Foundry UMC DC: Sunday Sermons
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
A sermon preached by Rev. Ginger E.
Gaines-Cirelli at Foundry UMC, May 8, 2016, the seventh Sunday of Easter.
In early 2015, the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD), a conservative Christian watchdog organization, published an article[i] snidely dismissing the ministry of historic Ebenezer UMC here in DC and, in the process, took a swipe at Capitol Hill UMC where I served as pastor from 2003-2008. Capitol Hill and Ebenezer share a city block and a sad history of separation due to racism, not unlike Foundry’s history with Asbury. The piece wasn’t about any of that, but rather wanted to make the claim that “The most powerful city in the world has almost no vital, orthodox United Methodist churches. Instead there are typically small, liberal congregations that celebrate their diversity but have little capacity for meaningful outreach.” To make his point, the author set up an apples-to-oranges comparison between a doctrinal statement of what the author considers a “vital, orthodox” church and the welcome statement of Capitol Hill UMC. Doctrinal statements, often called “creeds” –words that describe what scripture teaches us about God and the Christian life—are important and the historic creeds provide a life-long framework for our study and reflection. A welcome statement isn’t equivalent to a creed. It is a tangible expression of the hospitality we are called to extend to others because we have been fully received into God’s hospitality. The IRD author contends that leading with doctrinal statements is the best strategy for “meaningful outreach.” I counter that without a welcome open enough to receive folks who are at many different places on the journey of life and faith, “meaningful outreach” is impossible. In short, if folks don’t receive a true welcome from the church, they won’t learn the creed or receive anything else the church offers either. Because they will stay or run far, far away.
Imagine a beautiful home that is the location of a fantastic party—great food, live music, interesting people, amazing art, great conversation and even some dancing…the works. You can see this place and you have heard about the party going on inside, but when you try to check it out you struggle to get up all the stairs and to find the correct door to enter. Once you finally find your way, there is someone at the door checking whether you’re on the list of those approved to come in. If you get past that, then another person tells you that unless you speak this foreign language you aren’t welcome. And if you’re able to scrape by the language test, you’re then told that unless you believe this statement (written in that foreign language) you aren’t welcome. Where radical hospitality isn’t practiced, the true gifts of the church are like that party: wonderfully life-giving but inaccessible.
Today we have heard powerful and challenging words from the apostle Paul to the church in Rome. These words might be described as a kind of mission statement, a description of the way followers of Jesus are called to live in community and relate to one another. Paul calls us to do hard things, things that require us to think about others as much as we think about ourselves, things like being patient, forgiving, compassionate, generous. Things like being humble and blessing those who persecute us. At the center of our passage we find: “extend hospitality to strangers.” I got to thinking about how a photographer looks through a lens and chooses what appears in the frame—what is the center and what surrounds or “frames” that center? This passage of scripture is like a snapshot of what Christian life is called to look like. Hospitality is in the middle of it all, framed and informed by everything else it takes to live a life of faith, hope, and love. Perhaps the better metaphor for our text is not a still photograph, but rather a short video—because the life it captures is active. It isn’t enough for me to simply consider blessing that IRD author who persecutes those I love, I am to really pray blessing upon him. And, in the same way, it is not enough to just think about practicing hospitality or to read books about hospitality or to have hospitable intentions. We are called to truly embody hospitality, to practice it, to do something concrete.
Thank goodness, there are a variety of ways to “extend hospitality” that don’t all include speaking in front of people or to strangers! Many among us at Foundry practice hospitality through the work for justice for unhoused neighbors, others through advocacy for the welcome and inclusion of LGBTQ persons, others through designing and building accessible spaces here in our physical plant, and others through careful reflection about our use of language. All of these things are concrete actions to make Foundry an “open house” that extends hospitality to all people. While it is true that there are many ways to engage in the practice of hospitality, not all of which require one to be a chatty extrovert or party planner, there is a need at Foundry for folks who are comfortable greeting new people. We’re looking to put together weekly teams of ushers and greeters for each Sunday—the idea being that folks will need to serve in this capacity generally once a month. Each weekly team needs one person to serve as the team captain who can help with any special needs or instructions based on the day’s worship or other events. Training will be provided for this ministry and there is truly a great need for folks to step up and help us extend hospitality to every person who crosses through our doors. If you’re interested, please send me a message. I’ll get you connected.
