So.  I’ve been going to St. Andrew’s ever since I can remember.  I’ve done every Christmas pageant, I’ve acolyted, I’ve been a Eucharistic minister, and I’ve been very involved in the Non-Food Pantry in recent years.  In short, for me, St. Andrew’s is not only a place where I go sit during service once a week.  It’s a community, a place of worship, and a place where I can get involved in our larger Putnam County community.

I’ve always thought that one of the most important aspects of a church is its role as a community, and St. Andrew’s is a perfect example of that.  Everyone in this church is here to support one another, you can tell just from listening to our announcements after the Peace.  There are always invitations to parties, concerts, recitals…I know it always meant so much to me when I saw people from Church at my piano and harp recitals.  It was never surprising to me, I just knew that that’s what you do for someone in your church family.  We’ve had some changes in membership since my own family started going here, but I think our congregation always does an amazing job welcoming new members and visitors, and saying goodbye to those who must leave.  I feel like I have a place here, and that by coming here I can help make a place for everyone.  The members of this church are a part of my family, and that will continue to be true even as I leave for college.

In addition to its community values, St. Andrew’s has affected me to this extent because of its emphasis on service—helping our neighbors.  And we do this directly every month through the Non-Food Pantry.  I started working at this program a few years ago, and it took up a lot of time, sorting supplies and packing up the bags every month, but those few hours when we got to give them away made it all worth it.  The Non-Food Pantry has influenced me so much that I am going to participate in service in college, and I am inspired to continue with service throughout my life.  Helping with this wonderful program has also helped me figure out what it means for me to practice my faith, and that is through love and service to my community.

Finally, St. Andrew’s number one function is as a place of worship.  This church has provided a structure for me, from Sunday school to Kids’ Walkout to regular service, to learn more about Christianity and to grow in my faith.  I honestly believe that this church is a sacred place, where I feel free to worship God, and can feel his presence.  More specifically, I feel good about being a part of St. Andrew’s and the Episcopal Church in general because of its accepting views toward people who some Christians might condemn.  This tolerance and acceptance is extremely important to me, and I would have trouble belonging to a church if it did not express these views as I feel our church does.  I think that, even within St. Andrew’s, everyone has their own individual views of God and their own slightly differentiated beliefs.  But it seems to me that we all try to follow Jesus’s commandment that we read in the Gospel today, we try to love one another as he loved us.  It is this attitude that makes me proud to be a part of a place like St. Andrew’s, and unashamed to call myself a Christian and an Episcopalian.

I hope to carry this attitude, and all of the lessons that I’ve learned while I was here with me as I grow up and explore my own faith.  And I know that, even though I’m leaving, the St. Andrew’s community will continue to have its own special place in my heart.

Thanks.

Each of the readings today reminds us that we are loved by God regardless of whether in our secular life we are the first pick of the first round or one that doesn’t get picked at all. William Sloan Coffin, who was for many years the chaplain at Yale University, said in his book The Courage of Love that “God’s love doesn’t seek value; it creates it. It is not because we have value that we are loved but because we are loved, we have value.”[1]

Take, for example, the Ethiopian eunuch. A eunuch was considered to be of much value to the queen or other women in a royal court because sexuality was no longer an issue- he was no longer a threat in the way another male might be. At the same time, this very same eunuch would not be permitted to worship at the Temple because he was considered blemished- and only the unblemished were permitted entry into the Temple area beyond the very outer gates or courtyard. Held up on the one hand and denigrated for the very same reasons on the other hand. His value in the world came from what he was not. His value before God as interpreted by the people of his time was as nothing because of what he was not. Even so, this man had a desire to understand God and wondered if he had value – if he was worthy of love when the world told him “yes” but only if he gave up what others valued highly.

And along comes Philip, one of the seven chosen by the first apostles to tend to the widows and orphans who were not being cared for because the 12 were too busy elsewhere. This Philip is often called Philip the Evangelist because of his interaction with the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip is visited by an angel and told to go to the south. Philip is apparently not told why he needs to be on this wilderness road- just to go. And he does. And so the Ethiopian and Philip meet up on this wilderness road. Now the Ethiopian is traveling in a chariot and Philip apparently was walking. One man with wealth and position and the other probably with little status in the world. But the angel tells Philip to disregard the outward status of the Ethiopian who, after all, is in charge of the entire treasury for Candace, queen of Ethiopia. Philip is to approach this man who might take offense at being stopped by someone who was walking along- apparently of little account.

