A Message from the Rector: Dreaming Forward

I will never forget my first Pentecost Sunday at Saint Michael. As many of you know, I like to have fun at church. I delight in our church and am always up for a good laugh (I am absolutely certain that Jesus had a great sense of humor!). During that first year, as the clergy were planning for the Pentecost celebration, one of the priests jokingly said, “Chris would probably want to have a fire-breather.” I perked up immediately and what was meant as a joke became reality. On that first Pentecost, we indeed had a fire-breather spin flames down the aisle and then blow a huge burst of fire in front of the altar.

This amazing moment captured the imagination of so many. Not only was the incredible image of that fire blast viewed and shared thousands of times online, but those present in the service were shocked by the energy and heat of the flame. That shock was apparent as a collective gasp rippled through the pews.

“Shock and awe” has a particular context in the 21st century, but I want to invite you to consider the profound shock and awe of the Holy Spirit in the 1st century. Put yourself in the position of the first disciples. Imagine the stunning experience of the Spirit on that first Pentecost day:

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2:1-4)

A rushing sound, a violent wind, and tongues of fire is enough to shock anyone, even today. Just like the disciples so many years ago, we should take care not to be complacent to God’s presence among us, especially God’s Spirit inside us. The Pentecost moment changed the world forever and the change didn’t stop there.

We have inherited the great tradition begun thousands of years ago. After the resurrection of Jesus, the Spirit of God transformed from momentary inspiration, as it was before the resurrection, to an ever-present, inspiring guide for each of us in our own discipleship. The Spirit is not some sweet, feel-good being. When we are engaged in our faith, the Spirit of God can shock us and awe us and change us every day.

Being shocked by God is part of the transformative life we choose to live as disciples of Jesus. Each one of us is loved by God and is called to be part of God’s work in the world. This bears repeating: You, no matter what you have done and what you may do, are loved by God completely. You, whether you choose to respond or not, are called by God to take part in the redemption of our world.

The Spirit is present in us to shake us from our complacency. The Spirit surrounds us and compels us out of our comfort zones because the world is not yet representative of God’s perfect love (now that’s an understatement!) We are part of this Saint Michael community because we believe that God is at work in the world, and we have an important part to play.

As we shift into a new normal after the pandemic, we will begin to challenge our assumptions and our habits. Challenging who we are and how we live into our discipleship together is not for the sake of change, but because the world needs us more than ever.

For the first time in our history, we live in a country where fewer than half of all adults belong to a church community. Although Saint Michael has bucked the trend of decline these last five years together, we are not magically immune to the pressures of the world. In fact, I would not be satisfied with simply continuing to buck the trend of decline. Rather, I want us to be part of the solution—part of the renewal of our world.

Yes, our demographics are shifting away from church participation, but there is good news in the data, too: The number of American adults who identify as spiritual remains clearly above 90%. In other words, the underlying problem in our world is not the desire for God, but the way that desire is expressed. This gives a church like ours an amazing opportunity.

We have the opportunity—and thus, the responsibility—to represent the best way to exercise faith in God through Christ. We can resist human distractions and problems that we create and embrace the holy, eternal truths of God for one another. In addition to helping one another, we can begin to prioritize more and more the influence we have on our children, to raise them up in the Christian faith and life, helping them grow into the full stature of Christ. Building God’s kingdom now, in this place, is not just a dream. We can make it reality.

As we move forward together into this new year, celebrating 75 years of incredible work and impact, we will be challenged with many opportunities to remember our past and dream for our future. Celebrating our past helps us imagine how much more we can do in the future, not because we have succeeded, but because we are worthy of joining in God’s work. The Spirit of the Lord is upon us all, shocking and shaking us so that when we are awed at God’s presence, we will be inspired with the courage to continue the redemptive work of Christ.

Chris +