Greg Colwell gave me a book a month ago that he thought I might be interested in reading.  It was called “No Greater Glory.”  The book tells the story of the United States Army Transport Ship Dorchester.  The Dorchester, with its convoy of 6 ships, left St. John’s, Newfoundland early in 1943 bound for the Army Command Base in southern Greenland. 

On the night of February 3, 1943, Dorchester was torpedoed by a German U-Boat.  The damage was severe, boiler power was lost, there was inadequate steam to sound the full 6-whistle signal to abandon ship, and Dorchester sank by the bow in about 20 minutes. Loss of power prevented the crew from sending a radio distress signal, and no rockets or flares were launched to alert the escorts. A severe slant prevented launch of some port side lifeboats, and some lifeboats capsized through overcrowding. Survivors in the water were so stiff from cold they could not even grasp the cargo nets on rescue vessels. The crew of the Escanaba employed a new "retriever" rescue technique whereby swimmers clad in wet suits swam to victims in the water and secured a line to them so they could be hauled onto the ship. By this method, Escanaba saved 133 men (one died later) and Comanche saved 97 men of the 904 aboard Dorchester. (wikipedia.org)

Life jackets offered little protection from hypothermia, which killed most men in the water. Water temperature was 34 °F and air temperature was 36 °F. When additional rescue ships arrived the next day, "hundreds of dead bodies were seen floating on the water, kept up by their life jackets." (wikipedia.org)

It was a sea disaster like no other. 

On board Dorchester were four Army Chaplains.  The book “No Greater Glory” tells the story of these Chaplains.  The author tells the story of each of their lives and the circumstances that led them to join the Army following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. 

What’s interesting about the chaplains is that each one of them was eager and willing to be in combat.  They couldn’t wait to get out there and provide support, encouragement, and prayer for those on the battlefields.  They wanted desperately to be a part of the action.  They felt that reaching their potential at this point in life was about being in the midst of combat; providing spiritual support to those in harm’s way. 

Upon meeting, the four had an instant connection.  Interesting since they each came from different faith backgrounds. 

George Fox was a Methodist minister, Alex Goode was a Rabbi, Clark Poling was a Baptist minister, and John Washington was a Catholic priest. 

Despite their backgrounds and religious affiliations, they all wanted to the same thing – to be in on the action! 

They wondered what God had in mind for them, sending them to Greenland.  That wasn’t exactly the heart of the war.  They couldn’t imagine why, when they were each so willing, Greenland would be a part of the plan for them. 

They had such potential...Such promise.  They had the makings of real American heroes.  Why Greenland? 

Okay, here’s where I want to change the subject for a few minutes and talk to you about our scripture readings. 

Let’s start with Luke…here he is – Jesus, that is – back in his hometown on Nazareth.  Jesus is good about following the practices of Israel.  Jesus is not a rebel!  He lives and works within his tradition.  He attends synagogue regularly, participates as all the male members were allowed to do.  He stands to read the scripture, sits to comment.  He’s definitely not a dissenter here.  (Harper’s Bible Commentary)

So that’s the setting, now let’s look at the passage he reads and his comments.  He reads from Isaiah 61 when he says, “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, Let the oppressed go free, ²to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

And his comment, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 

So, he’s just following the rules and doing what men do in the synagogue!  But what he says, the comment he makes, has a tremendous influence on the future!  This short comment summarizes who he is and what he is doing.  He understands himself having received God’s Spirit and fulfilling the prophecy.  (Harper’s Bible Commentary) 

And what does he say?  He’s setting forth a new policy for the good news.  He’s telling us what it means to follow him.  He’s telling us that we have been released!  We are being set free!  God will help us understand and practice God’s good ways if we just open our minds and our hearts and LISTEN!  (Seasons of the Spirit, Congregational Life Resource)

This is so important for us.  Really, all the time, but for you the people of Central Square Congregational Church at this time and place, it is of the utmost importance to realize what this all means.  It means that you can take all the hurt, anger, frustration, and betrayal of the past and you CAN be released from it!  You are free!  You are free to move into a future understanding your potential! 

Potential - a capacity to develop, to succeed, and to become something. 

A friend of ours – mine and Ken – in the Navy – a Captain (or O-6, for those of you who understand that language) recently told me that he felt he hadn’t been able to reach his potential in life.  When I asked him why, he told me about all the things he hadn’t yet done and probably wouldn’t be able to accomplish in his lifetime.  For him, this translated to “not reaching potential.” 

In my conversation with him, I tried help him understand that we can reach our potential in every moment of the day.  That reaching potential is not about accomplishing great things, but about being great at the things you can accomplish.  I’m not sure he got it…but I’ll be praying for him as he spends the next year in Djibouti, Africa on active duty.  I’m confident, knowing him, that he will reach his potential every day.  I hope he realizes that too! 

And what about

Is it possible for you to do God’s work and share the good news of Jesus Christ right now?  Today?  In this very moment? 

I believe so. 

The Chaplains on board the Dorchester thought that the way to reach their potential was to be on the battlefield, praying in the midst of gunfire, and tending to the spiritual needs of those dying in combat.  Greenland?  Really?  What could God have in mind? 

Those Chaplains never made it to Greenland.  Their 900 passenger transport ship was torpedoed and sunk just 100 yards from the Coast.  In the icy waters out their in the Atlantic Ocean, all but a few of the men on the ship died. 

The four chaplains found in their final moments on this Earth, that they were indeed fully capable of reaching their potential, even on the way to Greenland…

These Chaplain stayed on the ship as she was sinking, helping the men to stay calm and assisting them in finding lifeboats to get into.  There were a handful of survivors who witnessed their great acts of heroism in the midst of chaos and tragedy.  These brave men even gave up their own life vests so that others had a chance at survival.  And in the end, they went down with the ship, continuing to provide encouragement to the men who would survive by linking arms and praying together. 

The Chaplains found that reaching their potential and fulfilling God’s call to them could happen anywhere and under any circumstances.  And indeed, what they needed to do was to achieve great things in meaningful ways, EVEN on a sinking ship of the coast of Greenland. 

Central Square Congregational Church, United Church of Christ – my brothers and sisters in Christ –

Every time I drive to Bridgewater, coming from Abington, down Route 18, I come to a point in the road where there is a blinking yellow light and High Street crosses over 18.  When I get to that point, I can look well ahead of me and see the church steeple, proudly standing above the town, pointing upward.  It is my favorite part of the drive!  I love seeing that steeple in the distance. 

When I think about your future here, my brothers and sisters, I see that steeple, and all that it represents, shining brightly with the glow of God’s love.  To me that steeple represents you, the Body of Christ, and every last ounce of potential within and among you.  It represents your freedom from captivity, your love and devotion, your commitment to all that you believe in.  It represents your understanding of God’s ways, the Good News of Jesus Christ, and it represents your deep and abiding love. 

You can reach your potential, no matter your numbers, your size, your programs…  Your potential is in the way you fulfill God’s call to you to be a loving and united church of Jesus Christ.