But Philip does what the angel says, and the Ethiopian perhaps recognizes someone who can help him – a man caught between the world who has both held up him by giving him charge of the whole treasury and the religious authorities who have declared him unfit to come before God in the temple. A man who on the outside for many likely had everything the world values but on the inside is seeking his place before God. As was common in the ancient world, reading was done aloud and so Philip was able to start the conversation by asking the Ethiopian if he understand what he was reading. Unlike many folks today who are often afraid of saying so, the Ethiopian was honest and said “no, how can I unless someone helps me.” The Ethiopian had integrity in admitting he needed assistance. And he was willing to accept it from someone who might have seemed an unlikely teacher- probably dusty, out of breath from running to meet the chariot and perhaps even dressed a bit shabbily.

As the conversation and travel continue, the two come to some water- and the Ethiopian asks Philip what is to keep him from being baptized. The answer “nothing.” And so Philip baptizes the Ethiopian in the water. No big ceremony. No special clothes. No forms to sign. Just, let’s go into the water and Philip baptizes the Ethiopian. And the Ethiopian is a member of the body of Christ. It doesn’t matter that the world calls him blemished. To God, he is loved. To God he is welcome.

It could have been so different. Philip could have refused to listen to the angel and this wonderful story wouldn’t be in our Scripture. The Ethiopian could have refused to stop or refused to admit that he wanted assistance in understanding Scripture. Philip could have refused to baptize the Ethiopian because the world considered him less than perfect. And we could go on and on about all the ways in which this story could either never have happened or happened differently.

But we do have this reading in Acts which tells us about how the church comes to be and spreads throughout the known world and down the centuries to our time. We do have this reading which reminds us that God loves us regardless of the world’s verdict or even our own assessment about whether we are good enough. We are each human which carries with it our own failings – our own form of being cutting off from God and all that we might be if we fully lived into the gifts and talents with which we have been blessed.

The First letter of John rams this home. “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.” Pretty darn clear.  Whatever holds us back from loving God, from loving our neighbor, serves to separate us from God. The writer of First John continues “if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is perfected in us. … we abide in him and he in us…” When we love only with the eyes and values of the world, we separate ourselves from each other and from God. We do not abide in God and we fail to live up to our potential.

William Self, a Baptist preacher, puts the dilemma this way: “fear cannot generate love, sympathy, tenderness or compassion. We cannot scare people into tolerance or terrify them into kindliness. The fruit of fear ends up being distrust, suspicion and resentment. Against the lovelessness of fear, John sets the fearlessness of love.”[2] Philip and the Ethiopian didn’t let the world’s values- including teachings about who to fear or distrust, who was of value and who was not- stand in the way of God’s love which enabled them to see the Christ in each other.Andrew Luck will be remembered for being the first pick of the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. And Chandler Harnish will be remembered, at least on the web, as “Mr. Irrelevant.”  But I have news for us. In God’s eyes, each one of us is the first pick in the first round. There is no such thing as Mr. Irrelevant. Amen.

Six short verses but what a punch they pack. We memorize these verses and recite them in times of trouble and anxiety and very often at funerals. Why are they comforting? Perhaps because in these few words we have a global understanding of God, our relationship with God and our future.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 The image of God as shepherd is one that appears time and again in the Bible. One of the famous images of Jesus is as shepherd- the one who leaves the 99 sheep to find the one that is lost. You’ve probably seen the painting of Jesus with a lamb being carried over his shoulders. A visible reminder in art that Jesus looks for us – to bring us back home. That we are safe and secure when we are reunited with the rest of the flock.

A shepherd is one who cares for the flock – doesn’t matter if any individual is a teacher’s pet or class clown or just plain difficult. The shepherd cares for each member of the flock. Being cared for by the shepherd means the shepherd will do what is possible to ensure that our needs are met; that in relationship with the shepherd we have no wants. If we are in right relationship with God, even though our physical wants may be lacking, we in fact have what we need to see us through. We can count on the shepherd to be with us regardless of what else is happening in our physical world.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Green pastures and still waters. Grass to eat- better than what some sheep get- the leftover stubble. The image here is of plenty. The shepherd knows the sheep need to be nourished and not only finds food but good food. If you’ve ever tried to drink water from a running faucet or stream, you know that drinking from still water is much, much easier. I’ve heard it said that sheep will not drink if the water is moving too quickly. They need the water to be still in order to be able to drink it. The shepherd knows this and has found a place with abundant and healthy food and drink.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

The image now changes from a shepherd to God. Our faith and trust in God lead to the restoration of our soul. Following God leads us in ways that are right. With faith and trust in God, we become the best that we can be – our soul is full of the love of God and our paths give witness to God work in our lives.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,  I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

The psalmist tells it true – and Jesus confirms it when he tells us that in this world we will have trouble. Life as we know it is not always a bowl of cherries. There will be valleys. There will be the shadow of death. But that is not all there is. We can fear no evil for God is with us. The rod and the staff of the shepherd- used to corral the sheep to keep them safe and to beat away predators are used to keep us safe in God’s love. We can walk through the valley of the shadow of death because God is with us. Not that we walk through –we do not remain in the shadow of death. Yes, death will come to each of us and to those whom we love. But death is not the end.

