LAITY SUNDAY October 18, 2020 THEREFORE, GO! WITH HOPE THROUGH ENGAGEMENT Donna Kunsch

LAITY SUNDAY October 18, 2020

 THEREFORE, GO!  WITH HOPE THROUGH ENGAGEMENT

Donna Kunsch

 

“Greetings, welcome to Laity Sunday.  Today is the day that we take the time to celebrate the good works of the congregation at Bethel.  This is the fourth year in a series entitled Therefore, Go with HOPE.  HOPE being an acronym in which the H was for Hospitality, O for Offer Christ, P for Purpose, and today the E is for Engagement, Helping transform the surrounding community.  I could say it is rather ironic that this would be the year of engagement.  However, everything is in God’s timing, so how appropriate it falls in this unusual year.  How to stay engaged with each other has been the focus point of many businesses and churches these past 8 months.  Through engagement, we as a congregation connect gifts with ministry opportunities, develop leaders, and empower disciples to go out and engage in relationships that build the body of Christ.  As individuals we are to engage others outside our church by using our talents, gifts, and skills to share God’s love through our words and actions.

 

Engagement has certainly taken on new meaning this year.  The year 2020 has brought challenges to gathering in person that we never could have fathomed.  This year, our celebrations of lay calling and leadership take place in the shadows of global pandemic, economic uncertainty, political unrest, and the conviction that the crippling racism still plaguing our communities must end.  The many months of stay at home orders have heightened our sense of loneliness.  We longed for the in-person connection with each other.  For me personally it was especially hard not being able to see my grandson for three months.  It was heartbreaking having to drop his birthday gifts off at the end of the sidewalk while he stood in the doorway and watched.  I just wanted to give him a big hug and a kiss.  However, we stayed engaged by celebrating his 3^rd birthday virtually.  We all wore funny hats and watched him open his gifts and sing Happy Birthday.  We made the best of the situation.

 

We have all missed many “normal” celebrations this year:  Easter Sunday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and weddings just to name a few.  It’s hard to have hope when there is so much unrest and uncertainty in our lives.  Through this experience we all know what it is like to be shut-in and isolated.  A light has been shown on many we hadn’t seen before, people for a variety of reasons who haven’t had access to the in-person experiences of grace we used to take for granted.  It has made us question; can we still be Christ’s witnesses?  Can we still respond to those in need?  I want you to know the answer is a resounding yes!

 

While it’s tempting to think that everything has changed and how we interact with each other is very different in our social distancing and online environments, be sure some things remain the same.  Our mission and calling to grow deeper in love continue in the way God uses lay efforts to engage all people in authentic relationships and connections.  It is through these relationships outside the boundaries of weekly worship and church life that are creating new definitions of spiritual depth.  In times such as these, laity are the eyes and ears of ministry in their communities.  It means having eyes to see and ears to hear God’s call coming through those who need our compassion, help, care, and support.

 

Today I want to highlight some of the ways Bethel has remained engaged with each other and our community.  We have adapted to online Youtube sermons, Aubrey continued the weekly Sunday morning Seekers class first by phone and then Zoom (where would we be without Zoom this year?), Janet Hunter continued to reach out to the children by providing lessons and activities on the BCP Facebook page, we implemented the Monday Evening Meditations, the Bethel Baguette, the Pastor conducted a confirmation class resulting in 2 new confirmands joining our church, we held social distancing prayer walks at the church, we hired a Youth Director Kristen Starner and she has already held several youth activities, we continued support to the food pantry, held a lasagna dinner to benefit our preschool, we sent cards, or made phone calls to stay in touch with each other, and now we are having outdoor social distancing worship services.  There are many more ways that I have not mentioned here.  The point is, that even in times such as these, we have remained engaged.

 

In keeping with the Pastor’s theme this month, our scripture reading this morning is out of the book of Philippians.  Paul’s letter urged them to be joyful.  As noted, he told them to rejoice in the Lord always, and he even repeated it.  Paul knew that they were facing challenges and discouragement in their lives, just as we are today.  Christians are to be joyful in every circumstance, even when things seem so chaotic, even when we feel like complaining, even when no one else is joyful.  Christ still reigns, and we still know him, therefore we can rejoice at all times.  In Jesus there is both hope and promise. 

 

As your Lay Leader, I thank you for your perseverance, for letting your gentleness be evident to all, and I encourage you to keep up the good works!  In these uncertain days we can have the assurance that God holds our future.  I will close with some lyrics from my favorite song.  But greater still the calm assurance this child can face uncertain days because He lives.  Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.  Because He lives, all fear is gone.  Because I know He holds the future and life is worth the living just because He lives.  Because He lives, we can face tomorrow with all of its challenges and uncertainties.  Let us “see all the people” that are in need of this gift of grace.  Therefore, Go!  Amen.