to close eventually.

Actually, that is exactly the opposite understanding that I intended to convey. The rest of the story about Father Keese and that other church was that he did indeed go to that place where the bishop had very low expectations - but the church flourished! In fact, I believe that church now is a healthy and much larger group of folks. You see, my understanding of our covenant includes quite high hopes for Christ Church, Rugby, rather than the opposite.

You might also be interested to know that I myself was sent to a small church by a different bishop in another diocese. He admitted to me a couple of years later that he expected to close that church, for they had not even had services for more than two years prior to my arrival. However, he only shared his expectation with me after the church had revitalized itself wonderfully and was featured on the front page of our state newspaper!

Therefore, you see, my understanding regarding Christ Church is that you will continue to thrive and that growth and health are reasonable expectations. My covenant with you is that I will be as supportive as seems appropriate and helpful, and that you will use your gifts and talents to grow toward what God calls you to be…Perhaps this will serve to clarify my understanding of the covenant that we share.

Now, let's turn briefly to the fulfillment of the Christian covenant described in our Gospel - the birth of Jesus. Remember that the people had lived in expectation that a Messiah from God would come. They believed the scriptures like the one we read from Isaiah this morning. "The Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel." The people held this promise dearly, as their part in the covenant with God. And God Himself was faithful as He did send the sign … the sign of Immanuel, of "God with us." Therefore, Jesus personifies the faithfulness of both parties to the covenant - the people who awaited the Messiah to come and God who sent His only Son.

Thus, in conclusion, I commend to you this morning the theme of covenant. That theme provides us with a significant viewpoint in our reading and study of holy scripture. And, in particular, the Baptismal Covenant identifies our understanding and agreement with God as individual Christians, as a church community, and as a diocese. We are all blessed by our covenant with God. May we also be blessings to God as we live into our covenant with Him! Amen.

Copyright © 2004 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee