Planting Vocation; Sermon for September 24th, 2017 by: Rev. Nicole A.M. Collins, OSST

The beautiful hymn we just sung as our hymn for the day is both the hymn of my conversion experience and the hymn I had played at my ordination service. This hymn, ‘Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness,’ was the hymn I heard God speaking through to me, that He had new plans for my life.  God has a great sense of humor, for in this tiny little Northside of Chicago Lutheran church; his message became clear through a United Church of Christ hymn used as the choir’s processional hymn closing that particular service.  The thought and hope of a kinder and gentler world was what God knew my heart was grieving to realize. Then and there, my chrysalis shell was broke open and the New person I am today began to emerge, take shape, and take flight, like that butterfly!

Yes, my New life took off, but like the condemned roller coaster I joked about in my most recent Cursillo talk, the valleys and the mountain tops were many, unpredictable, missing rails, screws, split wood and often had many moments I was greatly discouraged.  To say, it has never been an easy journey is the understatement of the year award in my book… But thanks be to God, I kept reaching my hand out to grab at those precarious vines or I kept stepping that trepidatious foot out into the unknown, only to trust in God, to see things through.  Let’s just say again, God really pushed the envelope with me a lot… As some of my friends know as well, trust is a difficult life-passage to spiritually come to terms with!

Living a life worthy of the Gospel, is a beautiful thought from a man who may have been under house arrest in Rome for spreading the Gospel, but certainly his soul truly bared a great freedom and witness for all to spiritually grow from. Growing a mighty harvest in the heart of faith and reaping action for God’s Will and purposes takes being grounded by God as that often incorrigible, persistent voice, to carry on.  Try, what the world says, is impossible.  In my case, it would be to go back to school after 15 years out… graduate, get ordained and start planting churches! Just like Paul, I was blessed with beginning my journey to serve through church planting.  I was on the ground floor of planting three churches. The first plant I won scholarships from my seminary for, and served as a vicar, then pastor to the second and third. This first plant was the Gathering for Christ, the Gathering North, the second and the third would be my own house church and ministry outlet, the Grace Hub.

These were wonderful experiences that I learned so much from, but God started talking to me again, and said that I really needed to take an even greater leap out into the unknown, a new horizon.  This horizon’s pursuit literally uprooted me from living in Illinois for some 48 years to moving out here and take on God’s new challenge for me, serving an established church community—First Congregational United Church of Christ.  In many ways, it is like a first call, since all of my prior experiences started from ground zero. With church planting, there were definitely people, but no steeple, no money, just a lot of commitment and a real fire, spark, to start laying down that foundation! Love, sweat equity and tears of thanksgiving built all three.

First Congregational Church definitely has foundation and depth, and that’s not all on account of Grace & Don Schmiedel’s amazing stewardship archives of our church’s history!  I am joining into your family’s history most likely at the start of chapter 52, there is a lot I will be learning from you, as well as I hope to be teaching and sharing with you, the great and many things, the Lord has blessed my life to experience over the years. I am not, however, the “Miracle-Gro” to your replanting, revival, God is. My labor is purely to help you realize God's grace, and have that same Grace motivate you to reap that gracious Harvest within our community.  I am to be your spiritual gardener, compassionate ear and most importantly a fellow traveler to wherever God leads us to be and become, for His sake.

A pastor is someone who takes their gardening very seriously. Don’t forget though, this is spiritual gardening that I’m good at… not the other kind…  Spiritual gardening is a matter of the heart, it is a covenant first and most importantly made with God.  It IS a vocation, it is not a “job.” The Gospel’s work is not 9 to 5, it is every moment of your life! Just what is the difference between a job and a vocation? We hear it most profoundly from St Paul’s lips and his beautiful beginning reflections to his Philippians friends. Yes, it is true, we are in some ways prisoners to the world, and as we know, Paul was an actual prisoner. But what we must realize through our faith journey lived in fellowship here, is that we are dedicated to service as Ministry. God does not necessarily govern boards, he expects us to be team members, team leaders.  The only hierarchy that needs to exist is Christ Jesus at the center of our hearts and labors. Our service together, or teamwork are to be a labor of love for the mission and purpose of the Gospel out into the world.

That’s a very important word, teamwork.  Teamwork is the organic dynamic of a healthy, vital Body. Jesus, in his very “down-to-earth” reality parable in today’s Gospel, makes that point very clear.  When we treat our reaping of that faith-filled, spiritual harvest seriously, we are coming from the right place, that God needs us to humbly and graciously realize.  Teamwork and human nature do have their issues, though.  At times, we may be out of sync or are not trusting enough, or encouraged enough by one another, that we are all pursuing the same goal.  It is not something to be angry or grumbling about, as we hear the workers in Jesus’ parable do.  It is something we need to allow those prayerful baptismal tears to affirm our hearts, to carry on for the greater Good!

And Jesus says: “¹⁶So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”  Is he saying Nice guys finish last or is this the Old Nature’s understanding of Jesus last twisting statement in today’s Gospel? Hearing and understanding that through New Natured person, waiting within you to be fully realized, is Grace. It is grace working within you to be hope-filled, patient and persistent. There will always be valleys and just as time moves forward, we will always be in transition.  We will always need to be prepared to change.  Life is not stagnant and certainly, the church is not to be either!

We have wonderful things to look forward to together as the faith-filled team of First Congregational Church!  I have been praying for weeks now that the efforts of the building search committee find the most perfect place for all of our ministries needs.  I have been daily praying for all the phone calls I’ve been getting on the church office phone from people asking about our former food pantry.  I have been praying for the spirits of many here who have worked very hard, have been at times overwhelmed by the stress of their stewardship to our community.  Being and doing, “church,” is not easy work and it is certainly a hard journey…  But you are not alone, I am here for you and most importantly God is here with us all.  God’s been our greatest cheerleader and it is evident beyond the notion of when two or three are gathered.

So, remember that roller coaster I talked about earlier?  Well make sure you strap yourselves in tight—let go and let God lead us down a brand New day together, a brand New hope! Never say never, live the seemingly impossible dream—make it real by seeking God’s face. Let the abounding steadfast love of God be your strength and your resolve.

Let us pray—

Ever Gracious God,

We’ve started that New chapter together

We’ve patted down that soil and are praying for miracles

Let us truly live for You and in a way that is worthy of Your Gospel

May our teamwork together reap a mighty harvest from the heart

May everyday be shaped, transitioned, revived and renewed by Your Living Word

Now and Always—AMEN

September 24th, 2017; Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost; Year A; Proper 20: SOLA

Psalm 27:1-9; Isaiah 55:6-9;  Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30; Matthew 20:1-16

RCL: Psalm 145:1-8; Jonah 3:10-4:11; Philippians 1:21-30

The link below is to this special sermon from Pastor Collins' Installation at First Congregational Church
https://youtu.be/CAkE5obdb3c