Mary Stevenson’s poem: “Footsteps in the sand” (1936) captures this poignantly: One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only. This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?” The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

Although we may not always feel God’s presence, and the dark night of the soul is very real, we can rest assured that God is present. God has promised to be with us to the end of the age. Nothing we can do will cause God to turn away from us. We are the ones who turn our back on God. God’s hand always remains outstretched – waiting for us to turn back to God.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:  thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

When we walk through the valley of death – those places and times in our life when we feel most alone, most lonely, most afraid, God is, in fact, present. Indeed, God is walking with us for the promise before us is of rest, a banquet overflowing, and anointing signaling that we are, in fact, the beloved of God and more than we can possibly imagine. This is the promise- the God who loves us, the God who calls us beloved, will care for us in all ways necessary and will provide more than enough.  Our cup will overflow with the goodness of God.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Daysprings cards has a series featuring three cats. Their names are Shirley, Goodness and Mercy. A humorous reminder of this last verse. The promise that God’s goodness and God’s mercy will pursue us all the days of our lives. If we will acknowledge God as shepherd, as Lord and Savior, we will be cradled in God’s loving care.

One challenge to us today is that this psalm does not have us taking action. We are passive. God reaches out to us – God cares for us- but where is our responsibility – our obligation to act? Or are we, in fact, just passive recipients? Do we need to think about Psalm 23 as perhaps a call to action by us?

Craig Barnes is Professor of Leadership and Ministry at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. In an article published in Christian Century in February, 2012, he says that he has learned a lot about being a pastor from the family’s sheepdog, Esau.[2] Being a herding dog, Esau watches what’s going on. If he sees someone straying from the group, Esau will circle and come up beside the errant animal and herd it back into the group. Back into safety. Protected from the wolf or other danger that exists when an animal gets separated from the herd. One of my good friends has a border collie- another herding breed. Misty has more energy than any other animal I’ve ever seen. Constantly alert and watching to make sure that no one gets separated from the others. That everyone is safe. And she’ll tear across the yard if she perceives a threat. She’s in full protection mode.

Sometimes we refer to clergy as “pastors” – same kind of metaphor. The one called by God to minister and to pastor to the flock. Craig Barnes suggests that we- each one of us- lay and ordained – perhaps ought to think of ourselves as sheepdogs. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, not us. After all, we are not the ones who can offer salvation or redemption. That is in God’s hands. But each one of us can be a sheepdog. We can be alert to those in our midst who are hurt- or who are straying from the comfort of the flock. We can offer a way back to community. We can reach out and offer food or drink or other types of support that may be helpful.

Who are the ministers of the church? our catechism asks. The answer: the laity, priests, bishops and deacons. Each of us can be a sheepdog. Each of us can be a companion to one who is hurting or who needs a helping hand. Each of us can make sure that those around us know that they are welcome. The sheepdog doesn’t act alone and for its own sake. The job of the sheepdog is to nudge the one straying back to the shepherd – the true leader of the flock. The sheepdog works with the shepherd. At the shepherd’s commands. The sheepdog knows, I think, that while it has a very specific and very important job to do, the real responsibility of caring for the flock belongs with the shepherd.

Thank goodness we are not called to be Jesus, the Good Shepherd. But we can sure be a good sheepdog.

Craig Barnes noted one additional thing that Esau does that we might do also. Esau, you see, each day as Esau and Craig take their morning walk finds something that excites him. And his tail begins to wag – and maybe he prances just a bit in joy and excitement. Esau has found something to celebrate. Each day is a new beginning. Each day there can be something for us to celebrate- it doesn’t have to be big. Each day we are called to rejoice- to renew our love for each other and this world that God has created. What will you celebrate this day? Amen.

What a beautiful, sunny day!

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But we are a church – we were created to be a shining light to all. We exist to spread the good news of God in Jesus Christ. We live so that others may see Christ in us – and seeing us, may be drawn to say “I want that, too.”What is this mission and vision of God in Jesus Christ and how does St. Andrew’s live it out?

