Sunday worship on Labor Day weekend was very special for us here at HB. Bill Williamson, our new parish associate, made his debut in worship. Bill’s primary responsibility will be visitation of nursing homes and the homebound, but you will see him around in a number of other capacities even as he tries to stay within his 20-hour a week contract. This was also a special day because it was the culmination of a wonderful time at our annual Youth event, "Do-In." After years of excellent leadership by our former associate, Katherine, Adam stepped in and never missed a beat.

In our closing worship service, Adam told us that the youth had spent the weekend not only naming the evils in our world, but also seeking concrete ways that God’s love might bring hope to even the most desperate of situations. As he spoke, I began to think about the very difficult challenge we face as we seek to confront the world’s hatred with love. These days the news is dominated by hatred and anger, from the debates about health care to the President talking to schoolchildren. Almost any that comes under public scrutiny seems to call forth hate speech and name-calling.

Hate as we saw with 9/11 seems to be the world’s default response to almost anything with which people disagree. It seems that a large number of people think that Jesus’ message about love is simply too weak an answer to work in today’s world. The scriptures tell us in First John 4:20: "Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen." The commandment we have is that those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

We can’t watch a ball game on TV without seeing reference to John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."

The way God has asked us to overcome the world is through love. We all wish he had given us a more natural answer, but God did not. Since God did not, the bottom line is this: if we are to be a part of God transforming the world through love, than we are first going to have to be transformed by that same love.

John

The other night, as Janie and I were getting ready to go to a play downtown, I heard a chirping sound. I recognized it as the warning that one of your smoke alarms needs a battery. We have three, and for the life of me I could not tell which one the sound was coming from, so off we went to the play. We got home late. I was still not able to determine which smoke alarm, but there was enough time between the chirps that we managed to get to sleep. We tried everything including taking all the alarms down and sitting next to them, but none of them was chirping. Two weeks go by and now the chirping is sounding about every five minutes. I was pretty sure I was losing my mind, but my wife remained calm. Eventually there was about one minute between chirps. We had already looked in all the drawers, but Janie opened them again trying to solve the mystery. I stuck my hand into the back of one of the drawers and found something that was keeping the drawer from opening all the way. It turned out to be a box of checkbooks for a bank we don’t even use any more. When I dislodged the box, Janie pulled an old smoke alarm that must have gotten stuffed in there when we were renovating our kitchen. Mystery solved.

What is chirping in your life that you are trying to ignore? You know, the thing that you stuffed way in the back of your mind, the thing that has been chirping so long you have learned to ignore it yet is secretly driving you crazy. The chirping may be an unhealed wound that you are trying to ignore. Perhaps it is a conflict with a parent, a spouse, or a friend. It might be the loss of someone you loved. Perhaps it is grief over something or someone you have lost. It could be the aggravation that comes from realizing how the world has changed, how things you still feel are important so many others do not feel are important anymore. Try as you might, ignoring the chirping is not helping.

We can learn to ignore the chirping, but it will slowly eat away at us until it slowly but surely steals our humanity. People ask why we have a prayer of confession in our worship service each week. We have a prayer of confession because it is important that we open those blocked corners of our lives where the chirping sounds are hiding. God wants us to have wholeness and healing, and it begins with thanksgiving and then confession. God wants to find what is chirping away, what we have tried so carefully to repress, and set us free from it once and for all. God wants us to hear and believe the good news—"In Jesus’ name we are forgiven"—and make the chirping stop.

John

I don’t want to talk about culture wars, at least not the way the term has been used in the last few years. I would like to talk about how in some subtle ways the culture is co-opting the church out of existence. Let me explain. There is nothing anymore fundamental about the Christian faith than baptism. In a few weeks I get to baptize our new grandson, Jordan, so I have been giving this topic a great deal of thought.

