Sunday morning was so beautiful that I was tempted to offer a great sermon featured in the Disney movie, Pollyanna. Rev. Ford, known for preaching hellfire and brimstone, steps into the pulpit, looks over the congregation, closes his Bible, and says: "It's a beautiful day. Let's go out and enjoy it. And while you're enjoying it, give a thought to who's sending it down to you." (Perhaps he says something slightly different, if my memory is off.) And then he ends the service.
Instead, we gathered in God's name and worshiped as the sun shone through the windows. We celebrated our ongoing commitment to mission in Haiti, including Eastgate's support of a doctor's salary in a clinic in Carrefour, Haiti. And before we gathered at the Lord's Table, we considered the meaning of the Lord's Supper for our Christian identity, particularly as part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Perhaps now I can confess that I found it a bit intimidating, the closer we got to Sunday, to try to sum up our central beliefs about communion. Partially, this is because I very much agree that the nature of a sacrament is it's inexhaustible meaning for our lives -- so anyone who tries to sum the sacrament up is doomed to fail. Partially, though, I just felt unequal to the task for some reason. Still, I think we faithfully considered Paul's teaching about the Lord's Supper and its importance for our lives.
If you missed Sunday's sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with others, you can find an audio recording here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment