April 17, 2005

With Glad and Generous Hearts

by Julianne Stokstad

When I wonder as I do sometimes about Jesus and about the resurrection, what deeply inspires me is the church and the fact that it is here at all. When you think about those few discouraged followers of Jesus, it is nothing short of a miracle that somehow, in some way, they were inspired and encouraged to create community, empowered to create the church. It can only be the work of our God.

As I thought about our scripture today I wondered why this particular story is recorded and what it has to teach us here at our church in San Rafael today. We are in the season of Easter time, celebrating the presence of the Risen Christ and all it brings. To be sure, something significant must have happened to change those dis-spirited disciples into the vibrant apostles that formed the early church described here. This passage tells us how intentional awareness of God's presence can affect a community.

It was with glad and generous hearts they came together teaching and learning, sharing and praying. Focused on God, there was confidence their needs would be met. Together as they shared, there was enough so none were ever hungry. It was such an attractive community others wanted what these early believers had found and their numbers increased.

I see gratitude, joyfulness and generosity in the first community and as I see it, here. I notice there is no mention of looking backwards, either to the horrors they had seen and experienced or to the great loss. How often do we look back to what we think were better times---when we were younger, when we were not sick, when we had not been betrayed or maybe we cannot let go of the past. It is also interesting that there is no mention of fear in this passage. In fact, there isn't anything negative at all. How often do we act out of our fear - - - trying to hide our secrets, trying to control others around us, trying to prevent change from happening. Instead they seem to be focused and inspired on what seems a too-good-to-be-true description of a communal life of radical sharing and acceptance.

For me, it is easier to experience this kind of ideal community on a silent retreat. I find it much easier to love everyone when no one contradicts or complains, when human sinfulness recedes because no one says anything and I don't have to forgive anyone for anything. Maybe it is the purity of our common focus on God that brings us to awareness of loving concern for all. It is so much easier to be loving when all of our needs are being met and all are sharing and helping. I wonder who did the cleaning up for this early church. Was it the same few women like it is around here?

It is easy to get cross and impatient with those who aren't generous, those who seem preoccupied and selfish. We don't ever know anyone's full situation or story until we have walked in their shoes. How many of them don't know God in their lives. They don't know of the incredible power of God's love that so fills the empty holes in our lives, that when we know this there is only the desire to give and help others.

So how does this scripture apply to our community right here on Hunger Sunday? Do you find the presence of God here amidst our community? Do you see Christ's face here? I don't know how much awe there is among the old-timers (those who are used to being here), but I find myself in awe of all that happens around here, all the kindness and all the generosity of spirit. I find all the big and little ways people are able to care for each other both in and outside our community wonderful. In the Church Profile the church was described in these words: "there is a strong sense of community here; there is generosity of spirit, money and time; this community is like a family that likes to do things together and watch out for each other and this church is highly committed to mission work."

Our church's commitment to serving others, not just taking care of our own, is clear. A list of current mission activities boggles one's mind. Actions include: Pilgrim Park, an affordable well-maintained housing project which we initiated, constructed and oversee; two Head Start programs; active involvement in Marin Interfaith Council; active involvement in Habitat for Humanity; providing meals once a month for Ritter Center; active involvement in the Crop Walk and in addition to our denominational outreach, we support VAMOS through Every Dollar Feeds Kids and Bread for the World and all this doesn't even begin to count the numerous ways in which members individually serve our community.

This church cares about affordable housing and homelessness. This church cares about the economic disparity and about protecting the environment. This I know and yet, with all these activities, the church hopes for increased local mission.

An interesting opportunity has presented itself. Several weeks ago, three of us, Carol Saysette, Sue Spofford and I, went to an organizational and information workshop for Marin Organizing Committee. It is a broad-based organization whose purpose is to empower people within member institutions to build a coalition to work together to influence policy on issues chosen by the member institutions. I'd never been involved in anything like this before so when I was called and invited, I was curious. Now I am very excited about this opportunity. What I want to do is tell you what I've learned.

Three years ago five Marin clergy started to discuss the possibility of forming a broad-based organization that could address issues that affect the poor, immigrants and under-served groups within Marin County as they arose. Soon, it became clear the clergy alone couldn't take on such a big additional task and that an organizer was needed. Slowly it has grown, and now there are 25 institutions.

The intention is to empower people to act collectively, because together much more can be done. In order for this to work, people need to build relationships of trust and respect, building community. I was inspired by the diversity of people, yet with a passion for justice that was very similar to mine. I had significant conversations with a Buddhist Priest from Green Gulch Farm (who I heard preached on the meeting last week); a Jewish program director from Temple Kol Shofar; a Hispanic director of a social service agency who works with immigrant parents and a lawyer who's spent years working for Juvenile Justice.

Last week a friend gave me a book, Bowling Alone, written by a Harvard sociologist, saying it is a must-read book. Incredibly well researched and documented, it reveals how Americans have become increasingly disconnected from each other and how social structures, be they PTA, church or political parties, have disintegrated. While I've only read the summaries at the end of each chapter, it documents what we've all seen and observed. These cultural forces, which are pushing us into selfishness, isolation and fear, must be countered. This Committee is a way of reconnecting and working together locally.

We are planning a meeting of the four UCC churches in Marin County to see how our small churches might together gather resources to join. I am excited about bringing together our UCC churches. Our Board of Homeland Ministries has supported activities like this. Here we have to face the question of how much energy and leadership is available for yet another activity, no matter how wonderful it is. While I know there is much yet to be learned, I am hopeful that some in this community will be interested in considering how we can be a part of a coming together here that can help us all to accomplish something we could not do alone.

These days, the geese are flying north. They depend on one other like we must within our community. Flying as they do in the wedge formation, the lead goose does most of the work and when it gets tired, it falls back and another goose takes its place. The geese fly in the wake of one another's wings. They literally get a lift from one another. (Gunilla Norris, Journeying in Place). And so it is in our individual lives, we are not alone. And here too, in this church. It is like that as well out in our community. Together, we can do so much more. With glad and generous hearts, let us consider and explore how we can be a part of a bigger community.