Sunday, January 22, 2012 -- Appreciation Visit from WARM

A NEW FAMILY

Matthew 12:46-50

Let me start with a riddle: Most of us have one. Most of us live with one. And all of us were born into one. What is it?

Family--most of us have a family, most of us live with a family and all or us--regardless of our living conditions now--were all born into a family.

Everyone has stories about their family--or to quote an unknown author: Families are like fudge --mostly sweet with a few nuts in between.

We all know that you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family. Or as the South African recipient of the Nobel peace price and Archbishop Desmond Tutu says: You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.

Nearly every day there is some news about the presidential campaign. We hear the candidates talk about family values and many of these candidates refer in that context to their personal faith. As many of you, I am trying to read the New Testament in one year using our reading guide. One chapter a day for 5 days a week. So I was delighted to discover that in this week’s New Testament readings, Jesus talks about his family.

Christmas is not too far ago and we remember, that Mary was his mother and Joseph his father--but not his biological father. We don’t know much else about Jesus’ family. We don’t even know with whom he is living with him under one roof. We don’t know their names, or anything else about them.

Couple of chapters later we read about his family again. Not much, only a few verses. Jesus may have been in his early 30's. But regardless how old you are, the family unit is very important. One cared for each other and one's parents! That's simply the way it was. Family was a core part of life as a covenant-based community. There was simply no other option.

While Jesus was speaking to the crowds of people, Jesus’ mother Mary and his brothers were standing outside. Not sure how long they waited to see Jesus or what their expectations were. But it is understandable that they wanted to be with the one who everyone is talking about. Here there are and somebody says to Jesus: “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak with you.”

What would you anticipate from your famous family member? Maybe he is going to introduce you to the people, have a picture opportunity for all to see and maybe some nice words of thanks to what your family means to you and thanking them for their support? Maybe similar to what the presidential candidates are doing on their road trips?

Well, Jesus’ reaction is a bit different. His response: “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” And pointing to the disciples, he said: “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father on heaven in my brother and sister and mother.”
Wow! What an answer. Shock value? Big time.

Being a mother myself, I don’t know how I would react if my son--regardless of how old he is--would talk to me like that. Not be very pleased--that’s for sure.

Does Jesus have no respect for his mother? Not really, because in John’s gospel, Jesus reacts totally differently to his Mom. When Jesus is crucified, just before he is dying, he performs one of the most important tasks child can do for a mother. He provides for her and widens the circle of love and care. Seeing his mother standing under the cross, Jesus tells his best friend John: “Here is your mother--and here is your son.” The family connection, the love and care continues--even though Jesus will be dead.

Coming back to our story and Jesus’ initial response. I’m honest with you--this story of this week’s New Testament passages is a challenge. A challenge to all of us who enjoy a secure, comfortable and close home life. Many of us do live with a supporting, loving family. We are very blessed and can be very grateful. Please don't ever take your family for granted.

On one of my recent trips to Germany I talked to one of my sister-in-laws, Monika, my brother’s second wife, who I don’t know too well, asked me: “There has been always one thing I wanted to know about you. Why did you leave your home country, my family and--and work more hours and only get 4 Sundays off per year and earn less money than if I would have stayed back in Germany? Why are you not coming back to Germany with your family and enjoy an easier lifestyle?”

Good question. I thought for a moment what to answer--then I said: Well, I found something that I never had before. I found something that I didn’t realize I missed. I found something that is very important to me--and I want to pass this on to my children as well. I found a new family. I found people who I feel connected with, people who are like my family even though my blood relatives are far away.

She had this puzzled look on her face. I gave her examples of what I have experienced, why this church family is so important to me. It is not that I feel I gain special privileges or that people are serving me right, left and center. But it is the family feeling--and not being served. In my past I experienced that things were taken care off--that was very nice and I’m not complaining that I didn’t have to do the dishes. But here, where we more like a family, everyone pitches in. We all take turns. In my old church we had staff taking care of the kitchen, taking care of cleaning up after us, taking care of stuff--whatever it was. The staff just did it. All what we needed to do was to show up. It was nice to be served and not to worry about a single thing.

But here, every single Sunday, we have at least a dozen of people working behind the scene who make sure our Sunday’s morning schedule go smoothly. That number does not include more than 50 volunteers who are responsible teaching Sunday School or leading Children’s worship. That number does not include our 120 members elected to volunteer on Boards or Committees. That number does not include those who heat the building and make coffee long before the first service start and many who stay after to count the money we collect and also make sure other members have had coffee hour and all the dishes are put away and the floor is vacuumed.

Monika looked at me with a more puzzled expression on her face: Let me get this straight. You actually pay for doing the dishes? Hey, come to my house and I have some cleaning to do as well.

I tried to explain it to her in a different way: “I have experienced the power of this church family in many ways. When people are having surgery, it is their friends from church who stay with the partner waiting for the results. People from church who bring meals and visit. People from church who help with the practical stuff--like mowing the lawn or providing transportation to doctor visits. People from church who help out --and not only to those who sit together in the sanctuary, but outside these walls as well.

And why? Because we are all part of this family that we call our church. But we don’t only serve ourselves, but nearly every day of the week, our members serve those in our community.
There’s Faith Mission on Monday (it’s not only serving the meal, but also preparing a healthy meal for more than 50 people), on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mentors donate their time elementary students at Cassady Elementary School in Columbus. For many of these children the tutors who come during lunch and the coaches who spend time with the kids before and after school are the only reliable and supportive adult in their lives. Or our youth groups include serving projects as important part of their activities as well--from early age on--even nursery age--we teach to use our God given gifts to serve others. There are the many Mission Projects and Mission Trips. People support mission projects locally, nationally and globally. We have 2 grocery carts you fill with goods donated to WARM, different causes in Columbus and Ohio, nationally and of course our support oversees especially the water projects in Sierra Leone. Every year youth and adults spend a whole week of their vacation on Mission Trips repairing homes of people they don’t even know. And the local mission trips--people working on hot summer weekends transforming homes here in the Columbus area. We also have Church Camps and Vacation Bible Adventure with more than 60 volunteers and all those who help in between.
Monika tried to look interested and just said. “Hmm, that’s interesting. But why do these people in your church do all that?”

Because we are all related--not by personal blood relations, but by something that is much stronger. In a culture where family was everything. Jesus says--no, it's not everything. Blood ties are not the ultimate ties that God measures. But the ties of faith connects us and binds us together. These are the deepest relationship. Eternally deep. You have been heard: Blood is thicker than water. I’d like to say: The water we are connected with, the water of our baptisms, is thicker than any other water. Because we all belong to Jesus who commands us to go out and serve the poor, feed the hungry and clothe the naked. By doing that, by being the church for others, we actually gain much more than what we give. Monika, try it out and experience it for yourself. Come visit and join us.

Not sure if Monika takes me up on the offer, but this offer is for all of us--let’s try to live as the family of Christ sharing the ever-widening circle of Christ’s love.
Amen.

Rev. Dr. Sigrid Rother
Westerville Community United Church of Christ
January 22, 2012
Appreciation Visit from WARM

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Posted on Sun, January 22, 2012 by Mary-Anne Demme