We’ve all heard versions of the same story. The creek rises. The parents tell their children that Santa is not going to bring them presents this year. Then a stranger heroically crosses the river with great effort to deliver all that he can give – a tin cup, a peppermint candy, and a penny. And in the story the children are grateful and the parents are amazed, and the man feels like he’s glowing from the inside. This story touches us. I think part of the reason it touches us is because it’s rarely true. It touches us because it’s how we hope things would be, it shows us how we hope we would respond, and how people would respond to us. There are many true versions of this story but they’re rarely told. There’s the story of the creek rising, and of parents who tell their children that Santa’s not going to be able to bring them presents this year for Christmas. End of story. Or the creek rises and the parents tell their children that Santa’s not able to bring them presents this year, and a man named Mr. Edwards swims heroically to bring the children everything he has to give – a tin cup, a peppermint candy, and a penny. And the children excitedly open their presents, and when they see what Mr. Edwards brought them, they look up and ask – Is that it?
There are many versions of this story, many of them maybe you’ve experienced yourself. And perhaps you experienced the story just as Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote it – it does happen, just rarely.
Did you catch the thing that stayed the same in all those different versions? In all these versions, the creek rises – difficulties arise which cause us to question if we will have enough. Difficulties arise which cause us to question if we can give our children the Christmas we’d hope to give them. Difficulties arise that cause us to question our present, and doubt our future. It causes us to ask either silently in our heart or out loud with a friend or partner – Do we have enough?
When the Dalai Lama first traveled to the United States, he said he didn’t understand what people meant when they said they didn’t have enough self esteem. He didn’t understand the concept of self esteem – in Tibetan culture esteem was gained by your position relative to others – you felt good if you were a good daughter, a good worker, etc. Though this has it’s own difficulty, he didn’t understand persons who craved to feel good about themselves without the context of relationship. They would ask them probably out of a last resort, if he could help them gain more self esteem – and he answered in his youth – He wasn’t sure.
There are billion dollar industries thriving because many of us don’t feel we are enough. In our culture it is very easy to transition from the sense we don’t have enough to the belief that we ourselves are not enough. And from this place of living at a deficit, we either look for people or experiences to fill us up, to make us enough, or we see others as threats – those who want to take more than we can give. It is easy to become a isolationist – let me take care of myself, and my own. I’ll mind my business, you mind yours. If you show any need or ask for money, you’re probably just looking for a hand out or perhaps you have a habit that’s eating your money. We find ways to rationalize and protect our interests. And at times this is an act of survival, of street smarts – we don’t want to be taken advantage of and made a fool.
We are swimming in a culture that looks at the question of whether we have enough, as a personal problem. Our finances are personal. And for many of us, no matter what season it is we look out at the creek, and the water is always high. It’s too high for Santa, too high for gifts, too high to expect any kind of generosity. Generosity is a loaded term because it assumes there is something left over than can be given.
I think this is why stories that moves us the most are stories that have a character showing us that generosity can be found in modest circumstances. Particularly for the Western mind, I think it proves to us that you can be modest in means without being modest in spirit. We can feel like we have enough, and maybe more importantly know that we are enough. It contradicts everything we learn, everything we’ve been taught – that personal value is connected to our fiscal value.
I’ve learned firsthand that this is not true. I’ve worked in various settings, and met people from all different income levels, and what I’ve discovered is that no matter how much money you have or don’t have – the creek is always rising. There is always some kind of difficulty, some kind of need, some obstacle that causes worry – it’s built into being human. And witnessing this, i’ve been amazed by remarkable acts of generosity from people who had a million dollars to give to an important cause to a woman in Tulsa who gave me two coffee cups that were made by her grandfather out of the clay where her family’s farm once stood, cups that she had treasured for years, and wanted me to have as I left.
I’ve experienced some of the greatest acts of generosity here in Youngstown from you. You’ve found us a place to live, you brought us delicious homemade soup our first night in town, you’ve hauled a bed to our place and then set it up. And just last Sunday you ordained me – you’ve given me a moment I will treasure for the rest of my life. You’re incredible and you’ve made this place, this church, incredible. It’s not because of me. Frankly, I’m too new to take credit for anything. You were incredible when I showed up, and all I’ve done is point it out to you, and do what I can to support the amazing programs and talents you already are going forward with.