Baptism is a visible sign of God’s grace. We celebrate baptism to acknowledge publicly that God chooses us by putting God’s sign and seal on us. Water is a significant symbol for our faith. The Hebrews are freed when God parts the waters of the sea, and they escape to the other side. In this way they receive new life through the water. The gospels tell us that John baptizes Jesus. Jesus goes under the water and when he comes up, the skies open and the Holy Spirit descends upon him. Paul talks about baptism in terms of dying to our old way of life and being born to a new way of life. We die to the old creation and are made new creations through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We talk about dying with Christ and being born to new life in Christ.

Baptism is not simply a fringe benefit of being a Christian. Baptism is how we enter the community of faith. It is, so to speak, the front door. It is for this reason that the liturgical space committee at Harvey Browne decided to place the baptismal font at the entrance of the church. We enter through the waters of baptism. Our culture would like for us to think of baptism as merely a time to show off the baby. I can appreciate this now that I have the perfect grandchild. Because culture thinks of it this way, many would like for the font to be on the chancel—it’s easier to get good pictures that way. But the church, realizing how fundamental baptism is to our faith, has fought to keep it from being diminished into just another photo opportunity. Entrance into the community of faith should not be made to look too easy because discipleship does not come without a cost.

Baptism is fundamentally against thinking of anything that has to do with God as "easy-in/easy-out." Baptism is about a commitment God makes to us and a commitment we make to God. I thought about this a great deal at our last wedding as the wedding party made its way past the baptismal font to the front of the church. Let’s face it, we live in an "easy-in/easy-out" culture. Fifty percent of all marriages end in divorce. I did a wedding a number of years ago for a relative that lasted all of six months! Or as the mother of the bride told me, it cost mom and dad about ten dollars a minute!

If you have been a part of a wedding recently, as we were this past summer when our daughter got married, no one has to tell you how weddings have been co-opted by our culture. Every part of the wedding has become more and more about focusing on the bride and groom and less and less about the wedding being a worship service.

The second paragraph of the wedding ceremony reads: " Marriage is a gift-- a gift given by God, strengthened by God's Spirit, and made full by the mutual love and commitment of those who enter into it. In marriage, a man and a woman are called to a new way of life -- a way of life not to be entered carelessly or lightly, but responsibly and thoughtfully. A home is being established this day, and few things in the world are more important. The bride and the groom have come before us as individuals, yet today they begin the journey of becoming one family. For that we give thanks, and ask God's blessings upon them."

As the bride and groom prepare for the wedding, suddenly they are being told it is really all about the photographer, the videographer, the florist, the musicians, the rehearsal dinner, and the reception. It feels at times like the wedding dress is more sacred than the scripture that is selected for the service. Is there anything we can do before the culture elopes with "Christian Marriage" and turns if from a sacred ceremony into a major theatrical production starring the bride?

In the Presbyterian Church, marriage is not a sacrament. But throughout our history we have always seen God’s hand in it. Baptism is associated with weddings in that in a wedding we are also, in a sense, dying to an old way of life and moving to a new way of life—the scriptures tell us the two shall become one.

For this reason I will be encouraging all wedding parties to touch the waters in the baptismal font prior to the call to worship. The groomsmen, groom and minister will enter from the side and proceed to the font. We will gather around the font and touch the water and then return to our positions to prepare for the arrival of the bridesmaids and the bride and her escort, usually her father. All will touch the water as they pass as a reminder that this is a God thing we are doing, this is God’s gift to the two of them not to be entered into carelessly or lightly. An old way of life is being left behind and a new family is being formed—they touch the water to remember that they were brought here not by matchmaker.com but by God Almighty.

When we first moved into the remodeled sanctuary, someone made the comment that the font might be an obstacle for weddings. I now realize they were right. It is an obstacle for all who are tempted to think that commitments are "easy-in/easy-out".

