7.19.09
WESTMINSTER PULPIT
Elder LaVette Columbo
Having just returned from the International Church wide Gathering of Presbyterian Women in Louisville, KY, with Jan and Maryann Hopson Jean Rae, Janet Arunyakasem, June Kantner, and Carol Blake, I must say my thinking is renewed, my faith strengthened and my heart is full. It was like drinking from a fire hose and not wanting to spill a drop. Many nations were represented, many new friends made and for others in our group, connecting with those they’d previously met. To my sisters and brothers in Christ, here at home…it’s good to be back. I had lots of time to reflect upon my calling here at Westminster and all of the difficulties of these past few months, not just within the church, but personally as well. To WPW, my heartfelt thanks for giving me the opportunity to attend the Gathering.
Although Louisville is not really in the Deep South, there is definitely a southern feel to the town and its culture. One of the things I learned in Louisville is there is a fine line between preachin and medlin. Now, preachin tells us what to do, quotes scripture and often relates to our daily lives. Down south, that’s not good enough. Sometimes medlin is called for. Let me explain.
Medlin is when your friend or neighbor needs help and they keep saying a polite no thank you. Let’s just say this is an elderly person and you know good and well, they need help getting groceries or going to a doctor’s appointment. I must say, we do a fine job of medlin here at Westminster with our Deacons, committees, sub-committees, departments, session, elders, AC, COM and WPW, Mission Education & Outreach, Worship and many more, too numerous to name. Another form of medlin is shutting down gossip. I found this an intriguing thought but it felt like this was sticking my nose in where it doesn’t belong? Quite to the contrary I was told by the speaker for that evening. It is actually effective, gentle and fun. When approached with gossip or overhearing it, one can simply say “Did I hear you say you want to do some medlin? I know of some Deacons and Elders that could sure use your help! Let me introduce you to the moderator of our stewardship Department, I can even have Dan give you a call.” You see, if we have faith that all people are good, we can do this with the most sincerity and kindness. And think of it! Why, all of our committees, sub committees and vacant offices would be full in no time. Rev. Margaret Aymer, a faculty member of Johnson C Smith Theological Seminary, the PC (USA’s) only historically African American seminary, will also be writing the 2011-2012 Horizon’s Bible study on the Beatitudes.
One of the keynote speakers said that you can always tell an enthusiastic Presbyterian congregation by the number of raised eyebrows. I thought we were the only congregation that sang quietly and rarely clapped during service. Not so! The music at the gathering was presented to demonstrate that by warming up prior to the sermon, it was easier to pay attention. It was upbeat with new words to familiar hymns, movin and groovin, feet stomping, hands clapping [stomp], arms upraised, outstretched and hands waving at every Alleluia [arms up and waiving hands]. It was awkward at first, and then I came to look forward to the enthusiasm, harmony and pure joy that was blasting from over 2,000 women in each worship service.
Monday night the topic for the evening was “Choosing Life” and we heard from Barbara Rossing who spoke of the, “The cruelest injustice of climate change is that it hurts the poorest—those who have done the least to cause the problem—the hardest. As Christians, we should be concerned about that. She also reflected that the time to choose life is now and that we are living in an urgent moment…a Kairos moment. She defined a Kairos moment as when your whole life comes to a focus, an urgent moment in time. She pointed out that even in that week; we at the Gathering were at a Kairos moment … a turning point. “As people consider how to work for renewable energy, sustainable food economies and the revitalization of local communities, everyone notices.” She asked, “How will we, our churches and our world, lead: How will we face this moment and how will Westminster inspire the world to take action, choosing that path of life.”
Barbara credited the PC (USA) with what is probably the most visionary statement on energy use and climate change of any U. S .church, a statement called, “The Power to Change.” This commits our churches to ambitious goals for climate change advocacy and reductions in carbon emissions, for the sake of the healing of this world!
Westminster has been becoming more and greener over the past year…from cleaning products to recycling. This is only the beginning. What more can we do? I ask again, dear friends—WHAT MORE CAN YOU AND I DO?
The story of the prodigal son is one we have been familiar with since our childhood days in Sunday school. Rhashell Hunter offered a beautiful reflection to the Tuesday morning plenary session, themed “Wonders of Grace”. Mother’s Baby Girl touched many in the audience. She began with the passage from Luke 5:23-24...”…let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found”.
She related a story in today’s time and words about a 16 year old girl who approaches her mother and asks for the hard-earned money that Mom had saved; nickels and dimes at a time for the daughter’s college education. Mom reluctantly said yes and helped her daughter pack and watched her walk down the road with her boyfriend.
The couple went to Paris and partied for months on end…until the money ran out. The boyfriend left the girl broken hearted, penniless and hungry. It took a few days and lots of hunting for a job, any job, when she realized she was her mother’s daughter. She got busy, saved every nickel and dime until she could buy a ticket home.
The parallel story is Mom coming home from work every day, fixing a glass of iced tea and sitting on the front steps looking down that road where her daughter had walked away. She did this, day after day, month after month—rain or shine.
This particular day, as she sat on that top stair she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. She took off her glasses and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Looking back down that road, she recognized the walk of that person….
In the meantime, her daughter was walking towards home on that street where she walked away from home in what seemed so long ago. She thought she could see Mom sitting on the stairs. Is it? Could it really be? Yes….They both broke out in a run and just about fell to the ground as they collided in a tearful embrace. “I love you, I love you,” they kept saying to each other.
We are blessed with the children in our lives and in our church. Sometimes as parents and grandparents we pray for the child and the path they appear to have chosen. My personal experience is often painful and causes me to ask why my child…why our family…Then I remember what a dear friend told me one day…”LaVette,” she said, “I want you to write on your mirror in that red lipstick you love to wear, “Dear LaVette, I do NOT need your help today, Love God.” That reminded me that I cannot control my children or make life choices for them.
I see the prodigal son in my own son. He left home at age 17 to travel with the Renaissance Fair. There was no stopping him. He would call collect every month telling me of his new adventures. But now, he is in prison and will be for quite some time. The last letter I received from him told me of an incident he was involved in and as punishment he and the others were relegated to segregation for 1 year each and that year was added to his sentence of 26 years. His letter begged, please don’t abandon me Mom, you are what I live for; to get out of prison and take care of you, as you have me, is my only dream. I opened this letter on the day I was moving. I felt frozen and weak with grief. I have no idea how I completed the move. I’m sure it was with the
Grace of God and the help of my friend.
The call to love a child unconditionally is put to the test in these circumstances, but I welcome him with open arms, send him what little I can and would give him all I have. Many of us here have these special children—maybe not in this extreme circumstance, but still crying out for love. Through the Grace of God and the power of prayer, we live day by day and so do they.
Rhashell Hunter said, “This is a story of God’s Grace and the wonders done among us. God loves us when we are good and even when we are not being good. It’s really not about the wayward son, or the spoiled baby girl, or even about the pouting oldest child. It’s about the compassionate father, the grace-filled mother. It brings me to tears that God loves us so much.
Like a parent, God never gets tired of giving God’s Love away. And so you are given grace, offered forgiveness, and loved by God, not because of what you do or have done, but because of who you are—a beloved daughter, a beloved son, a beloved child of God.
God Bless You…Amen
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