When I was researching Youngstown before coming here, I read the economic history, and knew this was a place that was hit hard in many ways. And I knew this church was right in the middle of that. And I had colleagues tell me, “watch out, I bet fundraising is going to be tricky there.” And I said – thank you, but I’ll take my chances. I remember the first service I attended downstairs. I only told Rev. Matt we’d be coming – I wanted to show up as a newcomer and see how it felt. And I was so impressed with a sermon that Tom Beck gave, and I was caught up in your earnestness.
You were sincere and warm and energetic. I remember thinking to myself – this community is ready. They are ready to grow, they are ready to share their message throughout this valley, throughout this state, perhaps throughout this country. And you have a message that is compelling, a message that is life saving. You are welcome here. You have a home, and our home does is not contained in these 4 walls. We are compelled to act with love wherever there is injustice, pain and doubt – we are a force in this community to remind everyone that this is your home too. This city is your home, this country is your home. It is your home whoever you love, wherever you come from, however people try to categorize you. And these aren’t pretty words, you have been living into this message. You have been working toward meeting this present moment which is full of dissention, hatred, and fear. And you’ve made the brave choice. You’ve not chosen apathy or complacency or fantasy. You’ve chosen to meet reality and dare to uncover relationship and kinship. You’ve dared to offer yourselves as beacons of resilience and hope to persons and circumstances that are unknown, uncared for, even hated.
You’re daring to engage the issues of our time in a way that still allows for joy and is truly life giving – issues of racism, domestic violence, threats to our LGBTQ family, threats to our environment. You’ve offered a daring and compelling vision of home – that home can be in the place that we’re standing in, even in places of difficulty we can find home in our heart, in each other.
And I think you’re just getting started. I’m excited for you and I’m excited to be your minister. You see the creek rising, and you’ve made the decision to come together as a community and help each other swim and get a glimpse of what’s possible on the other side. That’s what church is all about. Personally I’m a weak swimmer. I need your help to get across, and I’m here to do what I can to help you. I’m excited to join you, to join the community you’ve been building for years, and with you get a glimpse of the other side. There’s no way to get that glimpse by avoiding difficulty, you must go through it. You get that.
This place does not exist to tell people they are enough. Our aims are much higher than that.
We are here to serve as reminders for each other and for anybody who walks in our door that our life is far more than what meets the eye. We are far more than we could ever imagine, and it’s easy to forget that and believe lies that make us feel small, helpless, and insignificant. We come to a place like this to learn that we don’t need to hide anymore. We can be who we are – and who we are is beyond category and what we’re capable of is truly beyond our best thinking.
We all enter here with versions of the same question – do we have enough? Do we have enough to face the challenges that are present? Do we have enough to cross the creek as it threatens to flood all we hold dear? It is a truth that can’t be avoided. The creek will rise. We will experience difficulty and it will cause us to doubt if we can keep alive our highest ideals our greatest hopes.
A perfect time to practice this is right now, today. Right now we are conducting our annual pledge drive, and I hope to de-mystify this for you. I remember the first time I heard about a pledge drive, and I thought it was one of those Christian practices where you pledge to be a virgin before you get married.
That’s seriously what I thought. And I knew I failed that, so I couldn’t participate. Well, I’m here to tell you, whether you’re a virgin or not you can participate in this pledge drive. The theme for this year’s pledge drive is stepping forward, stepping up. I see this as both an aspiration and a description. You are already a community that steps up. You’ve stepped up for me on numerous occasions, and you’ve inspired me to all I can to step up for you. And you’ve been stepping forward for many years, growing momentum, and ready to run on all cylinders, and be a church that is both a sanctuary and a force to be reckoned with in this valley. A pledge drive is an opportunity for us to do what we can to make this real…to make sure we have a place for ourselves and for those seeking a place just like this when the creek begins to rise, when difficulty surely comes our way.
Please, after service stop by downstairs and see Lisbet or Audra about how you can make a contribution. There is a way for everyone to contribute financially and as a volunteer. The theme this month is abundance…and at the heart of our pledge drive this year is the intention to celebrate the abundance that is thriving here. To recognize your good work, and your ideals and your vision To shine brightly as a beacon for those looking for a home, a home we are ready to offer.
There are many ways this story can go. Let’s let this pledge drive which starts now and goes until November 26, give us the opportunity to be a player in a story that is about generosity, abundance, and gratitude, rather than fear. We can help write the story we always wanted to be in – here is our opportunity.
