St. Margaret's Sermon Archive
Pentecost IV - Rev. Caron Gwynn - 6/24/07
“In the name of the one God, creator, redeemer and sanctifier” Amen.
In 1980, District of Columbia residents formally passed an initiative that established a constitutional convention for a new state. However, since 1982, re-introductions to Congress to enact this proposed state constitution, which seeks the admission of Washington, D.C. to become known as “New Columbia”, the 51st state, has failed to be ratified to date. In the mean time, the District’s representative to Congress works very closely with other state Congresspersons to acquire legislative benefits such as equal voting rights through the passage of the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment. Here in lies the question of what constitutes full membership with all rights and privileges that accompanies membership within the body of Congress. The distinction between governances of a city and a state is the major matter at hand with challenges for creating equality that would remove divisions pertaining to voting practices in this country for all of its tax paying residents.
The early church faced issues of examining distinctions placed upon Christians in Galatia. The Galatians, following Paul’s evangelizing efforts within their churches, struggled with maintaining the apostle’s teachings to them while being pressured by different teachings from the Judiazers. Here in lies the question of full membership with all rights and privileges that accompanies membership within the body of the people of God. The Judiazers were Christians who held tight to the customary Jewish teaching of the Torah, specifically the necessity of maintaining certain forms of works outlined in the Law of Moses such as circumcision or following strict dietary habits for salvation.
Apostle Paul taught the Galatians, they were no longer bounded to the Mosaic Law to have salvation. He did not want them to forget where and to whom to place their faith. In other words meaning their trust. Paul reminds us as he did the Galatians that the faithfulness of Jesus set all of humanity free from the enslavement of sin. The death and resurrection of Jesus revealed the gracious works of God in the world for them and for our salvation. Our trust in God bounds us to maintain faith in Christ.
Paul espoused to the early church Christians then and all Christians now that there are no divisions within the Body of Christ. No divisions exist because there is equal opportunity within the faith community for all persons to be recipients of salvation without distinctions across ethnicity, socioeconomic standards, gender, or any governance that possibly creates divisions regarding full membership for the people of God. This scripture speaks to us today as our Church is encountering membership and full communion issues globally.
Last week our rector conducted two baptisms in our church. One of the sacramental acts performed during all baptisms includes making the sign of the cross, with anointing oil, on the forehead signifying marking the newly baptized as belonging to Christ sealed by the Holy Spirit (BCP, p.308). Official membership among the people of God begins with growing with faith in God covered by the love of Jesus.
Yesterday, at The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, six persons from this parish were among fifty people who were confirmed, received, and reaffirmed into the Episcopal Church. We celebrated the beginning of new life and new growth for the Church that is covered by the love of Jesus. This is a major step of intentional commitment of dedicating one’s life and demonstrated stewardship with full membership to sustain the life of the Church. These persons join fellow Christians on the walk of faith sealed as a child of God.
The service yesterday, was a witness and a testament that the invitation to “taste and see the goodness of the Lord” (“Taste and See” from Lift Every Voice and Sing, p. 54) is for all people with no distinctions or divisions in the house of God. Likewise all persons are welcome at St. Margaret’s to break bread in fellowship at the table of the Lord. Amen.
In 1980, District of Columbia residents formally passed an initiative that established a constitutional convention for a new state. However, since 1982, re-introductions to Congress to enact this proposed state constitution, which seeks the admission of Washington, D.C. to become known as “New Columbia”, the 51st state, has failed to be ratified to date. In the mean time, the District’s representative to Congress works very closely with other state Congresspersons to acquire legislative benefits such as equal voting rights through the passage of the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment. Here in lies the question of what constitutes full membership with all rights and privileges that accompanies membership within the body of Congress. The distinction between governances of a city and a state is the major matter at hand with challenges for creating equality that would remove divisions pertaining to voting practices in this country for all of its tax paying residents.
The early church faced issues of examining distinctions placed upon Christians in Galatia. The Galatians, following Paul’s evangelizing efforts within their churches, struggled with maintaining the apostle’s teachings to them while being pressured by different teachings from the Judiazers. Here in lies the question of full membership with all rights and privileges that accompanies membership within the body of the people of God. The Judiazers were Christians who held tight to the customary Jewish teaching of the Torah, specifically the necessity of maintaining certain forms of works outlined in the Law of Moses such as circumcision or following strict dietary habits for salvation.
Apostle Paul taught the Galatians, they were no longer bounded to the Mosaic Law to have salvation. He did not want them to forget where and to whom to place their faith. In other words meaning their trust. Paul reminds us as he did the Galatians that the faithfulness of Jesus set all of humanity free from the enslavement of sin. The death and resurrection of Jesus revealed the gracious works of God in the world for them and for our salvation. Our trust in God bounds us to maintain faith in Christ.
Paul espoused to the early church Christians then and all Christians now that there are no divisions within the Body of Christ. No divisions exist because there is equal opportunity within the faith community for all persons to be recipients of salvation without distinctions across ethnicity, socioeconomic standards, gender, or any governance that possibly creates divisions regarding full membership for the people of God. This scripture speaks to us today as our Church is encountering membership and full communion issues globally.
Last week our rector conducted two baptisms in our church. One of the sacramental acts performed during all baptisms includes making the sign of the cross, with anointing oil, on the forehead signifying marking the newly baptized as belonging to Christ sealed by the Holy Spirit (BCP, p.308). Official membership among the people of God begins with growing with faith in God covered by the love of Jesus.
Yesterday, at The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, six persons from this parish were among fifty people who were confirmed, received, and reaffirmed into the Episcopal Church. We celebrated the beginning of new life and new growth for the Church that is covered by the love of Jesus. This is a major step of intentional commitment of dedicating one’s life and demonstrated stewardship with full membership to sustain the life of the Church. These persons join fellow Christians on the walk of faith sealed as a child of God.
The service yesterday, was a witness and a testament that the invitation to “taste and see the goodness of the Lord” (“Taste and See” from Lift Every Voice and Sing, p. 54) is for all people with no distinctions or divisions in the house of God. Likewise all persons are welcome at St. Margaret’s to break bread in fellowship at the table of the Lord. Amen.