Minutes of Meetings with God
and with Myself

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A Confirmation Sunday ...

Thank God that there are those people who, at the most unexpected moments, somehow manage to strengthen our faith and rekindle our hope. Some time ago, my wife and I went to a worship service at which two of our young friends were to be confirmed into membership with their local congregation. That morning, it was one of our young friends that strengthened our faith and rekindled our hope.

It was a morning that started out with mixed feelings, for us and for more than a few members of that particular congregation.

The "up-side" of the morning was that the congregation was going to confirm 14 or more young people as new members. There were lots of family (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings) present to witness those young people embracing and being embraced by the Body of Christ. The sanctuary was more full than usual. Each of the young people who were to be confirmed had a special part in the morning worship; and, each of them would share their faith statements about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church, baptism, the Bible, communion, and mission.

The "down-side," at least for those who had come to appreciate her ministry, was that it would be the interim pastor's last Sunday. She was leaving, but not because a new pastor had been found. The sad circumstance was that in a few short weeks, she and key members of the congregation had managed to hurt and alienate each other.

Irreconcilable differences had developed, people had been used and abused, and mutual trust had almost totally evaporated. The conflict had already spilled over from committee meetings into the Sunday morning worship service at least once. Some people were fearful that this special Sunday service would be marred by more airing of "the trouble."

The older of our two young friends, who is age14, is one of the youth members of the search committee that was leading that congregation through the process of self-evaluation and seeking candidates for pastoral leadership. Although our young friend didn't know all the gory details of the conflict between the congregation and the interim pastor, he knew enough to realize that neither the pastor nor the congregation were having any where near one of their "finest hours."

He and I had talked a little bit about "the trouble" that was going on in the local church. He obviously was trying to find something of the "Mind of Christ" as he struggled to sort through what he knew, what he guessed in an effort to "fill in the blanks" about the things that he didn't know regarding the situation (the things that the adults wouldn't tell him because they thought he was "too young"), and what would be best for the congregation. I was both proud of him and concerned for him when he said that he had thought it through, and, although the congregation.was far from at its best right then, he was going ahead with his confirmation. Although he had some doubts, and some fears, he believed it was right for him to declare his faith in church membership.

On Confirmation Sunday, those being received into the church were called to the lectern in alphabetical order so that they could share their faith statements. Most of those who were joining the church were aged 12 to 14. Most of their faith statements were pretty predictable in terms of their content. Mostly each followed the Nicene Creed and put it in his or her own words. They each more or less said that God is Creator, that Jesus is God's only Son, that the Holy Spirit is our helper, that the Church is a place that we go to worship, that baptism cleanses us from sin, that the Bible is God's Word, that communion is about re-enacting Jesus' last supper, and that mission is about spreading the Gospel.

Finally, the older of our two young friends had his turn to share his faith. He was one of only two that morning that said something different, something important as he talked about his faith. He began in a fashion similar to the others: "I believe God is the creator of all human and animal life." But then he said,

"[God is] the one who brings hope in to my heart, and the lover that loves everyone and everything he has created. He is my heart, soul, mind, and presence. I truly feel that I am one with God. I believe that Jesus is the only son of God who was sent to teach us God's word. He roamed the land and told of good news and the lessons that he wanted us to know. He healed everyone that asked to be healed and helped anyone in need. Then in the end, he died to forgive all our sin, but he rose from the dead and went to heaven to accompany God and to live eternally. I believe the Holy Spirit is God living inside [us] helping [us] to spread the good news.

What he said next, became the moment that helped strengthen our faith and rekindle our hope. It was his moment of Truth. I pray he never forgets it; I pray we never forget it. Had everyone in the sanctuary really heard and understood his plain and simple truth, it would have changed the way they believe, the way they go about their Christianity, and the way they live their entire lives. It would have changed the way the congregation addressed "the trouble."

He said, "I believe church is a family of people with one common goal, to do good in the world."

Church isn't a place we go once a week, once a month, once a year or only when we feel like it. Church is who we are in an intensive, intimate family-like relationship with one another as we do what Jesus wants us to do, that which is good.

Thank God on that Sunday morning, a fourteen year old realized what too few pastors and not many lay-people ever know in their entire lives. Thank God he had the courage to both be open to and to speak the truth that the Spirit brought to him.

The Church is who we are and what we do …

I believe church is a family of people with one common goal, to do good in the world.

Amen.