Pastor Jean M. Hansen
I am so glad to welcome all of you on this day of music, food and fun here at Faith Lutheran Church! This is the second of six planned collaborative activities for Faith and Holy Trinity Lutheran Churches as we strengthen our relationships with one another and consider possible broader collaboration.
Given that, I’m going to invite you to do two challenging things today. First, during the sharing of the peace, along with people you know, greet someone you do not know, even if that means moving out of the pew. The second challenge is even more difficult; when you decide where to sit for lunch, look for a table where there is at least one person who you do not know well. Now, it’s quite possible that these people may be members of the congregation which you regularly attend; that’s OK. Our goal today is two-fold, to praise God and to strengthen our relationships with one another. Enjoying music as we worship together, sharing Holy Communion as one family and then eating picnic fare and having fun are the avenues through which that will happen.
Today the words of Psalm 150, which we’ll be reading responsively, should be a reality here, “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!” This is a side-note, but it is interesting to consider that when we use our breath to praise the Lord, it cannot be used for anxious or divisive interaction, which is a valuable truth to keep in mind in the world in which we live.
Perhaps, like me, you’ve been watching the Olympics this week; there is an element of competition, to be sure, but did you know that the values of the Olympics expressed in the Olympic Charter are to “encourage effort”, “preserve human dignity” and “develop harmony”. When I read that I thought, that sounds like what the church should be. The IOC was founded on the belief that sport can contribute to peace and to the harmonious development of humankind. So…besides athletic skill … what we’ve been watching all week is people striving for unity while celebrating diversity.
That’s what we are seeking too, in the larger church and with one another. We rejoice today at being part of the one body of Christ, or as is so eloquently proclaimed in Ephesians 4, “There is … one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” Today we celebrate the oneness of our faith … and eat hot dogs.
The Lord be with you. And also with you!
Let us pray: Almighty God, we thank you for your goodness to us and to all you have made. We praise you for your creation, for keeping us and all things in your care, and for all the blessings of life. We rejoice in the ministries that are represented here today, and for the unity of purpose that we share as we proclaim the Good News of Jesus in our words and our deeds. Bless us with your presence now and in the days to come as we strengthen our relationships with one another; we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN