Sermon 11-20-2011

Deuteronomy 26:1-11                                                                          John 17:21

“A Time to Celebrate Who We Are!”

PRAYER

        As we prepare ourselves to give thanks to God for all that we have, I also

believe that we need to celebrate Who We Are.

        We need to celebrate that we are a people of faith.

        We believe in triune God: (As Father or Mother), our Creator). (God as Son), the resurrected Christ, the sole head of the church, and the Holy Spirit, who guides and brings about the creative and redemptive work of God in the world.

          We believe that each person is unique and valuable. It is the will of God that every person belong to a family of faith where they have a strong sense of being valued and loved. (That place of belonging is in the local church).

          We believe that each person is on a spiritual journey and that each of us is at a different stage of that journey. (We need to celebrate our differences, it’s in our differences that we find unity).

          We believe that the persistent search for God produces an authentic relationship with God, engendering love, strengthening faith, dissolving guilt, and giving life purpose and direction.

          We believe that all of the baptized 'belong body and soul to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.' No matter who – no matter what – no matter where we are on life's journey – notwithstanding race, gender, sexual orientation, class or creed – we all belong to God and to one worldwide community of faith. All persons baptized – past, present and future – are connected to each other and to God through the sacrament of baptism. We baptize during worship when the community is present because baptism includes the community's promise of 'love, support and care' for the baptized – and we promise that we won't take it back – no matter where your journey leads you.

          We believe that all people of faith are invited to join Christ at Christ's table for the sacrament of Communion. Just as many grains of wheat are gathered to make one loaf of bread and many grapes are gathered to make one cup of wine, we, the many people of God, are made one in the body of Christ, the church. The breaking of bread and the pouring of wine reminds us of the costliness of Christ's sacrifice and the discipleship to which we are all called. In the breaking of bread, we remember and celebrate Christ's presence among us along with a 'cloud of witnesses' – our ancestors, family and friends who have gone before us. It is a great mystery; we claim it by faith.

          We believe that the UCC is called to be a united and uniting church. "That they may all be one." (John 17:21) "In essentials–unity, in nonessentials–diversity, in all things–charity," These UCC mottos survive because they touch core values deep within us. The UCC has no rigid formulation of doctrine or attachment to creeds or structures. Its overarching creed is love. UCC pastors and teachers are known for their commitment to excellence in theological preparation, interpretation of the scripture and justice advocacy. Even so, love and unity in the midst of our diversity are our greatest assets.

          We believe that God calls us to be servants in the service of others and to be good stewards (of our resources and) of the earth's resources. 'To believe is to care; to care is to do.'

          We believe that the UCC is called to be a prophetic church. As in the tradition of the prophets and apostles, God calls the church to speak truth to power, liberate the oppressed, care for the poor and comfort the afflicted.

          We believe in the power of peace, and work for nonviolent solutions to local, national, and international problems.

          We need to celebrate that we are a people of covenant.

Covenant is an integral part of our relationship with God.  “The first covenant

is found in Gen. 6:18. This is the story of Noah, after God has decided to

flood the earth because of its corruption… This was God’s covenantal

promise, never to flood the earth again.” (17) (and the rainbow became the

symbol of that promise).

“The covenant with Abraham becomes the foundational covenant that carries

the story and the history of the people of Israel, with God’s promise of land,

descendants, and God’s own presence.” (18)

In the Old Testament we find “the story of God’s constant faithfulness to the

covenant along with the constant unfaithfulness of the human covenanted

partners.”

“In the New Testament “the new covenant” is the new relationship between

God and the people given through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.”

(23) (Covenant by: Jane Fisler Hoffman, pg.8-23)

In the United Church of Christ we as a local church with the other local churches in our Association and Conference, become the various expressions of the church at large. “Each expression of the church has responsibilities and rights in relation to the others, to that end the whole church will seek God’s will and be faithful to god’s mission. Decisions are made in consultation and collaboration among the various parts of the structure… As members of the body of Christ… in this covenant, the various expressions of the United Church of Christ seek to walk together in all God’s ways.” (Manual on Church, vol. 1, draft 2, UCC. 01-01-05, p.5)                 We need to celebrate that in that Covenantal partnership, we as a local church are autonomous.                                                                                                 “Autonomy is fundamental freedom for, not merely freedom from… It is freedom to listen, evaluate, decide, and act for oneself through the highest exercise of reason and discernment. Viewing autonomy as freedom for growing together in discernment of God’s will and way is a highly responsible way of living out the promises of covenant.” The Associations and the Conference are responsible for the accountability and supervision of the local churches, in their role of nurture and support.” (Ibid, p.10-11,13)                                                  We need to celebrate our roots, we are a Christian church. “By our very name, the United Church of Christ, we are part of the body of Christ and of the universal church, followers and disciples of Jesus.                                                     We are a Reformed Church, our traditions affirm the primacy of the Scriptures, justification by faith, the priesthood of all believers, the principles of Christian freedom, and the two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper.                                                                                                                  We are a Congregational Church, as member of a local church we are in covenant with one another and with God… our covenantal relationships… form a larger structure for the purpose of a more effective work.                                                                    We are an Evangelical Church. We are called to proclaim the gospel – the good news of God’s love revealed in Jesus Christ. Our roots then, are the expressions of our commitment to our UCC denomination.                                         We need to give thanks to God for our gifts.                                          Our individual gifts that God has given to us to use as a church are for the good of the whole. Without our talents, gifts and tithing, our work for God is incomplete, we are called to be faithful people, in covenantal relationship with one another and with the church at large. Why? Because we believe that God in Christ has given us freedom, a freedom of choice that makes us unique, we are made at the image of God, by the love of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, and we are called God’s beloved children. So as Thanksgiving draws near let’s truly celebrate Who We Are! Amen!