Episodes
Sunday Jun 30, 2019
Spirit and Fire
Sunday Jun 30, 2019
Sunday Jun 30, 2019
Spirit and Fire
A sermon preached by Rev. Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli at Foundry UMC June 30, 2019, the third Sunday after Pentecost. “Confronted by Call, Gifted for Service” series.
- Scott Peck once wrote, “When I am with a group of human beings committed to hanging in there through both the agony and the joy of community, I have a dim sense that I am participating in a phenomenon for which there is only one word...‘glory.’” I deeply resonate with this because building, nurturing, and mending community is at the heart of my call to ministry. What I love and long for is a local faith community—a congregation—whose words and acts match, a congregation that has integrity, that is loving and just, that is alive and motivated, that is full of laughter and music and children, that is generous and humble and powerful, that reflects the beautiful diversity of God’s human family, with all members showing up and doing their part to strengthen the Body of Christ. And what I know is that for this to be even a remote possibility, people have to make a commitment to “hang in there” through a lot. There is great joy in communities of faith to be sure—the joy of friendship, encouragement, insight, working together toward a shared goal, assurance, meaning, inspiration, purpose, and more. But there is also “agony.” People leave for new jobs or opportunities, beloved members suffer and die, conflict and disagreement cause distress and pain, the way forward isn’t always clear and rarely without struggle. As with any human body, there are times when the body is relatively healthy and times of acute distress. But always, the body has to figure out how to respond to new realities.
Human community is a living organism; and living organisms adapt to changes in their environment so that they continue to grow and thrive. Those unable to adapt, risk extinction. The phrase “adaptive change” has been in wide circulation for years. It points to the interconnected nature of human community and the need for every member to engage constructively and be open to new ways of both thinking and acting if healthy change is to happen. The thing is, change happens one way or another—but healthy change is only possible if folks are willing to not just “hang in there” but intentionally bring their particular gifts and skills along with gracious and patient open minds, hearts, and hands to the table. Making healthy adaptive change happen takes practice.
In our United Methodist system, we have built-in opportunities to practice—in the form of the appointment system, that system through which clergy are annually assigned to serve local congregations. It was five years ago tomorrow that I began my appointment here at Foundry. What had already been years of change and transition in the congregation through my colleague Dean Snyder’s tenure has continued in a big way as day by day, month by month, and year by year, we build on healthy foundations, address problems, adapt to new realities, and faithfully engage the significant questions and crises of our time. It is never boring around Foundry!
This year Foundry receives a new Associate Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Kelly Grimes, who will serve as our Director of Hospitality and Congregational Care. Pastor Kelly is excited to join our community in this role and brings gifts and graces that will bless us! And, as with any new leader, Pastor Kelly will bring change and newness and her own particular sense of call and personality to our shared ministry. Our work is to receive and welcome Pastor Kelly and to support her as she navigates the complexities and wonder that is life at Foundry Church! Together, we are called to adapt to this change in our environment in ways that strengthen our life and mission. //
The strange story we heard today from 2 Kings is a story of someone stepping into a new role; it’s a story of transition and change. The prophet Elijah served in the time of great upheaval following the division of Israel into the northern and southern kingdoms; his prophetic work is the stuff of legend. Following Elijah’s encounter with God on the mountain, he is instructed to seek out Elisha to be his apprentice (1 Kgs 19:16). These two travel together until the moment we read about today. Some will hear today’s story and get distracted with the impressive special effects—some biblical writers do a lot with divine wind machines and pyrotechnics! I tend to see this story as a very human moment when everyone knows that Elijah is dying and preparing to pass his mantle to his successor, Elisha. A “mantle,” by the way, is a cloak that symbolized the prophet’s authority and power—like a superhero cape or a monk’s outer robe. Elijah’s was a big mantle to fill.
The few verses that are omitted from our lectionary text include the pair journeying by stages from Bethel to Jericho and then to the Jordan. At each stop along the way, two things happen. First, a local “company of prophets”—like a town prophetic guild—tell Elisha what he already knows, that Elijah is going back to God; and Elisha basically says, “I know! Please stop mentioning it!” // I think of all the times I have said to colleagues and parishioners who are leaving that I don’t want to hear about it! Because it is painful to say goodbye to folks, whether the departure is a geographical move or a death. Elisha knew what was coming, but he didn’t want to hear it. His love for Elijah and his grief at his leaving are clear when he tears his clothes as a sign of mourning. This is part of the story we hear today; it’s part of the “agony” of community, part of the change that happens in due course.
Second, at each stop along their journey Elijah says, “Stay here,” and Elisha replies, “I will not leave you.” Some suggest that Elijah’s repeated command was a test of Elisha’s loyalty. That may be. I wonder, too, whether it was an acknowledgement that Elisha has a choice, that “taking on Elijah’s mantle” was a difficult and costly thing to do. Being a prophet in any age is not an easy gig. But evidently the call Elisha felt was clear and he’d been around long enough to know that he was signing up for both joy and agony. So much so that he asks for a “double share of Elijah’s spirit.” This isn’t being greedy or asking for more spirit than Elijah has. It refers to the legal provision that a firstborn son shall receive a double portion of the inheritance. Elisha knows what he needs! In order to receive this difficult gift—a gift granted by God alone—Elisha must keep his eyes firmly fixed on his beloved mentor. He didn’t look away and I imagine got more than he bargained for—as they were walking and talking together, a fiery chariot and horses “separated the two of them” and then Elijah got swooped up by a whirlwind and carried into heaven.
I’m here to tell you that, while there are plenty of educated conjectures, no one knows what the fiery chariot business is all about. But I’m simply going to point out that where there is fire and wind in the same place, Spirit is up to something big, usually new-life-creating big, often setting-folk’s-hearts-on-fire-with-a-new-call big. Think of Pentecost, the day when wind and fire were signs of a new anointing, a setting on fire to share the good news of God’s love and justice.
I doubt it’s an accident that this whole dramatic thing happens at the Jordan river, the place of crossing over from slavery to freedom, from one life to another. And Elisha crosses over there too, as he steps into life without his mentor by his side. He steps into a new role, takes up the mantle left by Elijah and begins to discover how he will hold it. He asks where God is, and God is with him, to make a way through the waters and into the new life on the other side.
We see in this story that adaptive change involves acknowledging our loss and expressing grief; every change involves loss. It involves being clear about our own call and what is required to fulfill that call. It then requires that we pick up the proverbial “mantle” of our call—that we do what we are called to do or be who we are called to be. Finally, it will require trust in the God who is always with us to make a way even when we feel lost or not ready.
As people of God, it is important for each one of us to consider our unique call in the midst of an ever-changing world. What is the mantle you’re being given? What is your role, where are you being asked to be open to something new? There may be changes in your body or your family or your relationship or your workplace that present you with a new role or way of being. There are always changes and new opportunities to practice adaptive change in and through Foundry. In the face of all that is swirling around us in the world, the suffering and conflict and the need for prophetic witness and loving-kindness and acts of tenderness and bold confrontation, what sets you on fire? Where are you called to serve? What are you called to give? We can talk talk talk about being a congregation committed to social justice and covenant community, but that only matters as we do our part, day by day, to keep our eyes focused on the One we follow so that we experience the winds and fire of Spirit who is always calling us to something new—and then do the work of adaptive change: grieve, discern, act, trust.
May our prayer be bold as Elisha in asking for the inheritance of Spirit due a beloved child. In the words of 19th century Episcopalian Priest, Phillips Brooks: “Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger people! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle.”
Change is hard. Community is challenging. Foundry’s call to love God, love each other and change the world isn’t one person’s call, it is upon all of us; and it involves both joy and agony. But for those willing to respond to the call…. Glory awaits on the other side.
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