(Reflection for Gayton Road Christian Church's Worship on September 9, 2018, Proper 18)
“Something for Everyone”
One of the memory care residents across the street,
Richard, is a retired Methodist minister.
His face is the picture of peace: the faint trace of a smile always
playing on his lips, whether he’s there putting together a puzzle, or talking
with me, or simply sitting at the table that he’s been pushed to. His eyes are warm and friendly, but I
can’t help feeling that they see much more than I see. He has a little bit of that faraway look
in his eyes. He seems to see more
than is in the room. I like to
think that he sees the kingdom of God—not heaven somewhere else, but right there
on the second floor of Symphony Manor, among nurses and residents and the
activities room TV blaring the latest prize on the Price Is Right.
Richard can’t remember the names of the churches
where he served, although I have worked out that he ministered here in
Virginia, in the eastern shore of Maryland, and in West Virginia. Months ago, I asked Richard what advice
he would give to a young minister such as myself. Here is what he said.
It’s very simple:
“I tried to find something for everyone to do.”
A Kingdom Vision:
Everyone a Minister, Christ Alive in Our World
A more cynical listener might hear in these words
just the practical wisdom that idle hands are the devil’s playground, or that
keeping people busy is as good as keeping them happy.
But I think Richard means a lot more than that. I think he sees the kingdom of God, and
I think he’s sharing a bit of his vision.
And I think his vision is an ancient vision, a vision that has been
passed down through the ages, from Jesus to Paul to our denominational
forebears, Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone. Campbell and Stone, remember, did not uphold the traditional
distinction between clergy and laity.
They did not distinguish between the pulpit and the pew. They believed that we are all called
and equipped to be ministers. And
this wasn’t an invention of their thinking. It came from the earliest followers of Christ, from people
like Paul, who said that every Christ-follower is given a gift “to equip” them
“for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (cf. Eph 4:7,
11-12). It came from Christ
himself who made no distinction among his followers but sent them all out to
proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal (cf. Luke 9:2).
According to this vision of the kingdom, we are all
ministers. We all have gifts to
share. That is how Christ lives in
our world today!
From Jesus and Paul—To Richard and Gayton Road
“I tried to find something for everyone to do,”
Richard said with that intimate and yet far-off look in his eyes.
He was not reciting a timeworn cliché. He was sharing with me his vision that
everyone in the church is a minister, everyone has a gift to share, that is how
Christ lives in our world!
This kingdom vision—which runs from Jesus to Paul to
Alexander Campbell to Richard—has inspired us here at Gayton Road Christian
Church. This year, we have
assembled three teams to share in the ministry of the church, and we are
inviting every member and friend of the congregation to join at least one
team. Because like Richard said,
we believe that there is “something for everyone to do.” We believe that every person here is a
minister and has gifts to share.
That is how we become part of the body of Christ that lives and moves
and touches people in this community and throughout the world.
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