Our efforts to provide radical hospitality at Foundry are grounded in the awareness that without such hospitality, the good news of God’s love in Christ Jesus might never be received by folks who—like you and me—desperately need to hear it. There are so many stories to share about people whose lives have been transformed because they were welcomed and embraced in Christian community and, through that experience, came to know how much God loves them. Your life might be that testimony! Our own John Harden has shared some of his story over the past couple of years—telling about how he came to Foundry “lost,” in desperate need of “getting his life together.” He was initially welcomed by T.C. and Logan and then, once he started attending the 9:30 service, pew mates Carolinda, Doris, Arthur and Earlene reached out with open arms, saying, “Welcome, John.” John tells the story of Pastor T saying, “Take my hand. I’ll hold yours until you are able to hold someone else's.” John’s life has been transformed by the love of God in Christ, embodied through the hospitality of this congregation. It is through the door of welcome that John stepped into new life, new hope in Christ.
That is what can happen when the church embodies hospitality. But there can be tragic consequences when the church fails in this central practice of the Christian life. I recently read this story told by a lifelong United Methodist and “preacher’s kid” about her son:
“My son had been teased and bullied periodically throughout his childhood. We changed schools from public to private, back to public, to private and back to public again. Through all of this, Ben was wounded but remained kind and grounded. He found pure joy and solid friendships in our United Methodist Church youth group. He was funny and his confidence grew with beautiful shared joy. Unfortunately, with a shift in the youth leadership, there was a change in the message. Ben was singled out by the leader while in a circle of his friends. In other words, the intimidation, the misuse of power, and the bullying began again. This time it was inflicted by an adult in authority representing the United Methodist Church. The unsaid message was eventually spoken in full ambush fashion. Ben was outed as gay (based only on suspicion but Ben did not deny), and was given the message that he did not belong. He was not worthy to be a part of the group and was no representation of Christ. It was announced that he was going to hell. His spirit was irreparably damaged…Each of us felt so many raw and difficult emotions. We, as his family, could not say enough, pray enough, love enough to undo the damage. Ben, his father, I and many others were changed forever because of that cruel and betraying message. This type of betrayal by the church which we had trusted, invested in, and loved, produced trauma to every cell of our body and being… In May of 2012, we were in our small town for a spring celebration where many strolled around in little traditional family units. Ben said, “Mom, I will never be accepted here.” I responded, “Honey, most people are good and kind, they really are.” In a defeated and certain voice, he said, “Mom, you live in a bubble.” The North Carolina vote for Amendment One (taking away many rights of same sex couples) took place on May 8, 2012, thus piling on more heavy layers of emotional loss from disregard and abandonment. Not only had Ben’s church and his community degraded him by denying equal respect and rights, so had his state. Ben’s faith in God and humanity withered in an insidious manner. Ben took his life on May 8, 2013.”[ii]
Three years ago today, a lack of hospitality, the failure to share the welcome and loving embrace of God, led a beloved child to end his life in despair.
I know I’m “preaching to the choir” on this one. But sometimes folks “overhear” what we’re talking about here at Foundry and this is something I want people to hear. What we’re talking about when we talk about radical hospitality is life and death stuff. Our words and actions of welcome will either usher folks into a beautiful, meaningful life in Christ or will shut them out to fend for themselves or, as in Ben’s case, to die. Our sisters and brothers at IRD suggest that welcome, inclusion, and celebration of diversity get in the way of meaningful outreach. But I contend that welcome, inclusion, and celebration of diversity ARE meaningful outreach. And hospitality isn’t just outreach, it is at the very heart of Christian life and mission…to extend grace, embrace, friendship, acceptance, and love to all people just as Christ has done for us is what holy hospitality is, after all.
Hospitality isn’t the whole picture (I’ll give the IRD that), but without it, people see a distorted picture of Christian faith or don’t see it at all. Hospitality isn’t the end of the Christian journey, but rather an invitation to begin. Hospitality isn’t the whole story or the fullness of the faith, but it does open the door for those who are lost or in despair to receive the saving love of God. And what, I ask, is more “orthodox” or “vital” than saving the lives of God’s beloved children?
[i] https://juicyecumenism.com/2015/01/26/calvinist-evangelicals-in-united-methodist-church/
[ii] http://www.rmnetwork.org/newrmn/41405-2/
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free