August 27, 2023

Proper 16, Year A

The Rev. Deborah Hawkins

Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20

“Building blocks”

In the gospel this week Jesus tells Peter he is a rock, a foundation on which he can build a church. Next week, Jesus will call Peter a different kind of rock, a stumbling stone. That’s life, isn’t it? A constant yo-yo between ‘got that right’ and ‘oh,no, messed up again,’ between ‘thank you, God’ and ‘God, have mercy.’

When Jesus calls Peter a rock on which he can build I can’t help but think about playing with blocks, probably because I do that with my grandchildren sometimes. Do you remember building like a tower or something with blocks?  It is really important that what is built on is solid and level. It is important, too, that each block be shaped for building so they can be placed one on the other. The height of the tower is completely dependent on the surface you start with, how well the blocks are shaped, and then on how carefully the blocks are stacked. Given the right materials, the tower can get quite high unless the kids start to fight or somebody lets the puppy in the room. 

Christ, of course, is our sure foundation, and in the imagery of the gospel reading Peter, and after Peter each one of us, is like a building block or stone used to construct Christ’s church. We have to be carefully and properly shaped for our purpose. 

In this part of Christ’s church here there are so many people who work together to build one another up. In Caring Ministries there are Licensed Eucharistic Visitors bringing communion to those unable to attend Sunday worship due to illness or infirmity. Members of Helping Hands providing meals for those needing short-term assistance due to illness, surgery, childbirth, or a death in the family. The Prayer Shawl Ministry makes prayer shawls and fleece blankets as tangible symbols of God’s love. A team of volunteer Messengers deliver paper copies of sermons, bulletins, and other items on a weekly basis to those who do not use computers. The Building and Grounds Committee and the Landscape Planning Committee work to ensure the campus meets the needs of the planet and the community not to mention those people literally keep the buildings up and plumbing and electricity flowing. Social Justice and Outreach members do so much for the wider community but their purpose really, I think, is to remind all of us that our purpose in gathering here is not for solace only but also for strength, not for pardon only but also for renewal. 

And those are only a few building blocks right here. I didn’t even mention Godly Play, Hospitality, Choir, Altar Guild, Flower Guild, Faith Formation, the Ranch, Spirituality in Nature, Hosting Davis Community Meals, Care for God’s Creation, the Nursery, University Ministry. 

I hesitate to stop because I’m going to get in trouble. 

Oh yeah, and there is Vestry, and … more?  Coffee hour…..

Wow. Thank you God.

And sometimes do the children fight? And sometimes does the puppy get in the room? God have mercy. And you know what? God does have mercy. 

In the letter to the Romans, Paul pleads with us to bring our whole selves, all our hearts and souls and minds and strengths, our whole bodies, every bit of us, to God to be transformed, by God, 

into the body of work God would have us be. He wants us to wake up each day, enter into each committee meeting, take part in each work party, joyfully give service, whatever member we are in this church, do what we do, all that we do, as a living, breathing, offering to God. You, you, you, all of us together – a living, breathing, offering to God.

An offering is a gift and you know when you give a gift, what you give isn’t yours anymore. We are to give ourselves as a living breathing offerings to God. It sounds like a big ask, but we can do it because to each of us, to each of our communities, church and otherwise, God has given gifts. The different gifts us shape us into who we are, into who God needs us to be so that we can be members, building blocks, for the church. All of us together. 

Are we able work and play and pray together because we are perfect? Absolutely not. There are way to many puppies in this room. We are able to work, play and pray together because God is merciful and gives good gifts. God gives us gifts that transform us. We in turn give all of ourselves back to God, who gives us gifts, in an endless flow of transforming and merciful love. We may get a little rocky at times but we are always held in God’s grace and mercy. 

We, right her in this church, are rocks shaped to a purpose, rocks whose rough edges are smoothed by the living water of Christ flowing over and through us.

 Thanks be to God.