June 26, 2005

Welcoming the One Sent

by Hilary Spaulding and Julianne Stokstad

"Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."

Hilary: Jesus comforted the disciples with this message prior to sending them forth on their mission to be among their own people; Jesus sent them to heal the people of all sickness, cast out demons, and proclaim the Good News of the coming of God's abundance and in this text of scripture, Jesus assures his disciples that they are sent by him and as such, he says, "all who welcome you welcome me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."

Each of us is sent by God. All of us - each one of us - shares in this life as prophet; called to heal; called to share in the message of God's Abundance. Now when we look at this verse passage, what is it saying to us? When we encounter a person in our lives... Are we open in welcoming that person with just the smallest amount of hospitality as a cup of cold water? Have you ever given someone a cup of water and begun just the smallest start on a conversation and have it lead to quite an astounding conversation.

Often in my encounters as a chaplain at UCSF I was amazed what I learned about myself when I was called into a crisis situation, or made just a routine visit. I learned the art of the art of healing touch and I could sense a person's pain in my hands and I lived this particular text passage most fully sharing the good news of God's Abundance.

At UCSF the cup of cold water was the baptismal waters poured on the little ones in ICU welcomed into the Christian Family. As minister I was invited to baptize babies who were in critical care. We gathered together large families, once 18 people in the unit, marked the child with the sign of the cross, poured the waters of Baptism, held hands at the Ancient Prayer, and shed tears of joy and sorrow, as we hugged the parents. A cup of cold water poured.

My dear friend Nancy, from college days, shared a story she had this week about ones sent. Just last week she was having her deck redone. Somehow the door to the deck was opened. When she tried closing it, she fell a flight down; landed in the bushes below. She yelled for help. The neighbor she least expected came to her rescue. The two of them had really never been able to really make a start in a friendship. In a heap, waiting for the ambulance, Nancy asked her for a cup of water. The neighbor knew that an offering of water would not be good for Nancy at this time, but she felt so helpless to fill this need that when Nancy came home from the hospital the neighbor brought over a wonderful basket of bottled waters.

Julianne: I will be considering some of the things that keep us from welcoming others, from giving or receiving the cup of cold water. It is important to recognize up front that there are costs associated with this radical hospitality, whether it is personal or communal. First, there are financial costs. Though water is free, it can be expensive to pay for food and living expenses, if we invite someone in. Second, there are personal costs, involving time, stress and emotional costs. Third, we must be aware there is a possibility of danger. To be sure these are real concerns to keep in mind but they need not become impossible barriers. We need awareness and clear boundaries.

There are a number of different blocks as well. First are our judgment and/or blame of other people, especially those who are different from us. We all have attitudes, often learned at our mother's knees. For example, there are big differences about the poor in our society---some feel they are helpless victims of circumstance while other feel they are poor because of their own laziness. I think there is also in most of us a fear of contamination. By that I mean if we associate with those who have behavior we find offensive or wrong, it might rub off on us or those around us. Our Conference Minister Mary Susan Gast told a story in her sermon at the Asilomar meeting about a local UCC church dealing with a registered sex offender who wants to worship in their community. This example brings up fear in most of us and makes us realize how very challenging it is to welcome everyone.

Fear is a big block for most of us. Fear of any of the costs: fear of not having enough time, money, or strength. Many of us fear being taken advantage of, especially if we have experienced that in our lives. There are also barriers of culture and language. At the recent Pilgrim Park picnic, the church folk all sat at one table and didn't mingle with the very people we care so much for. It is understandable, we don't know them, we don't know their language, and it makes for a barrier.

Probably the biggest block for most of us is self-centeredness. We are too busy with our own activities and don't want more to do. We care about others, in the abstract, but it is just too hard to disrupt our frantic lives. There is the feeling I've already done this, I don't need to be bothered. There is the feeling; it's none of my business. The blocks are there for all of us and they were there for people in Jesus' time as well. Jesus calls us to reach out, to overcome whatever barriers we have, to welcome others.

Hilary: I chose to join the UCC because it was an ONA church, because I was looking for a church that was radically inclusive. It wasn't enough that this Church would not discriminate against me as a Divorced Woman; A woman who after many years of marriage to an Asian man has raised four children and become a woman of two races; A woman who seeks ordination. I wanted a Church that was skating on the edge. A Church willing to open its doors to everyone; One that would shower the sacraments as God's great awe and blessing; and one that had what Kenan Osborne, my dear Franciscan School of Theology Advisor, would call Freewheeling Table-Fellowship.

I decided to check out the UCC after looking at the Pacific School of Religion web-site and the UCC website. I discovered that the First Congregational Church of San Rafael was within minutes from my house in Terra Linda. I attended several services of the UCC church. The first Sunday, the intern-minister, Susan Brecht and the community welcomed Bruce and me. The worship space was inviting, the music was an easy pitch and the voices were delightful. I felt the presence of Christ in the community gathered. A guest preacher spoke on Crop Walk and Refugees. I felt like a spiritual refugee that Sunday welcomed into this church. You offered me a warm smile, an open hand, a warm embrace and a cup of something to drink.

On our second visit to the First Congregational Church of San Rafael there was a minister who preached on the call of Jeremiah. She said that realistically woman hadn't been called like the prophet Jeremiah. Well or it hadn't been written down quite that way. She went on to talk about the UCC's 150 years of ordaining woman. When she spoke the words of thanksgiving and then the words and acts of blessing I could feel the tears well in my eyes. It is always such a beautiful and powerful moment for me when a woman consecrates. Tom played women's compositions on the piano. Awesome.

The third Sunday that I came to visit was lay preaching. I was blessed to hear three of the members speaking from the heart, from the experience of their lives; Living in abundance even in times of turbulence and confusion. The nets were cast in faith, and the fishing was good that day. You welcomed Bruce and I as members in this church at Easter 2004.

Julianne: The challenge to us, in the UCC, is given to us in our God is Still Speaking campaign of radical hospitality. What that means is sharing Jesus' powerful contagious love to all. We are called to welcome everyone, no matter who they are, no matter where they are on their spiritual journey. You have heard Hilary's witness to the fact that she felt that radical welcome here. The cup of cold water is the giving of this love generously to all in our lives.

Jesus calls us to welcome everyone. To welcome is to become and to welcome is to become what is welcomed. It is indeed an awesome task. May we live up to God's radical hospitality. Amen.