John

On Sunday mornings at about seven my dad always took the Oldsmobile, my mom’s car, into the back yard and washed it. We were a General Motors family. He always had a Chevy truck and until later in life, when mom got a Chevrolet as well, we had Oldsmobile’s. They were never new. In fact the two Oldsmobile’s I recall the best were both purchased second hand from Carleton Gainey. Mr. Gainey owned the sawmill just up the road, and he traded cars every two years. We drove them until they disintegrated! But they never fell apart from lack of washing or being cared for, they all died of old age. So I, like so many others, grieved the bankruptcy of GM. I certainly agree with President Obama in hoping that this bankruptcy will be the beginning of a new G.M.

There is a great deal to be uneasy about these days. Many of the things we have traditionally put our trust and hope in seem to have let us down. The talk around the barbershop and the beauty shop is not real upbeat these days.

But a recent newspaper column by Garrison Keillor reminded me that hopeful signs are right in front of us. It made me think of our worship service on Pentecost Sunday. We began with a reading that was so perfect, which was followed by a divine prelude that Allen Gilfert, our interim music associate, had written for the orchestra. We had a moving baptism of a brother and his little sister and received the confirmation class. The statements of faith by the Confirmands were particularly well done this year, some done in art, others in music. By the time we came to the final hymn, "Every time I feel the Spirit," it was all I could do to keep from singing at the top of my lungs and ruining the whole day for the rest of you! If I didn’t know better I would declare to you that the Holy Spirit simply swept in and hijacked that worship service.

You know what I think? I think that if you were getting your hope and joy from your investment portfolio when it was peaking years ago, you were still being cheated. Real joy only comes from things without price tags. Things like a kiss from your wife when you come home or, heavens even your dog; visits to a grandchild; good food; and moving worship to name just a few. I am sorry about GM, but God is still in charge of the universe. The one who makes the real joy is still around cranking it out one little surprise at a time. These are times that will try us, but this is not the first time we have been tested. The secret to survival is not in what we invest in; the secret to survival is the one who has decided we were worth the investment of the only child. Every time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I am reminded of the One to whom I am to pray.

John

I talked to my sister today. We chat most every weekend. If you recall my sister had eight dogs. She is now down to three. She is concerned because she really misses having all the activity. I am concerned. Where will my stories come from if all my sister’s dogs die? For many years she would get more because people used to constantly bring her strays. But, alas, her most recent arrivals just could not seem to get along. She was spending much of her time just trying to keep them separated. She decided she could no longer be the local humane society. She decided to keep only a few. As they died off she did not replace them. It turns out that McMinneville, Tennessee, where my sister lives, has just had a dog whisperer move to town. She is sorry he arrived too late to help her dogs with their relationship issues.

It made me start thinking, why don’t we have children whisperer? I know we have psychologists, but the dog whisperer only charges $10 an hour! He will come to your house and work with your pets. You can’t get the flu to make a house call for $10 an hour! Just imagine your kids are fighting and you get the child whisperer to make a house call! He or she could be on your speed dial!

While we are speaking of things we could use, how about a church whisperer? No, I am not suggesting that we have more people who whisper during worship, but rather like the dog whisperer, someone who could help us learn how to obey. Let’s face it, if anyone could benefit from learning how to obey the commands of their master it is a church member. Jesus tells us in John 15 that this is the one thing we are called to do—obey God’s commandments. In an attempt to try to make this easier (since we seem to lack church whisperers), Jesus narrowed this down to

"Love God and love your neighbor as yourself." He also tells us in John quite simply, "Love one another." Let’s be honest, when we take an objective look at our world, even what we would consider the most Christian parts of it, we have to admit that the church has not stood out as an outstanding example of obedience.

Don’t give up hope. Pentecost is coming soon. At Pentecost we get reintroduced to the church whisperer. We know her better as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit arrives just in time to re-introduce us to what it means to love one another. By the way, she doesn’t even charge $10 an hour. Like all of God’s gifts to us the Spirit is free.

