A sermon preached at 10:30am Service Sunday 24th January
May the words of my mouth and the mediatations of our hearts be now and always acceptable in thy sight O lord our strength and our redeemer – Amen.
The Human body is an amazing creation … just some facts about it gleaned from various sources
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In our epistle reading this morning Paul writing to to Corinthians goes to great lengths in his imagery to portray a vision of fully functional, active and co-ordinated church community. Where each member is playing their part and where all are working together in common purpose
If you look at the passage – you will see the background of church members is not important –
Jews or Greeks,
slave or free – they were all baptised into one body.
Then we have the working of this body – because one is a hand, it can't say because I am not an eye I'm not part of the Body
If we look at the Human body when all parts are functioning well the whole body is healthy and active.
As we all know when something is up – even with a very small part it disturbs the other parts.
From personal experience in the autumn after my accident on my bike in my elbow … it stopped me from doing some things. When you are sick – it impedes you from fulfilling your potential. Part of my job entails me going into hospital and visiting those who are ill. Usually when people are in hospital there is a bit of frustration of not being able to do whatever they are used doing.
But on the other hand when you are fully healthy and active – the human body is able to do amazing things – Just think of the accomplishments which have happened in the last 100 years
Astronauts in space
Usain Bolt set a new 100m world record by clocking 9.72 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix meeting in New York. 2008
Sir Edmund Hillary -29 May 1953. Everest
And not just the physical – but in the world of thought, science, technology.
The body is an amazing creation – it can accomplish much.
The challenging part to all of this is we are called to be a part of a body ourselves … every single one of us. We are all called. The question is are we prepared to play our part.
In St. Columba's here today we see people using their time and their talents to serve.
When you came in you were greeted by sides people & Church wardens,
the organist was playing,
the choir sang,
a reader read the epistle,
Behind the scenes – we have a select vestry, fundraising, glebe wardens, parish secretary, committees who run various organisations, prayer chain praying for those who are ill
lots of people playing their part in their own ways. And that is great. The Body is working well in St Columba's
The challenge for each one of us is how we can improve, how we can encourage others who are part of this church to get themselves involved. There is a part for everyone to play. And it should be all our vision to encourage each other and those outside to get involved.
Today as you will see from your Pew News – our church is the focus for the diocese prayer and we have asked for prayer for three very important aspects of our ministry.
The first: For all involved in the ministry and witness of St. Columba's as we serve God in our parish and community
It is vitally important that we acknolwedge all the really great work that is going on in this parish and pray for each other.
In the confines of this parish we have a rich variety of gifts, talents, experience. Day by day parishioners here have links to so many different people. Each of us has the potential to change lives – to speak words of encouragement, to show our Christian Faith in action.
I wonder how on a daily basis do we use our gifts and our circumstances as followers of Christ?
The second prayer which people are praying for us today is - For God's guidance and direction as we reach out to those parishioners outside parish life
In our reading we cannot say to another part of the body we dont need you –
there are many people in our parish who are on our list but are not taking an active role in the body – and this is sad …
...can you imagine if your foot our even your little finger decided to stop working … for no reason or if there was a reason would you not want to get it looked at?
In St Columbas there is room for everyone, imagine if everyone played their part. We have around 650 families on our books could you imagine what we could do as a church if everyone got involved and used their skills, talents and their insights.
At the moment, as you will see from the Magazine the Rector and I are visiting all houses – whether they be active members of the body or not. We can only do so much.
It is the responsibility of everyone to talk about St. Columba's, to encourage and to invite your friends, your family along, to come up with ideas as to what we can do to reach those parishioners outside parish life, to get them involved. So much in our world today is about personal recommendation and experience.
The third prayer point is around fundraising for causes and for the upkeep of the parish - For our fundraising initiatives as we support Mission and Charity work at home and overseas and raise money for our Building Fund
All of this is so important, that the body all of us play our part in the ministry and mission of the church here in St. Columba's and beyond.
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As we come to celebrate Holy Communion today, at the heart of this sacrament is the knowledge that we are all parts of the one body, whoever we are, whatever we do during the week, we are all different yes but we are all called to work together for the well being of each other.
Let us celebrate being together, let us also encourage those members who are absent for whatever reason.
And let us remember that we can be answer to the prayers which people are praying this week.
Amen
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