Jesus died on Good Friday. Jesus rose from the dead on Easter evening. Doubting Thomas had been offered the chance to put his hands in the wounds of Jesus. The two men walking to Emmaus had spoken with Jesus. And still, Jesus appears to the disciples and they think he is a ghost. Jesus once again offers each of them the chance to put their hands in his hands and in his side- to feel the wounds. To put some flesh, as it were, on Jesus so that they might believe.

And yet, it takes a piece of broiled fish and eating together to open their eyes and their minds to the truth of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. To understand that each of them were witnesses to the awesome power of God to say “yes” when the world says “no.” There is something special about eating together. The sharing of bread and wine. Life revolves around table fellowship. We sing today about “all who hunger gather gladly; holy manna is our bread… We that once were lost and scattered in communion’s love have stood. .. Taste and see the grace eternal. Taste and see that God is good” (Wonder, Love and Praise, 761: “All who hunger gather gladly”). There is something about eating the bread and wine that symbolize the body and blood of Christ that sets us apart from an ordinary social club. The Collect prays that we remember that Christ made himself known in the breaking of the bread. That breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine opened the eyes of faith – for the disciples then and for us today. In ways that we cannot truly understand, Christ is present in the bread and in the wine.

The Episcopal Church, in typical via media – or middle way- fashion, says that Christ is “truly present” in the Eucharist. The 1979 Book of Common Prayer returns to an earlier practice that holds that the Eucharist is the chief act of Christian worship on the Lord’s Day (Leonel L. Mitchell. Praying Shapes Believing (Harrisburg: Morehouse Publishing, 1985), 128 et seq). Leonel Mitchell, one of the great liturgists of the 20^th century reminds us that the Eucharist is not the action of one person- bishop or priest- but rather is the action of the body of Christ. That Eucharist is the action of all of us gathered together. God is the principal actor- not human beings. Each of us – lay or ordained – has our part to play when we celebrate the presence of Christ among us in the bread and the wine.

No one is left out- young, old, male, female. All are welcome. The Eucharist celebrates the unity of the Body of Christ- regardless of what role we play on any particular Sunday.  The Eucharist recognizes our diversity, including our varying gifts and talents. Each of us comes to the table to partake of the bread and the wine- the real presence of Christ, which both offers us solace when we are sad or lost and strength to face the day and week to come. It is a “both/and.”

In our Eucharistic Prayer, we remind ourselves that this is a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. A sacrifice in the sense of something being made holy – being set apart from the everyday business of our lives. A time to reflect and to refocus on God who gives us strength for our journey while giving us also the peace and knowledge that God can carry our toughest burdens. We call the Eucharist a sacrament. According to our Catechism (BCP, 859), a sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.

The outward and visible sign is the bread and wine. The inward and spiritual grace is that through eating of the bread and wine we are, once again, reunited with God while being prepared to be sent forth into the world to do God’s work. Because we come forward to kneel side-by-side at the rail, we are reminded that none of us is more special than any other person. Each of us is part of the body of Christ with varying gifts and talents to be used to help make God’s realm a reality on this earth and in this place.

One of the wonderful things about St. Andrew’s is the many, many gifts and talents and ways to serve that exist. At our Annual Meeting, we passed out a questionnaire entitled “Imagine.” The questionnaire asked what people valued most about St. Andrew’s. While we did not get as many responses as I had hoped, those we did get were pretty consistent in the replies. Music was one of the assets of St. Andrew’s. Music has had a special place in the hearts and minds of the people of this parish for a long time – and several times this building has hosted wonderful recitals or other musical offerings in addition to the music on a Sunday or at a wedding or a funeral. We had a wonderful jazz trio here on Shrove Tuesday. Open to all in the community, this musical offering livened up the eating of pancakes and sausage as we prepared to enter the season of Lent. In the fall, we hope to offer a celebration marking the 10^th anniversary of the dedication of our organ. It will, like all of our offerings, be open to the public. We hope to get the word out so that others in the Greencastle and Putnam County area might come that day to celebrate with us the wonderful gift of music and musical instruments. Another gift mentioned in several responses to the “Imagine” questionnaire was the Non-Food Pantry. For those who participate in this ministry, it is a wonderful time of fellowship. It offers a response to those in our community who have needs not otherwise met. We have been blessed by the hard work and dedication of the leaders and all who volunteer each month to first solicit donations, to stuff the bags and then to distribute those offerings to persons in need. Remember the Scripture from last week – in the Acts of the Apostles, all sold what they had so that no one in the community had need. In addition, the Non-Food Pantry has been accepted as one way the students from DePauw can earn the service hours necessary to meet university requirements. Students and members and friends of St. Andrew’s work side-by-side to gather donations and then distribute them. We work together as the Body of Christ. The Non-Food Pantry is one way we reach out to those in our community who are in need. Another way is through Concessions. Page Cotton delivered a check in excess of $10,000 last week to us. That represents the very hard work of those of you who staff the Concessions stand through the fall, winter and spring athletic events. Not only does selling Concessions benefit the life and work of St. Andrew’s, it is also a wonderful opportunity for fellowship – and perhaps some sore muscles the next day – or a vow to never eat popcorn again after popping it for hours on end! Concessions are a ministry even if you don’t think of it that way. It is a time for the Body of Christ to gather and to provide a service to the community. The proceeds from Concessions are used, in large part, to fund the outreach and other ministries of St. Andrew’s. Another way St. Andrew’s meets the needs of the community is through our Memorial Garden. This space offers beauty and rest in the midst of the community. Through the hard and the continuing work of members of this parish, we offer to all a place of refreshment for the soul. We offer a place where ashes can be interred and loved ones remembered. We offer a visible sign of the glory of nature.

