May 2008
 

Give Us This Day, Our Daily Bread…           from the Pastor

The other day while washing dishes, I looked outside our kitchen window to see a brilliantly red, male cardinal feeding a tan-colored female cardinal.  The day before, I had scattered some crackers in our backyard. The male cardinal took a small piece of cracker in his beak and passed it over to the female cardinal’s beak.  At first, I supposed that perhaps the female had simply snatched the cracker from the other bird.  But then the couple did the “pass” again.  And again.  And again.  And again.  Small bits of cracker were smoothly passed from beak to beak, like miniature postcards, until both birds flew into the bushes, their hunger satisfied.

Seeing this, I was reminded of a place that we visited in Nazareth, the town where Jesus grew up.  Close to the Church of the Annunciation, there is another church built over the site of Joseph’s ancient home.  Under that church, there is a small cavern with stone steps that many believe are the remains of Joseph’s carpentry shop.  Now, this church has two names: “St. Joseph’s Church” as well as a much more humble, ordinary, and unassuming name, “Church of the Nutrition.”  It is called “the Nutrition” because, if this was indeed the site of Joseph’s home, then it would be the very same place where Jesus would have been nurtured, taught, and challenged.  This is where the child Jesus would have eaten his breakfast, played with his companions, helped his father and mother, and learned how to mind his manners.  This is where he would have grown up.  This is where he would have received his daily bread.  This is where he would have been fed.

What a wonderful name for a church: “Church of the Nutrition”!  And that got me wondering how we nurture our own children-- here.  Imagine if we—the large, white church on the hill in Southampton— just imagine if we were known as the “First Church of the Nutrition.”  Not the church with the most comfortable pews, the largest parking lot, the nicest facilities, or most picturesque exterior…Imagine if we were known primarily as the place where people of all ages were deeply fed in Christ, where daily bread was passed from hand to hand and heart to heart.  Imagine if our church could be counted on in this community to be the place where the vitamins, minerals, and substance of faith were generously and extravagantly given so that all hearts, minds, and hands could expand to take in the fullness of God’s love, God’s justice, and God’s very Spirit.  Imagine being a church of transformed lives. Imagine being the “First Church of the Nutrition”!

We are blessed in this faith community to have a very vibrant and active church school.  Many churches struggle to attract families—but we enjoy the presence of multiple generations worshiping together in this church home.  Yet with this tremendous blessing comes a special responsibility.  We are called to be a church of nutrition—we are each called to do what we can to feed and to nurture all who come through our doors looking for God’s welcome, God’s promises, and the good news of Jesus Christ. 

In the past, our church has struggled to find enough people within our faith community to teach and spend time with our young people.  The amazing thing is that if everyone were to become involved with our church school in some way, we would not have to struggle so much.  Remember the loaves and fishes?  Perhaps you can make the small sacrifice of giving up three Sundays in a year to teach a class of young people, perhaps you can help out in our nursery, and maybe you can be a teacher’s aide.  Or perhaps you can offer materials or money to support the Church School.  Maybe you are just the person to offer your skills in organizing a Church School fundraiser or mission project, make props for the Church School Christmas pageant, or help with special events.  Maybe you can just show up consistently and faithfully each Sunday and bring your kids and your searching heart to church.  Maybe you can send emails for our Church School or offer a social for parents to get together, or organize a pie table at the fall festival. Maybe you can walk around with a clipboard and help to solicit volunteers during coffee hour on a Sunday.  All of us can take an active interest in our church’s future and our own local mission to teach and to care for the youngest members of our community by faithfully praying for our church school and our community.  All of us can strive to grow in our own faith by being faithful in our own worship, prayers, and study of scripture.  We can all contribute in some way.

Our church school is in need of volunteer leadership to help our church to become a church of nutrition where all souls are fed.  Currently, we are in need of Church School Coordinator(s), an Administrator to help with correspondence and communication, teachers for our thriving Sunday school classes, and the promise of parental support, investment, and participation. Often, as your pastor, I have heard many of you say that you would teach a church school class if it meant that you would not have to miss morning worship in the sanctuary.  Because of this, and because we believe strongly in sustaining and building upon the momentum that our current and former church school leaders and teachers have worked very hard to create, our Christian Education volunteers and the leadership of this church are exploring the option of having our church school during the hour before morning worship on Sunday mornings.  The hope is that we can solicit and inspire more support for our young people and also give better and more consistent support to potential church school leaders and teachers by offering our church school program at an earlier time.

Regardless of whether we, as a church, collectively decide to schedule our church school at 9:00 or 10:00 am on Sunday mornings, I sincerely pray that all of us will become more dedicated to this vital aspect of our church life.  Christian education goes beyond simply teaching our young people about Jesus.  Christian education is about all of us--together.  It is about formation in faith, a formation that begins with sharing a love of Jesus and God, and then wanting to fulfill our baptismal promises to grow in the Christian faith by becoming more and more filled with Christ-like graces.  Our own Christian formation does not happen in a vacuum or happenstance; it is intentional.  We are at a point in our church life where we are being called by God to support our church’s future by “passing” the bread of life that we have been given to the next generation.  We are being given an opportunity and privilege to serve the families right here in our community and in our midst by celebrating Christ’s presence with them.  And the exciting thing is that as our children grow, they challenge us to grow.  And as we grow, they grow too.

At this time, I want to especially thank April West, our Church School Coordinator, who has shared so much of herself and her time with this community and with our families to help our church school to fulfill its mission and promise to our children.  April will be stepping down at the end of May from her role as Coordinator to explore other opportunities and commitments.  If you see April, please thank her for her help.  I also want to thank all of the teachers and church school helpers who have nurtured and guided our young people this year.  We appreciate your willingness to serve and to be present to the children and youth on behalf of the church and your willingness to give generously of your time and love.

Friends, each week, each day, and each moment, God scatters the bread of life right here in our midst.  Our church lawn and church school are filled with hungry birds who want to know who Jesus is and what a difference he will make for their lives.  Won’t you help them to discover this?  Won’t you help to share the bread that you have been given?

Together, may we become a “church of the nutrition” in Southampton.

Peace to you,

Rev. Dee