UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST in SIMI VALLEY
Second Sunday After Epiphany - January 19, 2003
Ecumenical Sunday - Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday
Congregational Annual Meeting
Anne G. Cohen
1 Samuel 3:1-20
For Our Reflection:
Many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today,
have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and
they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to
our freedom... We cannot walk alone... And as we walk, we must make the
pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back... We can
never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable
horrors of police brutality... I have a dream my four little children
will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color
of their skin but by the content of their character...
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963
As one can ascend to the top of a house by means of a ladder or a bamboo
or a staircase or a rope, so divers are the ways and means to approach
God, and every religion in the world shows one of these ways.
- Sri Ramakrishna, His Life and Sayings (1899)
Hook and Ladder
Scripture is filled with metaphors and word
play. Because most of us
are not fluent in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, we lose most of this in
translation.
and symbolic of the currently accepted five. He uses every metaphorical
device known to first century Jewish Christians to help them connect
Jesus to earlier scriptural references to Messiah, Wisdom, King
David
and, of course, God's own Divine Self.
In today's story, young men whom we would call the Disciples are
beginning to recognize the man Jesus as God's Anointed messenger - and
collect around him to hear his words, take them to heart and become a
force to reckon with.
is first century audience of Jewish Christians at deeper levels. You
can just hear him laying out these images word by word.
Page Two
In this text, Jesus sees Nathanael approaching and
calls out for all to
hear, "Here is truly an ISRAELITE in whom there is no DECEIT!" (v.47)
Everyone KNOWS, of course, that Jacob - in Genesis 32:28 - is renamed
God" - a name describing Jacob's night-long wrestling match with the
angel.
And EVERYONE knows that - in Genesis 27:35 - Jacob's father, Isaac,
curses him as DECEITFUL for having stolen his older brother, Esau's,
birthright and blessing.
The audience is delighted by this connection between Nathanael
and
themselves - as Israelite disciples - God wrestlers who are NOT
deceitful.
This story has been built upon the previous story - in
where, like the angel, Jesus renames Simon - giving him the new name of
Kepha (Aramaic) or
Kepha/Petra/Peter).
And THEN
where Jesus says, "Very truly, I tell [all of] you, you will see heaven
opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of
What image is he referencing? Genesis 28:12, of course
- Jacob's dream
about a ladder or stairway or ramp [or escalator] that connects earth
and heaven.
But HERE, this ladder IS the Son of Man, it IS Jesus. The Disciples are
standing in the presence of THE LADDER, THE WAY, THE
CONDUIT for
communication with GOD.
Lights go on, bells ring, there is a deep communal
sigh of recognition
throughout the audience. AHHHHHHH.
Then, of course, time goes by. There is a larger and larger breach
between Orthodox Jews and Jewish Christians. An institution SEPARATE
from the Synagogue - called Church - is formed and then formalized. The
Church perceives itself to be The Body of Christ, carrying into the
present and future the ROLES of Jesus/Messiah/Anointed One/Son of
Man/Christ in the World. Referencing THIS Gospel of
plethora of metaphors for Jesus - Door, Shepherd, Cup and Bread of Life,
Light of the World, Jacob's Ladder - the Church see's
itself as the
embodiment of these things in every age and place.
Page Three
Along comes the United Church of Christ in The Eastern
Region of Ventura
County. Here is one more manifestation of this particular heavenly
ladder. This congregation is thoroughly aware that it is not the only
ladder in town. And this congregation is cognizant of the fact that
Christianity is not the only
conduit between heaven and earth.
As one can ascend to the top of a house by means of a ladder or a bamboo
or a staircase or a rope, so divers are the ways and means to approach
God, and every religion in the world shows one of these ways.
- Sri Ramakrishna, His Life and Sayings (1899)
And this congregation, this particular Body, in an effort to be clear
about who it is and its role in this community and the call that it is
responding to - continues to explore a variety of Christian adaptations
of Jewish metaphors - as well as those from other faiths. You have
declared this to be useful and I have found it to be fun and many of us
have found it to be meaningful.
So, for today's audiences and sensibilities, the ladder metaphor is
incomplete without the HOOK - bringing to mind the HOOK AND LADDER. And
the image of the church as a fire fighting company has some amount of
relevancy. Not being as familiar as I might be with fire fighting
terminology, I went looking for descriptions of the Hook And
Ladder.
Here's a bit of history from Friendship Fire Department in
Jersey
Ladders are an important fire fighting tool on the fire ground. Not
only can they help rescue trapped occupants but they also allow access
to upper floors for fire fighting. Until modern times fire[fighters]
had no way to breathe in smoky buildings in order to get close enough to
apply water to the fire. Ladders help fire[fighters]
gain access to
upper floors and roofs to attack the fire.
Hooks were used to pull down straw roofs, wood walls, hay or whatever
was burning so that the fire did not spread and so that water could be
applied in the most effective manner. Modern hooks
range from 3 feet to
12 feet and larger. Since the larger hooks were so long they were
kept
on the ladder truck which was long enough to carry the ladders. Fire
companies organized themselves into hook and ladder
companies.
-http://www.jersey.net/-dwayne/hist5b.htm
Page Four
If the church, THIS church, is the Body of Christ - which is to say that
it is, among other things, a ladder connecting heaven and earth - and in
MANY modern ways, it is a hook and ladder company in service to the
community - answering calls for help and partnership - running to be of
assistance with sirens and bells and shouts of "HERE I AM!" - then
several questions come to mind.
HOW ARE WE DOING?
HOW IS OUR EQUIPMENT? MODERN ENOUGH? IN GOOD CONDITION AND REPAIR?