Jesus gave us two great commandments and one great commission. The two great commandments are fairly familiar to us: Love God and love neighbor as self. If we love our neighbor as ourselves, understanding ourselves to be created by God and loved by God, then the world is a better place. The great commission is found at the end of the book of Matthew in Chapter 28 (v.19-20): Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. The great commission is something we don’t often focus on, especially as Episcopalians. As a faith community, we are notoriously “not good” at evangelism. In fact, that word: evangelism – can strike fear into the hearts of the most devout Episcopalian. Stand on a street corner, holding a Bible and shouting out to those that pass that you have to be saved or you are going to hell. I don’t think so. Not us.

But witness to the love of God for us through Christ and through work done in our music ministry, the Non-Food Pantry, Concessions and our Memorial Garden- yes, that’s evangelism, too. It is when we come together as a community- when we welcome all- to see and hear and learn about God’s redeeming grace. It is when we see a need in our community and we strive to meet that need so that others have what they need to live a life of dignity. We don’t have to use any specific words- actions will do just fine. In fact, I think the words of St. Francis probably fit most Episcopalians just fine: “Speak the Gospel at all times; use words if necessary.” Whatever your role, thanks be to God for fellowship, for vision around the needs of the community, and for your presence at St. Andrew’s. Through these and the many other ministries of this place, our eyes can be opened to our faith and our role as much more than a social club.

How are we different than a social club- or perhaps how do we stay more than a social club? By focusing upon God as the source of all that is and all that can be. By remembering the two great commandments and the great commission. By understanding that we are important in helping to bring the realm of God closer to earth and in our lifetimes. Through our outreach and our witness, those around us see the redeeming work of Christ, who lives and reigns with God and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Look around you in your day-to-day life.

Where is there a need that is not being met by our social clubs? Where is there a call to live life more fully, to live life more deeply in response to the overwhelming love and grace of God? Keep St. Andrew’s alive and well as a beacon to those around us. We do not have to be big- we do not have to compete with the mega-churches. God has work for us to do in this time and this place. We may be small but we can be strong. We are strongest when we do the work that God calls us to do. Find your place in these or other ministries of St. Andrew’s. Never fear: there is a place for you here. There is work to  be done. But it is glorious and life-affirming work that witnesses to the love of God in Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God. Amen.

The “real” Alphege – the man commemorated in our church, was widely respected in his time for his faith in God.[1] He became the Bishop of Winchester and while Bishop caused an organ to be constructed that supposedly could be heard from as far away as a mile. He helped end a raid by the Vikings and converted their leader to Christianity. Then he was elected as the Archbishop of Canterbury, or the head of the church in England. Unfortunately, the Danes raided the part of England where Canterbury is. Alphege was taken prisoner. Ultimately, he was put to death. We remember Alphege as someone who was true to his faith in the face of capture, imprisonment and death. We remember Alphege because he refused to let the people raise a ransom for him – he insisted that the funds the people would have raised as a ransom could be better spent spreading the faith.

Perhaps Alphege was remembering the example of Jesus. Jesus also refused to let his followers interfere with his capture and his death. In fact, Jesus told his followers more than once that he would suffer death at the hands of the occupying forces. In the New Testament, we read about Jesus being a ransom for each of us. Jesus, without sin, would take our sins upon himself in order that we might have life and have life abundantly. In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, verse 45, we are explicitly told that Jesus “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Among other definition of ransom, one is that ransom is redemption from sin and its consequences. And that definition ties back to what we are doing tonight through confirmation, reaffirmation and reception.

