Valois United Church

This sermon (for September 9, 2007) was written as we begin our interim ministry period together

Exodus 13:17-18, 20-22 Walking with God
Psalm 118:14-24 Open the gates!
Luke 4:1-15 A time to reflect,
A time to prepare

Things weren’t going well in Egypt, so Moses gathered the people together and headed off through the sea - which parted for them, across the wilderness, following the pillars of fire and smoke, picking up the 10 commandments on the way, and arriving in the promised land.

That sounds so very easy and straight forward. A new beginning for the people in the promised land. From here to there, with a clear sign as to where to go in every moment.

Except that really does not reflect reality.

Reality was that many of the people wanted to turn back to Egypt before they ever even crossed the sea.

Reality was that they had problems - like at Marah, where the waters were salt waters and not fit to drink, and everyone was thirsty, and they all came to Moses and said “WHY DID YOU BRING US HERE????”

Or the days they had nothing to eat, and they came to Moses and said “DID YOU BRING US HERE TO DIE????”

Reality was that they had no idea where they were going to end up. They had no idea what land the “promised land” was.

Reality was that the journey was 40 years long. It does not take that long to get from Egypt to Israel, even by foot. Not at all. But they spent 40 years in the wilderness before they could see the promised land.

And Moses did not go into the promised land with them.

Well, Valois United Church has left its past is looking for its future.
And, because we’re human beings, many people have wanted to go back to the time with Rev. Doug Stewart who served you well.

And then you heard that you would not be calling a regular minister right away, that you were looking at supply ministers and an interim, and I have not heard, but I can imagine that many wanted to say to the leaders and to Presbytery “WHY DID YOU BRING US HERE????”

And reality is that you don’t know exactly where you’re going to end up; you don’t know exactly what the life of Valois United Church will be in two years.

And reality is that this process is not the process of a day or a week, but that we are in it for two years.

And yet, the people with Moses got there, to their destination, even though they did not know what there destination was going to be.

And their faith grew on the journey.
And their sense of God - which varied from day to day, week to week, overall their sense of God in their lives increased over that time.
And their sense of who they were, and what they were to be and to do, became clearer over time.

Well, I’m not Moses. And I’m not here for 40 years.
Yet even though we don’t our exact destination, there are some things that we do know.

We do know that our faith will grow on the journey.
Our sense of God will increase over our time together.
And your sense of who Valois United Church is, and what it is to be and what it is to do, will become clearer over time.

AND
We know that we will walk together, you and I.
And we know that we walk in the presence of God.

I have a book on my shelves by a Japanese theologian. The title of the book is “Three Mile an Hour God.” The part of the book with the same name reflects upon the Exodus experience - the experience where God travels with the people, at their speed - at three miles per hour.... or 5 km per hour, if you prefer.

We, over the next two years, travel with our Three Mile per Hour God.... who walks with us at our pace, as we find our way into the future

I’ve said that we don’t exactly know where we’re going together. Your transitional committee, though, even before my arrival, had established some preliminary goals for this period. I have been happy to see these preliminary goals around – goals that include such things as congregational organization, dealing with history, communication, etc.

In June, the Transition Committee met, and I was able to be there, and we worked on these goals, and added some things that are still brewing. One that is emerging is about identity and mission:
What is Valois United Church?
Why have a Valois United Church?

Did you know that there are 11 other United Churches within 10 km of here?
And I have no idea how many other churches are in that circle.... LOTS!

So... what if we are talking to someone in two years, what are we going to say to them about why they might want to be involved with Valois United Church?

Or... will there be something to say? If Valois United Church has nothing to offer that others don’t, then why bother? One could sell the building, moving in with another congregation, and use the funds for something.

But.... if Valois United does have something special for today and tomorrow - not just memories in the past - that let’s figure out exactly what it is and how to explain it to the world around us!!!

I think this can be an interesting journey....
Not necessarily an easy one, but an interesting one!

But then.... we are a people of faith:

An interesting map is on display in the British Museum in London. It's an old mariner's chart, drawn in 1525, outlining the North American coastline and adjacent waters. The cartographer made some intriguing notations on areas of the map that represented regions not yet explored. He wrote: "Here be giants," "Here be fiery scorpions," and "Here be dragons." Eventually, the map came into the possession of Sir John Franklin, a British explorer in the early 1800s. Scratching out the fearful inscriptions, he wrote these words across the map: "Here is God."

When we look to the future, we may see giants and fiery scorpions and dragons. But let us look more closely, in faith: in the future, we should see God.

We are a people of faith. We are a people ready to face the future, knowing God is with us.

Can we know the future of this congregation?

Many people, experts, have tried to tell the future:

Theoretically, television may be feasible, but I consider it an impossibility--a development which we should waste little time dreaming about.
Lee de Forest, 1926, inventor of the cathode ray tube.

I think there is a world market for about five computers.
Thomas J. Watson, 1943, Chairman of the Board of IBM.

We don't think the Beatles will do anything in their market. Guitar groups are on their way out.
Recording company expert, 1962.

These experts did not know the future in their fields.
We cannot know the future of this congregation.

But, while we are discovering it, we will walk together

And, as Corrie Ten Boom stated:
Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.