RELEVANT TO THE SITUATION WE ARE IN?
ARE WE UPDATED IN OUR TRAINING SO THAT WE KNOW HOW TO USE THIS EQUIPMENT
MOST EFFECTIVELY?
ARE WE USING OUR HOOKS TO PULL DOWN JUST THE BURNING PARTS OR ARE WE
MAKING BIGGER HOLES THAN NECESSARY?
IS OUR LADDER FULLY EXTENDED AND IS IT HEADED TOWARD THE RIGHT WINDOW -
SO THAT ANGELS AND HUMANS MIGHT ASCEND OR DESCEND AS NECESSARY?
CAN WE DISCERN QUICKLY BETWEEN TRUE EMERGENCIES AND FALSE ALARMS? CAN
WE RECOGNIZE OUR CALLING AMID THE CACOPHONY OF CONFLICTING NEEDS AND
WANTS?
ARE WE LISTENING FOR THE ALARM AND RESPONDING WITH ENOUGH ALACRITY TO BE
OF USE TO THOSE WHO ARE DESPERATE, SUFFERING, DYING, LOSING, EVERYTHING,
DEPENDING ON GOD TO SEND A LADDER BEFORE ITS TOO LATE...?
Its just a metaphor - its just a play with words -
right?
Or is it?
Stay for our Company Annual Meeting today.
Come to the Interim Interludes starting next Sunday.
Come play and work and explore...
and find out.
***************************
BULLETIN
Music for Gathering
Welcome and Perspective on the Day
Musical Preparation for Worship - A Time for Centering
+ Call to Worship Masithi Hymnal # 760
+ Hymn of Praise God of Change and Glory Hymnal # 177
+ Opening Litany
One: I call that church free which enters into covenant with the
ultimate source of existence?
Many: That sustaining and transforming power not made with human
hands.
One: It binds together families and generations, protecting against
the idolatry of any human claim to absolute truth or authority.
Many: This covenant is the charter and responsibility and joy of
worship in the face of death as well as life.
One: I call that church free which brings individuals into a caring,
trusting fellowship?
Many: That protects and nourishes their integrity and spiritual
freedom; that yearns to belong to the church universal.
One: It is open to insight and conscience from every source; it
bursts through rigid tradition, giving rise to new and living language,
to
new and broader fellowship.
Many: It is a pilgrim church, a servant church, on an adventure of the
spirit.
One: The goal is the prophethood and priesthood of
all believers,
the one for the liberty of prophesying, the other for the ministry of
healing.
Many: It aims to find unity in diversity under the promptings of the
spirit "That bloweth
where it listeth- and maketh
all things new."
Time for Silent Reflection
One: My soul waits in silence.
All: God is my rock and my fortress.
I will be at peace.
Silent Reflection
The Assurance of Good News (unison)
Every breath is a gift from God.
Every heartbeat is God?s
own heart at work in us. Such love is
unimaginable and yet so real. Hallelujah!
Sung Response
Hallelujah - God be praised!
Reception of Susan Brecht into Church Membership
Invitation
Affirmation of Covenant
Right Hand of Fellowship
Response of the Congregation (unison)
We welcome you with joy into the common life of this church.
We promise you our continuing friendship and prayers
as we share the hopes and labors of the Church.
By the power of the Holy Spirit may we continue to grow together in
God's knowledge and love and truly be witnesses
to the power of God in the healing of our world.
Amen! Hallelujah! Hooray!
Conversation with Our Children Martin's Big Words by Doreen
Rappaport
Reading from the Jewish Scriptures 1 Samuel 3:1-2
Call and Response Here IAm, Lord
Reading from the Christian Gospels
Teaching and Proclamation Hook and Ladder Anne Cohen
Intercessions, Celebrations and Encouragements
Taize Call to Prayer (sung in unison)
Ubi caritas et amor,
Ubi caritas, Deus ibi est.
(Where charity and love are found, God is there.)
Time for Silence
Our Joys and Concerns and an Offering of Prayer
Sung Response In Solitude Hymnal #521 vv. 1 & 2
We Offer Our Gifts So That Our Lives May Be Our Prayer
Offertory
Prayer of Dedication (unison) Nancy Pries
We shall never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world; indeed it?s
the only thing that ever
has. May we change the world in ways that sustain the world.
Amen.
+ Sending Hymn O God, We Bear the Imprint of Your Face Hymnal # 585
+ Commissioning (unison)
Let us go our ways, knowing not the answers to all things,
yet seeking always the answer to one more thing than we know.
+ Sung Response Hush,Hush Hymnal # 604 v.1
Hush, Hush, Somebody's Calling My Name
Hush, Hush, Somebody's Calling My Name
Oh, Hush, Hush, Somebody's Calling My Name
O my God, O my God, what shall I do? What shall I do?
+ Postlude
WORSHIP NOTES:
The cross marks (+) in the order of service are an invitation for those
in the congregation who are able to stand to do so.
The New Century Hymnal or ?Hymnal? has
a black cover.
The Chapel Songbook is a blue, looseleaf notebook.
Opening Litany is by James Luther Adams, found in Singing
the Living
Tradition #591, Beacon Press, Unitarian Universalist
Association.
Prayer of Dedication is based on a quotation from Margaret Mead.
Commissioning is by
Living Tradition #687, Beacon Press, Unitarian Universalist
Association.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Ubi Caritas from Songs and Prayers from Taize/, copyright © 1991, Les
Presses de Taize/ (
Inc., Chicago, exclusive agent. Reprinted under license
no.10293. All
rights reserved.