Sermon from the 8 am service at Grace and St Stephen's 9/17/23

 Exodus 14:19-31

          Last week my family received some big news. News you have heard about if you attended worship last week or are on the church email list. It was a nerve-wracking morning for us. At 6:30 am we gathered on the couch to participate in worship via zoom with the Diocese of Albany, six long prayer-filled hours later after several ballots were cast, my husband, Jeremiah picked up the phone and the voice on the other end said “Hello Bishop Williamson.” I shouted to the kids who were playing in the back yard and we hugged, cried and then composed ourselves and went back on screen to greet the Diocese through zoom. People asked how I was feeling and I responded with “I am feeling all the feelings.” It was a long process that we put our hearts into, it was also incredibly humbling and of course means a major life change and lots of difficult goodbyes.

          Soon after, my mind started racing. If you could listen to my thoughts it would be a dizzying carousel of questions ranging from “where will we live” “what is the next step for my career” and “how do I set up my ministries at Grace and St Stephen’s so they continue to thrive” to “how will our dog do on a cross country car drive” and “when will I have time to pull the weeds from the lawn before the realtor takes picture.” There are so many questions.

          I have never been the type of person to sit back and trust that it will all work out. I have spent my whole life trying to prepare for possible outcomes and fearing that I am falling behind. And yet, I do have faith. Faith that God is with me through all of it, faith that the road ahead will be paved with faith, love and hope. Faith that is part of the fabric of my being from the stories, sermons and experiences that have nurtured me all my life. Stories like the one read today from Exodus. This is a story we know well. We may not remember the order of the Judges or routes Paul travelled but we do know the Exodus. We know it because the Bible tells us over and over and over again to remember it. It is one of the most fundamental stories of the Bible and intimately tied to another fundamental story of the Bible- the resurrection.

          We hear again and again about the waters separating and the people of Israel walking the path from oppression to freedom. In fact, the Exodus is mentioned about 120 times in the Bible. It is definitely something our ancestors, the prophets and God want us to know, remember and retell to others. Remember that God brought the Israelites from oppression to freedom. Remember how the sea was parted and the path was made clear.

          And as often as I have heard the story and as much as I would like to think I have faith, I am pretty sure if I was faced with the sea split open and an unknown journey ahead, I would have packed some sandwiches and made the kids put on life jackets … I have faith but also … life is scary. And things only got harder before they got better. The terrain was not easy, the unknowns unbearable and faith was hard to hold on to, even for those who witnessed the exodus.

           Today, our church is celebrating our 100^th birthday. The actual birth date is not today exactly, but this year is 100 years since Grace Church and St Stephen’s came together and gave us the long name we have today. The Bishop will preach at the 10:30 service and there will be activities and fun through the afternoon. As part of the celebration, throughout this year, our church historian, Marianna McJimsey has been educating us on the history of our church. She told the youth group the story of how the bell in our tower got here and our bulletins, social media and newsletters have been filled with fascinating stories connecting us to those who have knelt on these kneelers before us. When you start to hear all of our church’s stories and think about all that was happening in the world during those 100 years, it is really astounding and beautiful that we are here, celebrating 100 years.

           Because, even in our recent history, the way forward has been blocked by seemingly immovable barriers. A church split, financial struggles, tragic deaths of pillar members, a pandemic, clergy changes and more. When the path ahead seemed blocked, when the way forward was blocked by an impossible boulder, God was with us, carving a way through, separating the seas, inviting us to take a step forward in faith. And here we are, a healthy, thriving, love-filled and spirit-centered church.

          And so we celebrate because we are here. We celebrate because we have a beautiful building, amazing choir and active ministries but also because we have been continuing on this journey for 100 years, sharing the love of Christ and shining a light into the darkness.

          But like those ancient Israelites, we have not journeyed alone. In the passage read from Exodus, we hear that the pillar of cloud that has been guiding them moves from in front of them to behind them and the text says, “the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night.” The darkness was there, but so was the light. The light of God sustained them as they took each faithful and unknown step. Any journey has light and dark. And there are times when we walk in the darkness, unable to see the way ahead, crippled with fear, fumbling over unknown obstacles. And we try to find our way back to the light, the light breaking through the cracks, promising a way to catch our breath … a way to warmth.

           And no matter how hard we try, sometimes we can’t control the path forward. Even when we have checked off all of our checklists, over-packed and sufficiently worried into all hours of the night- the journey may be completely unexpected and leave us dizzy with questions.

 Almost 8 years ago, when we found out we would be coming to Grace and St Stephen’s I was overwhelmed with unknowns. At the time I had a one and four-year-old. What would it be like raising kids in Colorado? Would I make friends? What about my career, what would I do next? Where would we live? What about mountain lions and rattlesnakes … should I be worried about those? I had no idea what awaited us. The penetrating warmth of the Colorado sunshine, the sincerity and kindness of this congregation, the loving embrace of the kids’ schools. But also, the heart breaks from people moving away, the painful grief of losing loved ones and the isolation of pandemic lock-downs. There was really no way of preparing for any of it.

    But here we are. All of us. Surrounded by statues and stained glass depictions of saints who bravely walked the journey with Christ, enduring suffering, unknowns and yet always making their way toward that pillar of light in the darkness. And now the penetrating Colorado sun shines forth their colorful light on all of us as we walk our journeys.

          As we celebrate this milestone in our journey as a church, we also remember with love those who have gone before us and contemplate what lies ahead, and we do so with faith, trusting that together we will pave the way ahead with hope, love and enduring faith. The way forward won’t always be as clear as separated waters clearing a path and it won’t always be as hard as church splits and pandemics, but we trust that the pillar of light never leaves us and that God is always calling us toward freedom. And that’s why we keep telling our story, to anyone who will listen- our story as Christians walking this journey together. Our story as a people of faith who follow the light of Christ. Our story that is rooted in the stories we tell over and over again. The story of a people who were suffering and oppressed and took a step forward between two walls of water. The story of a people who found an empty tomb and a resurrected Christ. The story of a people who celebrate 100 years of community as Grace and St Stephen’s, with all of our shortcomings and fears- we made it and we will continue to make it because we aren’t alone. “The cloud was there with the darkness and it lit up the night.” Remember this, remember the light in the darkness, share this, let it seep into your bones, and keep going, even when life takes unexpected turns, when your thoughts are chaotic and the weight of life leaves you feeling dizzy … God is there, the light is with the darkness and that is a story worth telling for at least 100 more years.