John

It is Maundy Thursday. I have just finished my Easter sermon. I was walking down to check a few things in the sanctuary for our worship tonight, and I walked past a little pre-school student waiting for her mom. She was so small and so innocent and looking so sad. Each time a car entered the parking lot she strained to see if it might be her mom. I told the teacher who was waiting with her that something about her reminded me of a baby bird that had accidentally fallen out of its nest and now sat helpless on the ground because it was unable to fly back home.

I wondered if this might have been the way Mary felt when her heart sank when the body of Jesus was not in the tomb. At first she runs to tell the others, then she returns still hoping to find the body. What color is your mom’s car, asked the teacher of the little girl? She looked up fighting back a tear and said, "I don’t remember." "That’s OK," said the teacher. "She will be here. Perhaps she got held up by the train." "Why are you crying?" the angels asked Mary, and she said, "They have taken my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." Mary sees a man standing there and thinks him to be the gardener. The man turns out to be Jesus, which she realizes when he calls out her name.

I just checked in the hall. Our little bird-out-of-the-nest girl is gone. Tears have been turned into a smile simply by a familiar face calling out a little girl’s name. Someone who felt forgotten has been remembered.

God has remembered to keep God’s promise to us as well. The difference, of course, is that, like the little girl, it felt like the promise was kept a bit later than it should have been. But in the case of God’s fulfillment of the promise to send Jesus to complete the business of the kingdom, it was right on time.

John

Children are just wonderful, aren’t they? My son and daughter-in-law give us our first grandchild and my daughter, not to be outdone, adopts a chocolate lab puppy to go along with the golden retriever she and her husband already have. Life is, after all, about competition.

Speaking of competition, the fact that life is not fair was proven to me again this week. The chair of General Motors is forced to resign and gets $20 million. I think he should be paid the severance in GM stock and told he can’t sell it for a year! The University of Kentucky hires a new basketball coach at a reported $35 million, proving that there is monetary value in being Italian! Of course we, the taxpayers, are not paying for the latter. That is unless we want to go to a Kentucky ballgame, then we get to share in the cost!

What have we learned? We have learned that life is all about winning, which is why Coach John Calipari can demand his salary—he is a proven winner. But the chair of General Motors has driven the company to the edge of bankruptcy and he got $20 million. Now we have to change the rules; life is all about winning or all about having a good lawyer-agent negotiate your contract.

We are only days away from a day to remember the biggest loser in history. On Good Friday we remember the one who went to the cross and gave it all to restore us and the rest of creation to God. Unlike our world that is so dominated by "me first" and looking out for number one, he assumed the form of a servant for us. If we want to follow his example we will not need a lawyer-agent, we only need a relationship with him. We will look like losers to all those out there seeking to negotiate the best deal, but the truth is we will be victors in the only game that matters, because, in the end, it was the only game that was real. In the end it was the only game that was not a game at all.

John

One of our Lectionary readings for March 22 was taken from Numbers 21:4-9. The reading is strange to say the least. It was difficult enough to make me leave town and saddle Kim with having to preach on it! The passage is about God sending a throng of snakes upon the Israelites as punishment for their whining.

To add to the curiosity of the timing of this reading, just last week a news story out of Florida reported a proliferation of snakes that had escaped from a pet store during a hurricane some time ago. The snakes are now breeding so fast that, according to the story, they may soon threaten the whole East Coast. It’s a bit dangerous to make the case that this is Florida’s punishment for election irregularities or two men’s NCAA basketball championships (though I understand some Carolina and Kentucky fans think it might be the latter). But I digress.

You may recall that this was not the first time the Israelites whined, but in those cases God responded with food and water. An ongoing theme of the Israelites’ experience in the wilderness was that they kept forgetting how bad they had it back in Egypt. The memory loss resulted in their idolizing the past and wanting to return. They responded to the situation by quarrelling and blaming their leaders, primarily Moses. This is the kind of thing that always happens when the economy fails. It might make you think about Washington politicians, who often are long on complaint and short on solutions. But again I digress.