The service of confirmation in the Episcopal Church is a time when an adult makes a public affirmation of his or her faith. The person acknowledges the gifts given in baptism. The person now promises, for him- or her-self to be responsible for the promises made at baptism and to accept the responsibilities of believing in Jesus Christ with all that means in our 21^st century world.

The Bishop will lay hands upon each person shortly, visibly reminding each of us here that we are in the long line of persons who believe in Christ that goes back to the very earliest church. We believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic church. Our Bishop is a visible reminder that we draw our faith from Jesus and those earliest disciples who were charged to create God’s church on earth. We believe in one Lord, one faith and one baptism. Your baptism – whether you were baptized in the Episcopal Church or in another- recognizes you as a member of the body of Christ. Whether you were baptized by full immersion in a pool of water, or by pouring of water from a pitcher, or by sprinkling, you were baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. You were also likely marked with the sign of the Christ using chrism – sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own. No one can take away your membership in the body of Christ.

And now the time has come to make a public affirmation of your faith through confirmation. You are promising before this congregation that you are choosing to live a life that witnesses to the love of God for us- for each one of us, fallible human beings that we are. We love God because it is the only thing we can do in response to God’s overwhelming love for us. Jesus tells us that we are of more value than many sparrows – those ubiquitous little birds that seek crumbs from our table when we eat outside. God knows the number of hairs on our head. We matter to God. And because we matter to God, it matters that we acknowledge that love by being baptized and at an appropriate time, being confirmed, received or reaffirming our baptismal vows.

The prayer that the Bishop will say as she lays hands upon you includes a call for you to be strengthened daily by the Holy Spirit. You received the gift of the Holy Spirit in your baptism so this is not something you have been without. But in your enhanced relationship with God and the world, the Holy Spirit will provide even more strength to face the challenges life throws at you. The prayer thus asks that you be strengthened in your relationship with the Holy Spirit “more and more” each day of your life. The Holy Spirit will offer you courage, patience and vision as you move into your new life now that you have publically affirmed your faith. We do not come to this service alone. We come as a community of believers in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. Remember that you never need walk alone. Even at times when you may feel no one understands you – when perhaps you might feel that you have become a green monkey- your true self hidden from others – remember that God knows you. Indeed as was told to the prophet Jeremiah (1:5), God has known you from before your birth. You matter to God.

God expects that we will acknowledge our love for, and our dependence upon, God as the source of all that is. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Luke that we need not be afraid of those who may desire our harm. That we should not be afraid or concerned about what we will say when questioned. The Holy Spirit will be our advocate and our comforter. The good work you have done with Chip in preparation for this evening will stand you in good stead should you be asked about your faith. At the same time, never stop asking questions – never stop learning. God is not afraid of our questions. One of the great strengths of the Episcopal Church is that you are encouraged to bring your questions – of heart and of head- to the church. No leaving your heart or your mind at the door.

Confirmation is a time of transformation. What you were before this service will be changed. The change might not immediately be apparent. It likely will be deep inside of you.  This service is one of outward and visible signs – not the least of which is the laying on of hands by the Bishop – of an inward and spiritual grace. Through this service, the Holy Spirit indwells even more in you and provides you with strength to meet the days ahead.

Hopefully none of us will ever be taken prisoner and threatened with being put to death. Whatever the challenges we will face in our life, we can take comfort in the example of Alphege. Someone whose faith in God gave him comfort in the certainty of death. Someone who no doubt called upon the Holy Spirit to give him words to say to his captors- including “raise no ransom for me but use the funds to spread the Gospel.”

In very metaphorical terms – and I stress, very metaphorical terms- tonight is a night of the green monkey being washed in green liquid and emerging as Prince Alphege. Tonight, with the laying on of hands and in the presence of this community, we come to be known as our true selves- children of God, loved by God, now and forever, Amen.

Accepting that kind of challenge seems to be what happened at the time the Church was newly forming.  In the reading from Acts today, we are told that everyone sold everything. They gave the proceeds to the community, and no one was in need. No one was in need.

Why is it so hard for us to give up our “stuff”? Too often, we have so much stuff that we rent a storage space – and then we never go there to get that stuff out. It just sits there. Month after month after month– costing us money to store what we can’t seem to part with.  But we don’t seem to need it, either. Why is that? Or how many of us have driven down a street and seen an open garage – stuffed to the gills with things. So many things that the cars don’t have enough room to park inside the garage. Why do we keep all these things?

