The other evening, I attended a Zoom call with our conference leadership on a conversation happening at the denominational level.
Our current General Minister & President, the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, has been calling people from across the United Church of Christ together specifically from positions which do not agree to consider how we continue to be together while following Christ. The uniting slogan currently is “A Tent of Our Own Making.”
In this conversation, they spoke of how we disagree without doing harm. Our Interim Executive Conference Minister, the Rev. Carrie Call, proposed that we have a theological conversation and I noted that although we all name that Christ is the head of the church, I don’t think we all believe the same things about Jesus.
For example, the Christian Nationalists believe that they are fighting for the soul of our nation through greed and having power over others. But there is nowhere in the gospels where Jesus sides with Rome, let alone the religious leaders of his time.
They don’t see Jesus as I do – a compassionate, boundary-breaker who includes rather than excludes, who is not interested in wealth but encourages his followers to rely on the generosity and grace of others.
I have also been thinking about what “cross” we are to take up.
When I look at my life, I was given the “cross” of growing up not knowing my father. I bore the “cross” of living in an abusive home. I am the product of a society that told me to be a teacher and take care of children – that’s women’s work. And then I didn’t.
In our scripture for today, Jesus speaks of his upcoming death and resurrection. And Peter, who SO wants to be a hero, wants to stop the plan. But Jesus calls us to not think of ourselves, but of God. It is not about what would make us more comfortable or wealthy – or powerful – or easy!
God’s plan for us is to live as Jesus did – caring for the most vulnerable – bringing forgiveness to those who feel unforgiven – tending to the poor and those being targeted. Although he makes the Pharisees look foolish, at no time does he encourage his followers to be cruel or hateful towards them. Rather, as the reading from Romans 12:9-17 says, “we are to love.”
These words from the Apostle Paul to the Romans, were in opposition to the way the Empire behaved. This was the way Christians were to act: “Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.” Romans 12:10
I went to see the screening of a movie called “Being Heumann,” which will be aired on Apple TV.
If you have Apple TV, please watch it! Some parts are heartbreaking and heartwarming which is what makes a good movie for me. It is the story of Judy Heumann, a person confined to a wheelchair by her body, regarded as the “mother of the Disability Rights Movement.”
After seeing this movie, I would name her as one of the most inclusive people, who honored every person and listened to every voice and her “cross” made life more challenging, but she was determined to find a way around the problems in her life.
We often look at our lives and time together and can only see the things we can no longer do or what we think is beyond us. ,But God has helped us reach this moment as he did with Judy, so that we “take up” or “carry” the “cross” before us.
A time when we say, the cruelty and hatred must stop. The wars must stop! We need to live in what I would call “A Tent Not of Our Making” but of God. God has called us to this time and place.
What are we willing to do?
May it be so. Amen.
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