Homily – State of the Church – 1/28/18
“Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.” So beings Psalm 111, our lesson for today. I find this perfectly appropriate for this mornings sermon which is, essentially, my state of the church address. For today is the day that we look back on the past year, and look forward with hope to the coming year. Later this morning you will hear from our Senior Warden and read reports from the vestry and our many ministries. You will hear of significant progress in our physical plant; parking lot improvements, paint and carpets and great strides in landscaping. You will hear of our wonderful church school, our youth, and their joyful expressions of God’s love. You will hear about fellowship and outreach and many, many things that have made this a wonderful year.
Since I don’t want to steal any of their thunder, I will leave those reports to the folks who did all of that wonderful stuff. I will focus my reflections then on how we have accomplished our mission. Remember that in the great commission we are called by Jesus Christ to makes 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 Jesus commanded us. This is our call and our mission, but it is a bit wordy isn’t it? I tend to be a simple kind of guy, so I like to reduce things down to easy to remember phrases. So, for me, the great commission can be boiled down to this; we are called to create and equip disciples. Create and equip disciples. It is as simple, yet difficult as that.
So, how did we do with that in 2017? Well, we baptized 4 people last year, which is a very good start. But in addition to that, we welcomed a far larger number of new people; seekers who came to our door in search of a church home and a deeper relationship with God. One thing I hear from new folks on a regular basis is how welcoming Epiphany is to newcomers. There seems to be something in the DNA of this church that make the stranger become a friend almost immediately. I felt it the first time I came here, and it still strikes others as a blessing. That is precisely what it is, God showing his blessing by using us to welcome others in his name. I pray that we hold onto that as it helps us to claim the first part of our mission, to create disciples.
Equipping disciples sound a bit more daunting, doesn’t it? We may sometimes feel that we aren’t even fully equipped ourselves, so how are we supposed to help equip others? We needn’t be worried, for this is not as hard as you may think. The vestry has been discussing a paradigm this year; looking at the church as base camp.
How many of you have ever climbed a mountain? Now I am not talking about Lone Mountain which is a 45-minute hike to the top. I am talking about a serious mountain, something with significant elevation. This is not something that you just do. It takes preparation. You need to get in shape physically, you need to get climbing equipment and learn to use it. You need to learn from others who have already climbed mountains. You need to study the trails and determine the best approach. Only once you have done all of this are you ready to attempt your first mountain climb.
After you have a great deal of climbing experience you can finally set your sights on the ultimate feat; Mount Everest. But Everest is no ordinary mountain. Even for the most experienced climbers it is the most daunting of climbs. You have to prepare yourself and you need the help of others. Once you have done all of this preparation you begin your trek to your destination; base camp. You see, you cannot summit Everest all at once. The air is too thin and the altitude is too high. You first need to climb to base camp where you can rest and prepare yourself for the journey ahead. Base camp is provisioned with everything you will need for your assent; food, water, oxygen, and most importantly, experienced guides who can lead you and offer encouragement for your journey. Only those who have spent time at the base camp and availed themselves of the resources it offers can succeed in the quest for Everest.
By now you are figuring out why we compare the church to base camp. Base camp is not the destination for climbers, it is merely a place to equip and support them in their quest. The Church is not the destination for disciples, it is merely a place to equip and support them in their quest. Our job as the church is to be the base camp for disciples; to offer a place of refreshment and preparation for each disciple’s mission and ministry.
This past year we have done well at being base camp. We held education and formation programs to help disciples get to know one another and get to know God. We held workshops on gift discernment, spirituality and grace to assist people in knowing their unique gifts. We shared our gifts by hosting guests through Family Promise, gave of our resources to Epicenter, communities in schools and Gabriel’s gift, and gave our time working with the Just One Project. We prayed with and for people in need, people hurting, people in need of God’s healing touch. We came together to discuss the challenges we face in the Las Vegas valley as part of Nevadans for the common good. Most importantly, we celebrated Holy Eucharist together 8,000 times, communing with God and with one another. We truly are living into our call to create and equip disciples.
In the coming year, we still have work to do. Building and maintain the base camp takes work. Everything that a climber needs is in base camp, but it all has to be carried to the camp and that requires a great deal of labor. Our base camp requires work as well, and it is work that we all share. Just as church is not something done to you but by you, base camp is both for you and made by you.
As we move into the coming year, May God continue to shower us with blessings and may we be a beacon of hope to the disciples as we equip and encourage them for their journey.