In the sanctuary of Fourth
Presbyterian Church in Chicago, I looked up from my seat to see a large bird
hanging from the rafters. Its body and
neck were made from a guitar; its head, wings, and feathers were constructed
out of strips of paper. The story behind
the bird is a story of transformation.
Earlier in the week, more than
600 Presbyterians assembled for the 2015 NEXT Church National Gathering. NEXT Church is a network that began among
Presbyterian Church leaders who “believe the ‘church that is becoming’ is a
church that is faithful, fruitful, diverse, and engaged in sharing good news of
Jesus Christ in a changing world.” The
theme of this year’s 3-day gathering was “Beyond Our Walls, Our Fears,
Ourselves: Encountering God’s
Transforming Grace.”
At opening worship on the first
morning, we found our bulletins contained a strip of paper cut from familiar
documents: old hymnals, Book of Order, and other church reports. We were asked to write on the strip one thing
that holds us back from moving into the future of the church. The strips were put together to construct
paper chains down the length of the sanctuary.
Later in the day we were asked
to use colored markers to write something that gives us hope for the future of
the church, adding color to our chain wall.
The following day, in the midst of our shared work of discovering
creative and innovative ways the church is moving forward, we were invited to
tear the chains apart, link by link.
Our final morning together we
were greeted by the soaring bird – which was prayerfully created out of paper
strips we used the first day to confess the fears that chain us, and the hopes
that enliven us. The message was clear,
soaring above us: all those things that
hold you back have been loosed by the power of the Holy Spirit. You are transformed … you are free.
My friends, this is the Easter
story which defines us. What was bound
is now set free. The old life is gone;
God is doing a new thing. Again and
again, we are offered new birth, new life, in Christ Jesus.
Each year on Easter Sunday this
is the message. Each Sunday of the year,
in fact, this is the message – God is offering resurrected life! That which is no longer useful may die so
that something new can be born.
In this Easter season, know
that the saving act of Christ was performed once and for all time. But know
also that our response, the shedding of the old life and moving into the new
life, is required of us each and every day.
May the blessing of Easter
empower you today and every day.
1 comment:
powerful words of hope
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