Last Sunday's gospel text about
Jesus sending out 70 apostles seemed a good opportunity to mention some of
what we've been reading about "missional" congregations. After
worship, Marcia suggested that I make my sermon available for further
reflection, as some from our Long Range group were away last weekend.
I hope it is helpful to our process!
God's blessings and
peace, Pastor Dave
6th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST - July 4,
2010
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Duluth, MN
Luke 10:1-11,
16-20
Twenty-six years ago, an article appeared in the Duluth
News Tribune entitled, "Church that thought it was dying now quite alive."
It described a parish in the downtown area that was becoming
revitalized. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, it said, finds itself in the
happy condition once described by Mark Twain when he said rumors of his
death were greatly exaggerated. In 1983-4, the article said, Gloria
Dei had seen some inspiring trends: about 50 new and mostly young families
joined the church, a youth worker was added, about 200 were in worship each
Sunday, men's and women's ministries were seeing good attendance, and even
house-to-house outreach had strengthened the church's image in the
neighborhood. "People are getting the idea that something is happening
here," said the pastor, John Engstrom. "They come and feel that there's life
and love here, and they want to be part of it." The article credited
Pastor Engstrom for the turnaround, and several active members highlighted
his magnetic personality and good sermons. But he had a very important
pastoral response: "All this was here," he said. "All this was here.
This church has a long history of good pastoral leadership and
tremendous people. Perhaps I've just been successful in turning loose some
things that were already here."
In today's reading, Jesus turns loose
70 people who are to go ahead of him to every place where he himself
intended to go. Notice that this is not the inner circle of 12 this
time - they were sent earlier - but this is a wider group of followers,
regular people, non-experts. And they go out there "ahead of Jesus"
where he is planning to go - almost like new John the Baptists preparing the
way for the Lord. They will be the first to knock on doors, the first
ice breakers, the first impressions, the first people through which the good
news of God's reign of peace and healing will come. Sometimes churches
operate from a sense of scarcity - if only we had this or that, then we
could really thrive. But one of the first things we notice about these
apostles is that they travel very lightly - no purse, no bag, no sandals
even. For God would use something even more precious that was already
in them to work his mission - faith, love, hope. This is what people
still hunger for - belonging, purpose, direction that gives new life. This
is why these messengers were welcomed into homes, because, as Kelly Fryer
puts it, "the world needs what we have." These 70 apostles remind us
that God has given us everything we need to carry out his mission here in
this place. Rather than a mentality of scarcity, this is a mentality
of abundance, seeing what is already here, and turning loose your gifts for
God's purposes.
The buzzword in church circles today that describes
some of these insights is missional. It's in the title of a book our
Long-Range Planning team has been reading on missional congregations; it's
been lifted up by Bishop Tom Aitken at our lay leader event and synod
assembly. And the basic idea is that congregations are mission sites,
centers of God's mission. Missional congregations represent God in the
world and by their words and actions are "living demonstrations that God's
reconciling love is available to all." In a missional model, ministry
is shared by all the baptized. Everyone is a minster with gifts to
serve, everyone is a disciple called to grow in faith and learning, and
everyone is a missionary sent out to share God's love and invite others to
come and see.
These are not entirely new ideas, but there has been
more attention on them recently because the landscape for ministry is
changing. Even after just 26 years we can no longer assume people in our
society grew up in a church or know the main stories of the Bible or have
prior experience in a nurturing Christian context. We can't assume
that the way we've always done ministry will continue to reach people where
they are today, in a culture that is often drawn to the spiritual but
suspicious of organized religion and questions its relevance. And you
and I are on the front lines of living that relevance, of showing that
relevance to them - this is a challenge, certainly, but also a calling and
privilege.
So how should we approach this missional call? Is it
simply about seeing what others are doing, going with the flow?
Adopting the latest "techniques"? At its best, I'd say Gloria
Dei has never gone with the flow. It has led by prophetic example,
helping found CHUM and the Gabriel Project, Lakeshore Lutheran Home,
welcoming GLBT folks, lifting up Earthkeeping as a faith issue, cooking
breakfast every 4th Saturday, doing renovations to enhance hospitality w/o
going in debt; making visits to companion churches in 4 countries. All
of these relevant initiatives started through the prayer and discernment of
ordinary people recognizing the resources God already provided among us.
And my hunch is that carving our way forward also calls for such
personal openness about what is possible, and personal investment, that God
is also involving me.
Listen to Stephen Bouman, who directs the
Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission of the ELCA and spoke in
Duluth this spring: "This work begins with three great listenings: listening
to God, through scripture and prayer; to the community, through one-on-ones
both inside the congregation and in the community; and internal listening to
discern where we are being called to mission." It reminds me of Pastor
Carl Larson at one of our newest congregations in the synod, Rejoice
Lutheran in Baxter, who knocked on doors and visited with hundreds of people
in that area as his congregation was forming. His goal was simple - to
listen to people tell their stories about life and the church, and pray for
their needs. This is one of the goals our Long Range Planning team
has, too, listening and building relationships both inside the church and
out in the community. As Steve Bouman says, "There is not a
paint-by-number kit for the parish. Thinking about ministry starts with
listening and the power of one-on-ones." And it involves all of us, not just
pastors or the "inner circle."
We might recognize the names of
several church pillars written in that article 26 years ago who are no
longer with us - Enid & Ivan Nylander, Ebba Berg, Margaret Eide, Irene
Renick, Leona Waananen. But they also spoke of others before them who
also poured their lives into this church and its ministry. And I am
thankful that many who joined Gloria Dei at that time and before and since
continue to carry that same missional mindset. What we seek today is
not simply to follow in their footsteps but to seek what they sought, to
reflect God's kingdom in this time and place.
People of God, the
world needs what we have. Today we're called to live Christ's relevance and
share his transforming power in our lives. These 70 went out to
Samaritan villages, a reminder that this good news is not just for one
nation or people, but for all. They traveled lightly and relied on God
to turn loose what God had already put in and among them. And when
they returned, they learned that when it comes to the church's mission, it's
not about our accomplishments but about God's grace. It's about what
God has done and continues to do in and through his people. May it be
so in our listening, welcoming, and reaching others today.
Amen.
D. Carlson
7.04.10
"Empowered by Christ's love, Gloria Dei reaches out as an inclusive, welcoming church through worship and social action."