Whereas in the past God had responded to the whining with generosity, this time God visits them with a pretty severe punishment. The text does not tell us this, but Moses, who was having kind of a "Billy Gillespie-type moment" might have been cheering for the snakes! These unrepentant people faced with the snakes become obedient and repentant. These impatient people had to face the fact that they were now dealing with a sovereign God. They realized that bucking against the rule of God was self-destructive.

When the people changed their tune, God also changed God’s tune and took a live serpent and turned it into a cultic object. Here the story becomes particularly difficult for us with our scientific orientation. Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann writes that, confusing as the story may be for us, two claims can be made. "First, the serpent of bronze is surely to be understood sacramentally. Its claim and function are not in principle different from the evangelical claim that "bread and wine" mediate the "body and blood" in saving ways. Second, the Gospel reading of John 3:14 understands the lifted-up bronze serpent to be a type of anticipation of the "lifted up" crucified Jesus.

Odd as that claim may be, this lifted-up One stands at the center of a redefined existence. The narrative invites us to be "recentered" around that gift of new life."

And that, as the dear departed Paul Harvey would have said, is "the rest of the story."

John

I grew up in an old tenement house on the land my dad farmed in North Carolina. When mom and dad got married they moved in with his parents. My grandmother Roper, bless her sweet heart, thought that tact was only something that applied to boats. She fussed about how my mom cooked, dropped hints that she was overweight and just basically drove my mom to distraction. She and dad had picked out a piece of property to build a house on, but then the boll weevil came along and ate the cotton crop in 1949, and that was the end of that. That was also the year I was born—great timing, right? Mom decided she couldn’t take it anymore, and since no one was living in one of the houses on the Purcell place, Mom decided she would rather stare at the ground through the floor of the rickety old house than stare at her mother-in-law across the table one more day!

After we moved in we discovered that almost everything in the place was falling apart. The sink in one bathroom was literally hanging off the wall by a thread, and Mom asked Dad to fix it because she wanted to have the circle over for a meeting. Unfortunately my Uncle Smiley was always volunteering to fix things. You remember Uncle Smiley; he was my great-uncle who married my grandmother after my grandfather died. (It’s biblical, but chances are if you aren’t from the south, you would never understand.)

Interestingly enough when my grandmother and grandfather married, they had to elope to New York. Why, you might ask? Because he was a Democrat and she was a Republican. In fact she was the only registered Republican in Hoke County, North Carolina at the time. When she and Uncle Smiley married, they also eloped to New York! But back to the slipping sink. Uncle Smiley came to fix it the day before the circle meeting. Now Uncle Smiley was not a man who cared much about appearances. When he got to fat for his pants, he just had "V’s" sewn in rear seam. He was a war veteran and called them his "V" for victory pants! After he had finished working in the bathroom, Mom came in to find that he had wrapped wire around the facets and nailed the wire into wall behind the sink. Then he took a tobacco stick, cut it in half, and braced it under the front of the sink for support. I don’t think I should tell you what my mom said when she saw his work!

I thought about Uncle Smiley as I taped my microphone to my face each Sunday. This was necessary because I just moved around too much. It actually worked rather effectively, but it did have a few downsides in addition to my dapper appearance. I had to make sure I placed the tape in the exact same spot each Sunday. Our sound consultant recommended another microphone, and I used it last Sunday. It stayed in place without tape. I could have lived with the old microphone; I am just not that picky about such things. But it reminded me of one thing, for which I am very thankful—that was not the attitude that the building committee, nor you, the congregation, took toward the sanctuary. It looks good and it sounds good. When I stand up to read the scripture each Sunday, I say, "Listen to the word of God to you." If God is speaking to you in that word—and we believe that God is—then it is very important that you hear every word. I confess I am not sure we will ever achieve such perfection for every single person sitting in the congregation. But I am very happy that we are committed to giving it our best shot.

John