Second Sunday after Advent

December 07, 2008

the Rev. Ken Kroohs

(Isaiah 40:1-11; Ps. 85:1-2 8-13; 2^nd Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8)

Annual Report - courage is the issue

St. Christopher’s, High Point, NC

MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH ... AND THE MEDITATIONS OF ALL OUR HEARTS ... BE ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU --- OUR STRENGTH AND OUR REDEEMER AMEN

Today we hold our Annual Meeting. Or as I like to think of it, our annual family gathering. And in reality it is a bit of both — part business meeting and part “catching up time with each other and with the church community.”

The primary business and only congregational decision in the Episcopal Church, is the election of Vestry members for next year. Extremely important obviously but so are the various reports that are made. Together, the election and the reports, help set a direction, an atmosphere for the next year. Ultimately the Vestry makes the various decisions but the annual meeting helps set a tone which affects those decisions.

I decided this year to do a major part of my report during this sermon time. I made that decision for two reasons. First it gives you some time to reflect on what I say – whether you end of agreeing or not, the consideration and reflection are my intention. My second reasons is that, unfortunately, the attendance at the Annual Meeting typically is less than 100%! So by using this time I catch a few more people.

This is an important time in the life of this church. I am not sure when is NOT an important time but this stretch just feels especially important.

We held the series of five meetings to discuss the question: “Are we moving in the directions God wants?” And that should always be the central: Are we as a church doing the things God would want us to do with the resources God has placed at our care? With clarifications and suggestions the overwhelming reaction was “Yes, we are moving in the directions God intends.”

Let’s start with the point of resources .... the resources God has placed in our care. I suspect there is a lot of resistance to that thought. I resist it! Emotionally I do not like to say that all that I have and all that I am is actually God’s. I would rather consider this some form of partnership with us having a major stake in the process. And in a sense we do have a major stake. We can decide to do what God wants, or not. Like Adam and Eve we can decide to follow God’s instructions or succumb to temptation.

Guess which one I believe is best? .... Not easiest, not even easy. But best.

So the question, the very difficult and open to discussion question is: What is God’s will? Honest, sincere, faithful, prayerful people will disagree. No question. So what I am about to say is one person’s discernment — understanding of God’s will and nothing more.

I believe we are at a very important point in our life together as St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church because we can make some very important decisions today, and over the next few weeks and months. God has given us wonderful resources. And I firmly believe God has given them to us. Most important is the people resources you see around you. For any community the resource of people is of primary importance.

I invite us to consider that ... the resource of people. NOT the people around us but ourselves. How are each of us a resource God has given to this community, and how are we allowing that resource to be used? ..... Maybe more critically, how are we avoiding being used as a resource? Just not making ourselves known? Not making our gifts and talents known? Managing to duck away when the sign-up sheet is posted? .... How are we avoiding being used as a resource ... used by God?

Ouch.

We also have wonderful resources .... given by God ... in the activities and programs already underway. Most churches, and especially churches our size, find it difficult to accomplish one good music program for worship. We have two excellent worship music programs! Very different in style but both a quality worship offering.

We also have the amazing situation of two complete Christian Formation programs!! Most churches, and again especially churches our size find it difficult to offer much for the children whereas we have two programs ... one after the 9 am and one during the 5 pm services.

Clearly Amy deserves a lot of credit! That resource has provided wonderful service to God through this congregation. Obviously she cannot do it alone. The teachers and the assistants who help Amy are what make it possible ...... and if you want to stop hiding as a resource, speaking with Amy is one possible answer! Whether teaching is your strength or something else she can help find you a place!

We have done a fantastic job with our physical facilities!! Through generous financial gifts and generous gifts of time just over the past couple years the parish house renovation, the renovations downstairs, the new playground, the alarm system, new shelving and storage, landscaping done “in-house” to save money, new benches, etc. etc. etc. ..... The “etc” is important because every time I try to come up with a list I miss things! People have stepped up to be resources ... to do service for God through this congregation.

All that said there are churches, usually bigger than us, who can point to many similar accomplishments. But usually, not always but usually their accomplishments stop at the church property line. St. Christopher’s does not stop. I wish today was the intake day for the angel tree. There could be no better symbol than an altar surrounded by presents intended for people we have never met! I confused people by telling them I wanted ALL the gifts around the altar. Not just a few symbolic tokens but ALL of them. I wanted to find it difficult to move around for communion. What better symbol than to have our acceptance of God’s gift to us made a bit more difficult because of our gifts to God’s people? .... These really are “the gifts of God for the people of God”.

But it goes beyond that. The Interfaith Hospitality Program, the Open Door ministry, the cancer cart, the United Thank Offering boxes, a just beginning effort with micro-loans to help very poor begin a business .... again, etc. etc. and for the same reason!

Are we going in the directions God intends? Are we using the resources God gave us in appropriate ways ? I firmly and deeply believe so. I will say again that I believe when my judgement day comes I can say with pride and joy that I was at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in High Point, NC

So let’s turn for a moment to the always difficult and painful discussion of money ... of budget. And if these reflections have inspired you to pledge or give a bit more — great! Let me tell you a strategy and tactic that has worked for me during difficult economic times. I would pledge what I felt I could accomplish, but then give 10% of that amount a month. Under that plan the pledge was paid in October but I would try to continue the pattern through November and December. Usually I found that was possible.

St. Christopher’s budget challenge is we are running a deficit. Actually there have been few years when we did NOT run a deficit so this is not surprising. However it is fairly large. For this year the estimate is about $30,000. For 2009 the final numbers are not in so I cannot give you an estimate but I doubt it will be lower.

We can do that because of a very generous gift given to us a few years ago. I firmly believe the gift came from God through the willingness of George Stewart. There is enough money to continue at this level for at least 10 years, probably many more. (Tell me what the stock market will be next December and December 2010 and I can give you a better estimate!)

Because the money exists should we use it? ........ The real question, I believe, is what would God have us do with it. ... Here is where I will upset some people and some people will disagree with me. ..... And I do not believe we should just willy nilly spend the money !!! I am the one who uses both sides of note paper to avoid buying another pad.

But I also believe that two weeks ago when we heard the parable of the talents, and the man who buried his money rather than using it was strongly criticized ... that was speaking to us.

The question is HOW we should use the money. At the meetings I suggested there were four possible ways to invest the money. One would be to give it all away. Use it to build habitat houses or expand a women’s shelter for example.

Assuming we do not give it all away, we could invest it to grow this church, we could try to stay stable, or we could set a priority to avoid spending the money so the balance grows. Each option has some arguments for it, and against it.

I said I believe this is an important time in the life of this church when important decisions need to be made. I never said they would be easy decisions or even unanimous decisions.

These broad possible futures face our church community and I will use the budget to reflect on those even if the budget is not the only, and maybe not the most important consideration.

We could seek to be stable. In other words, try to continue what we are doing but not try very hard to expand or enrich. We could, using the budget only as a measuring stick, we could in other words work under the assumption that 3-5 years from now the budget deficit and the rest of St. Christopher’s will look about as it does now. ... That’s an option.

Second, we could decide that eliminating the deficit is the most important thing to do. And I know some people hold that opinion. Some faithful people I respect very much hold that opinion.

However I have come to the somewhat uncomfortable understanding that a church is a lot like a retail business. And although I find that somewhat uncomfortable I also find it appropriate. A restaurant may be a good parallel. If the people come into the restaurant and do not find what they want, or it is of low quality .... will they come back? Should they come back?

And if they do not come back, whose fault is it? And if they do not come what happens to the restaurant’s budget? Again, I do not suggest just willy nilly throwing money away.

What I am suggesting is I believe if we try to cut expenses by cutting programs .... menu offerings .. We will lose customers. People want ... and should want .... Christian Education for youth and adults, a strong music program, activities beyond the church property, improvements and enhancements.

I was raised during an era when people went to church at least partially because there was not much else to do. Now there is lots of other options! .... Anyone who wants to talk about this further please let me know. But I want to go on to the third option.

The third option .... and I won’t try to hide that this is where I believe God is calling us. I say again that is one person’s opinion so speak up if you hear God saying something else. I stress again that people I like and respect have other options. My hope is to generate your reflections, and prayers.

The third option is NOT to expand – NOT try to increase our membership to balance the budget. ........ That would be wrong and would be ineffective. People would figure it out very quickly and leave.

Rather the third option is to remember Jesus’ final commandment, what we call the great commission, to reach out to all people and help them know God. The third option is to remember when Jesus spoke about our judgement being decided by how we treat the lonely, the

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spiritually lost, the hungry, the thirsty, the hurting.

The third option is to IF NECESSARY spend the savings carefully and wisely in the service of God.

I fully expect that this third option will result in more people and more money. But that’s not the intention. The intention is to use the resources God has given us in God’s service and for God’s glory.

Maybe the third option will result in God showing us more places to invest these resources. There is a large part of me that hopes not. There is a large part of me that likes having a substantial savings account !

Plus, I know many people are a bit tired. We work hard. There is a part of me which would be perfectly happy being bored on occasion!

Our primary prayer today should be for discernment. .... Well, maybe not. Again, I can only speak for myself but when I am faced with these situations I frequently find that understanding God is not difficult. Having the courage to follow God is very difficult.

Let us pray for courage.

AMEN

We have previous sermons on our website. To read an earlier recent sermon just enter: www.st-christopher.org/sermon.html.

CLICK HERE TO RESPOND: I would enjoy reading your comments about this sermon. Please feel free to discuss content or presentation. (If you wish to use another email system send your comments to: ken@st-christopher.com)