Pentecost 19

Pentecost 19 ‘WHO RUNS THIS JOINT?’ 9/22 & 25/05

, We’ve been “moving dirt” ever since we acquired these 35 acres. After the ground-breaking, the grading process took nearly 2 months before actual construction could even begin! We’ve been moving dirt ever since…dirt from Wittenberg University, dirt from the city’s water/sewer project on the southern border of our property, dirt from the new Snowhill School project, and, now, dirt from the new super Wal-Mart project to our near north. All this dirt is providing us a good, level base for future building and, once seeded this fall, an increasingly attractive back lawn.

So, why all this “dirty talk”? A few weeks ago, a nearby neighbor came to our Grace office. Because of the dirt being deposited on our property and the extreme drought-like conditions this summer, dust has blown onto his property and he was…to put it mildly… “not pleased!” Denny Bennett, our Parish Secretary, greeted him and politely, pleasantly inquired: “How can we help you?” He responded: “Who runs this joint?” I’m not sure Denny knew quite how to answer this rather unusual question. She was not sure who “runs this joint,” but she was sure it wasn’t her! She came quickly to my study and asked if I might speak with a rather unhappy neighbor, so I did. We had a good conversation, I assured him that this dirt delivery was nearly complete, and that no new deliveries are in our foreseeable future. After he returned home I wrote them a personal letter of apology for any inconvenience we’ve unintentionally caused them.

Our neighbor’s question is one we need all consider, especially as we celebrate 9 decades of ministry as Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church. Although I don’t ever recall hearing our Church referred to as “this joint”, I knew what he meant. “Who runs this joint” in 2005 and who has been running “this joint” these past 90 years?

From Elmer Elsworth Flack to Beverly DeBord, God has sent us 11 full-time Ordained Pastors over the years---some serving only a year or two, while others have served nearly 20 years or more. We have been blessed with faithful Church Council members; creative and patient Sunday School teachers; competent and committed staff; literally thousands of Grace members and guests; countless ministries with and for men/women/children/our community/our world; this is the third location & address we have called our Church “home”; our denomination has undergone several name changes, now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; our Southern Ohio Synod has undergone several name changes, as well; we have been served by dozens of Synod Presidents and Synod Bishops; we have accepted a wide range of colorful worship books and hymnals---black, red, green, and blue---to name a few in our “rainbow” of resources; we’ve used grape juice and wine, wafers and bread, distributed and dipped; I’ve even heard that a few times during our history someone has dared to change our Sunday morning worship times! “Who runs this joint?”

St. Paul addressed this issue in his New Testament letters, and our Philippians reading is one such example. Paul wrote of Jesus’ understanding of power and authority, hoping this might stir in the church the desire to let Christ’s spirit dwell within them and overcome their desire to acquire power and control. The Oak Ridge boys once wrote this lyric to a song: “Nobody wants to play rhythm guitar behind Jesus; everybody wants to be the lead singer in the band.” Power “struggles” in churches are quite common. Some congregations seem to exist in perpetual conflict and division. I thank God that, for 90-years, God has guarded Grace from such dissent & division. As we will sing, “Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come; ‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.” Today we “Come Home to Grace!” Our life, individually and as a congregation, is all about “grace”…second chances, repentance, forgiveness, patience, love, kindness, maturing in faith, increasing in generosity, constant in prayer, regular in worship, and sacrificial in serving…all of this as we receive and respond to God’s grace!

The Jerusalem Bible presents this truth so simply in Philippians 2:1-2/ “If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind.” This is how we are to live as family members who call this congregation “home”. If you’ve wondered, or anyone asks, “Who runs this joint?”---I defer to St. Paul in Philippians 2:13/ “For it is God who is at work within you, giving you the will and the power to achieve his purpose.” We gather, baptize, marry, bury, and pray in God’s name and we go forth to love and serve Him. We submit to one another out of reverence for Christ! We are “the body of Christ” and Christ is the “head.” This is God’s house and there is only one “head” of this “household”…thanks be to God! May all God’s people say: AMEN.