Maybe part of what happened at the time the Church was newly forming is related to a belief that Jesus was going to come again in their own lifetime. If Jesus is coming again tomorrow, then what need do I have for a big house, big cars, fancy trips and dining out?  Maybe what really matters when I believe the Second Coming just might be tomorrow is to focus on how I live my life today. I want to be ready when Jesus comes again. I want to live the life he set before us. To love my neighbor. To make sure that no one is in need.

It wasn’t necessarily easy for the people of the first century to give up their stuff, either. Think about the parable of the rich young ruler.  He had followed all the teachings of the Torah.  But when Jesus asked him to sell what he had in order to follow Jesus, this rich young ruler could not do it. He walked away – sad, yes- but he walked away. Stuff mattered to him more than following Jesus did. He was defined by his stuff – and not by what he believed.

This reading from Acts follows hard on the heels of Easter. What does it mean for us, as Easter people? As 21^st Century Christians?  Is it life “same ole, same ole” – Oh, that’s a nice story but it really doesn’t have anything to do with me.Or is our life transformed as a result of the death and resurrection of Jesus? A transformation that is soul-deep  and not just skin-deep. A transformation that means we witness our faith to the world. The Gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. The Acts of the Apostles tell us how those who lived at that time were transformed by what had happened. They lived into the good news.  And sometimes living into the good news meant – and means- radical change.

The Book of Acts shows us what it means to live into God’s mission in the world. The Church is the instrument of God to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone. But the Church, itself, is not the end of the story. The Church is, rather, the means to a new life, centered in the risen Lord.  It is the means through which we can ensure that no one is in need. It is the means through which we can build a community which witnesses to the incarnation of Jesus Christ – the one who came that we might have life, and have it abundantly.

We do not have to do this alone. Indeed, the Holy Spirit comes precisely because we need support. We need a counselor. We need an advocate.  We need to know that God is still active in our world. What do we really need besides God’s blessing? In Deuteronomy (15:4), we are told that there will be no one in need among us if we follow all that God has asked of us. That we will be blessed by God if we follow God’s commandments.     We are told not to be hard hearted or tight fisted. We are to make sure that those who have a need have that need responded to. As followers of Jesus, we are the agents of change. We are the people called to witness to the good news of Jesus Christ.

We are the people responsible for living a life that evidences what can happen when we trust in God. This does not mean that we will each become wealthy, although it might. This does not mean that we will not become sick, because we might. What it does mean is that we live a life with integrity. We live a life that understands the proper place and value of our “stuff.” We live a life that has its foundation in love of neighbor so that none might be in need. We live a life that knows from whom our true value comes – from belief in Jesus, the only Son of God, our Lord and Savior.

In a few minutes, we will sing “Eternal Father, strong to save” in commemoration of the 100^th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Think for a moment about those on board that fateful night. Those who were saved through getting into the lifeboats and being picked up. And those who didn’t make it into the lifeboats but watched those who did. And those who were locked below- unable to even have a shot at a place in a lifeboat. What were any of them thinking that night as the Titanic broke up and sunk beneath the frigid waters? Were any of them worried about their “stuff” – or were they thinking about their loved ones they would never see again this side of the grave? Was anyone wishing that he or she had forgiven someone else- someone who would now carry that hurt with them for the rest of their life?

I imagine no one thought much about stuff. I imagine, rather, that thoughts were mostly about the ones loved and left behind. Stuff faded into insignificance in the face of losing one’s life. Stuff really didn’t matter much in the face of love and family and community. Whether the person lived or died that night, their life was changed. For those who lived, my hope is that they lived the rest of their life transformed – and understanding what is really important. Friends, family, community. I pray that those who died knew that God loved them – and that they would be reunited with God at the end of that terrible tragedy.

For us, my prayer is that we do not have to go through a Titanic-like event. That we can understand the relative place of our “stuff” and know that the truly important lesson is that God loves us and call us to love God and neighbor. Our Eternal Father is strong to save- and not just those in peril on the sea. Our Eternal Father saves each one of us – each and every day. Amen.

Recently during an interview, background noise interfered with the closed captioning. The interviewee’s dog and cat began barking and meowing and the computer had a hard time distinguishing what was being said by the interviewee and the animals. The text appeared as “how, how, how” and “why, why, why.” The interviewer said: maybe we’re all really either dogs: how, how, how – or cats: why, why, why. Some have said this is the difference between science and faith. Science is concerned with “how” – “how did the earth come to be” while faith is concerned with “why” – “why does God love us and what does it mean for me?”

