We’re going to begin with a little homiletic theater this morning. You may remain seated, but you’re also welcome to walk with me. The first time I came into St. Peter’s, I was struck, as are many people who see the sanctuary for the first time, by its beauty. However, it wasn’t long, as I walked around, before I began to feel surrounded by a great community of love committed to this parish and its future. We see the reflections of that committed community of love in all the windows and plaques, don’t we? Let’s just take a brief tour. And if you knew the people we name, take a moment to pray for those whom we name. [ I walk around church, reading the names on windows and plaques.] Don’t you feel that we’re surrounded by at least a small part of the “blessed company of all faithful people?”
How did all these faithful Christians come to commit themselves to a parish in this place? Many of you know the history of St. Peter’s well, having lived some of it yourselves. Some of you may be a little sketchier on that history. The Episcopal Church in Ohio dates from as early as 1804, when those who were given land grants in Ohio in exchange for service in the Revolutionary War, settled in Worthington and established St. John’s, in what was then a wilderness outpost. In 1817, the Diocese of Ohio was created, with Philander Chase, founder of Kenyon College and Bexley Hall seminary, as its first bishop. Growth in this part of the state led to the creation of a separate Diocese of Southern Ohio in 1875. St. Peter’s was part of that growth, having been established in 1841. A Vestry of twelve faithful men called the first rector, the Rev. James B. Goodwin. After meeting for worship in various places, the parish was finally able to erect this sanctuary, which was consecrated by Bishop Charles McIlvaine in April, 1859. The church that we see today, as our windows, plaques, and church records remind us, comes to us as a result of the many gifts of both money and time, and the commitment to the survival of this parish, of preceding generations. One hundred sixty-nine years later, we are now the stewards, both of this building and of this Christian community.
Those who committed their lives and their resources to this community took to heart Paul’s message to the Christian community in Corinth. You remember that the main concern that drove Paul to write to this community was the reports he had received of deep conflicts among them. He began his letter, as we heard a couple of weeks ago, by addressing head on his concern that a significant cause of the conflicts was factionalism, i.e., that people were proclaiming themselves followers of one human leader or another. In the portion of the letter we heard last week, Paul reminded the Corinthians that the Holy Spirit is the agent of the growth of the community. The Spirit’s goal for them was that they would grow up into Christ, into mature Christians ready to do and be Christ in the world. Now Paul has returned to his specific rejection of factionalism. He reminds the Corinthians that God works through all human actors. Whether it be Paul, or Apollos, or Peter, it is God working through human beings called to particular tasks. What is most important, all are part of God’s work together, all are fellow workers with God. No one can take special pride in the productivity of his or her acre in God’s field, since ultimately, all growth, all produce is a result of our cooperation with God’s grace.
Which brings us back to St. Peter’s. The time of our annual meeting is always a good time to take stock. We too are fellow workers with God. All of us who care about the continued life of this parish are in it together. All of us here, I hope, share two purposes: to continue our own formation as Christ-imbued people, to become more faithful disciples, and to see this parish community thrive and last for another 169 years in this place. If we share these purposes, then here is God calling us to do. I believe that God is calling us to continue the commitments made by those who came before us in this place. If we are to continue to grow up into Christ, if we are to continue to mature as Christians, then we need to commit ourselves to Christian education, not only for children, but for ourselves as well. Just as our bodies will starve without physical food, so too will our spirits starve without “soul food.” We have a discussion series on community ministry coming on Wednesday nights in Lent. Commit to participating in that series, regardless of whether you can come for Evening Prayer and potluck supper before the discussion sessions. Join us on Sunday mornings for a closer look at the Gospel of Matthew, which we are hearing all this church year. Or commit to reading something on your own that will stretch you and help you grow into Christ. If you need to, ask me for suggestions!
So our first commitment is to continued personal formation. Our second commitment is to support of this parish with our own resources, our own resources of treasure, time, and talent. Always, we give in gratitude for what God has given us. Always we recognize that whatever we give to God doesn’t begin to match the great gifts that God has given us. Always, we remember that “all things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee.” Historically, church people have returned to God a tenth of their resources, the tithe. Perhaps that’s where all the windows and other beautiful objects in this church came from. Many of us still do tithe. And those, who for good and valid reasons, cannot tithe, often honor God by at least intentionally committing whatever proportion of their resources they can afford. But notice that it’s not only some portion of our treasure that we are called to commit to God. God also calls us to return to God a portion of our time and talents. Allowing eight hours of sleep per night, all of us have 112 waking hours in a week. Can we commit 11 hours a week to good works? Could some of those 11 hours be used to enhance the life of this parish? And what about all those talents? What part of our talents have we committed to God?
So: first commitment to personal formation, second commitment to support of the church with our treasure, time, and talents. Third, God calls us to partner with God in creating a welcoming community of love in this place. I believe this means engaging in real ministry ourselves and inviting others to share ministry with us. I believe this also means committing ourselves to regular nourishment in the sacraments and inviting others to partake of God’s nourishment with us. We can, and do, put out tracts and pamphlets. We can, and do, send out flyers, place notices in print media, and send out an electronic newsletter. We can, and do, have a web site and a Facebook page. But what counts most in creating a vital and thriving community is personal encounter with others who are growing into mature Christians, personal encounter with those who are become more and more Christ-like.
No one person can do all of this, least of all your priest. We are all needed in this joint venture together. By virtue of our baptisms, we all have a ministry. Truth be told, as I look back on the history of St. Peter’s, I see active lay people who indeed worked hard to see this parish flourish. After the first twelve Vestry men called the first rector, others gave gifts and raised funds for the parish through operettas, suppers, a Pancake festival, a Dairymaid’s Festival, an Oyster supper, and many other events. Most recently, a building fund drive gave St. Peter’s its latest addition, consecrated by Bishop William Black in 1980.
“We are fellow workers with God.” We trust that God will continue to give the growth, that God will continue to allow this parish to flourish. As we trust in God’s providence, it’s our turn to plant the seeds and water them. As we follow those who came before and look toward continuing the ministry here through another year, may God also help us to commit ourselves to continued personal formation, to showing our gratitude for God’s gifts, and to intentionally living out our ministries as baptized Christians.
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