For those of us gathered together, I suppose that the “why” predominates – at least today.  Is the resurrection true? And if it is true, what does it mean?

The empty tomb. Verified by Mary and Simon Peter and the disciple that Jesus loved. Each one of them saw the empty tomb. The disciple whom Jesus loved saw the empty tomb and believed. But what did he believe for the sentence following says “for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” So what was it that this beloved disciple believed?

And Simon Peter – he saw the linen wrappings and no body but then he promptly returns to his home. So what did those wrappings mean to Peter? And Mary, first at the tomb and the one who stays behind after running to get Simon Peter and the beloved disciple. Why did Mary stay behind? Perhaps she could not bear to leave this place where her Lord had been but was no more. Perhaps she could not leave because she had no place to go. And it is Mary to whom the risen Lord first appears.

Not to Simon Peter- the one upon whom Jesus would build his church. And not to the beloved disciple. They both went back to their homes. It is Mary to whom the risen Lord first appears.

And even so, Mary does not recognize Jesus. Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away.” Mary thinks that the man she sees is a gardener. Someone whose job it is to care for the earth. A garden where perhaps fruits and vegetables are grown to feed the local people. A garden perhaps like ours- where people can come and sit and enjoy new birth as the earth warms from winter and new sprouts suddenly appear. New sprouts that remind all gardeners that after the dark and cold of winter, new life comes forth. A garden- just like the Garden of Eden where God and humankind walked and talked together. But Mary doesn’t recognize this gardener. She is blinded by her grief.

Only when Jesus calls her by name does she recognize Jesus as Jesus and not the gardener. The sheep know their shepherd’s voice. Called by name, Mary turns to the Lord.

The resurrection is what sets Jesus apart. And part of what makes the resurrection important is that Jesus was put to death by the authorities of his time. For proclaiming the Gospel – the good news that the kingdom of God is at hand. The resurrection is, as some have said, God’s “Yes” to the world’s “No.” God’s “yes” overcomes the principalities and the powers of the world.

The resurrection of Jesus reminds us that God is more than we can comprehend. According to Martin Copenhaven, “Realities about which we harbor no doubt are not big enough to reveal God to us. …  Easter is the place of greatest doubt and the place of greatest truth.”[1] God is more than our words can utter. God is the one who can bring life from death. God has the power to transform lives, if only we are willing to give ourselves to God. God has, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, shown us that God has the power to redeem us from a self-centered, self-absorbed, sinful life.

While Jesus died once – and once is all that  is needed, we need to die daily to our sins. Ours is a constant journey to turn ourselves towards God and away from the lures of the world.

Mary’s fear, anxiety and grief kept her from seeing Jesus until Jesus called her by name. Our daily lives are full of fears, anxieties and grief and those things can keep us from seeing the one who calls us by name. But Jesus keeps calling us by name until we turn and face him. And keeps calling us by name until we acknowledge God’s love. God’s love predates our existence.   God’s love is who God is.[2]

When we love someone, there are usually strings attached. We may not always recognize them as strings, but they are there. I’ll love you forever (if you ….) I’ll love you forever (unless you …). Spoken or unspoken, as human beings we attach strings to the one we love. It’s a way of keeping some control. God’s love is without strings- and that’s a really scary thing. Be still and know that I am God (Ps. 46:10). It’s hard for us to be still. Our attention span gets shorter and shorter – 30 second commercials become 15 second commercials. Our phone beeps at us without ceasing. It’s hard to be still.

When we can be still and know that God is, then we know that God’s love is with us from before we are born and will be with us after we die.

… neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). The life, death and resurrection of Jesus show this to be true. There is no time when God does not love us.

As John Holbert said: “Easter is about the absurd announcement that there is no death so dead that God cannot find life in it. Easter is not a magic act. Jesus did not pop out of God’s top hat as the awesome climax of a divine show. Easter is about the sort of God we worship.” [3]

What is truth? Is the resurrection true? And if it is true, what does it mean to me? Each of us must ultimately answer those questions for ourselves. We have witnesses to the event in Mary, Simon Peter and the beloved disciple. We have witnesses to the meaning of the event when we read the Acts of the Apostles and other scripture. Something happened that long ago day. Whether factually correct in each jot and tittle, something happened that changed lives in that time and place. Today, we have witnesses in our own lives – if only we will open our eyes, and ears and heart- to the amazing, transforming power of the love of God.

So whether you are more of a “how, how, how” kind of person, today is a “why, why, why” and “what does it mean” kind of day. “Easter is not about resuscitation of a corpse. It is about the God who has loved us with an everlasting love.”[4] The Lord is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.