Wadhams United Church of Christ
2569 County Route 10, Wadhams, NY 12993
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Sermon by Steve Smith Order of Service
Reflections: 2007 January 13, 2008
Now that we’re almost ready for our annual meeting, and I have the floor, if not your undivided attention, allow me to make a few comments on what I’ve been able to accomplish as the reigning incumbent pastor for the community of Wadhams. In the three plus years that I have been in office, there hasn’t been a single terrorist attack on the church. You can check the annals of the Environmental Protection Agency all you want, but we have never been named as a designated Superfund Cleanup Site for toxic waste; although that could be because my talks with Global Waste Management fell through. It’s really quite lucrative for the number of barrels they want to store in the basement.
While the government may be rife with corruption and scandal, not a single one of my known associates has ever been indicted. I have no comment on my unknown associates, and I categorically deny ever having known them or talked with them. While my colleagues have sold themselves out to the lobbyists and special interest groups, you can tell by looking at our financial reports that our church is as clean as an organ pipe. While others in office use their positions for personal financial gain, I can truthfully declare that the only gain I’ve ever gotten from my post is being able to move out of my parents’ home and into a walk-up apartment across the street. And while my glory-seeking opponents seem to live for the next photo-op or a few minutes on C-SPAN, all I can tell you is that I don’t have the technical wherewithal to hack into C-SPAN to put this message on the air. It wasn’t for lack of trying, though.
To a man and a woman, every one of my worthy opponents (and a couple of the unworthy ones) does more flipping and flopping than a hooked fish in the bottom of a boat. If you could look back at the record of my weekly Sunday morning talk show, which is very difficult to do ever since the shredding accident just prior to my appearance before a congressional hearing, you would see that my message has been persistent throughout my term. In fact, I found one of those early talks in a box which had been mysteriously removed from my office and locked in a storage shed on Martha Stewart’s property, and I quote:
The key to our survival as a church lies in our willingness and our ability to transition into a church that can minister to people who are openly non-religious but personally seeking a connection with God or a higher being. And for those of you blessed with better memories than the porous sponge which seems to have replaced my brain, you may remember that there was a corollary that went with it: Because no human being is perfect, every one needs transformation to become what God intends for them. Because none of us is capable of making the transition from humanity to godlike qualities without help, we need divine help and support from others in order to be transformed. Thus there will always be a need for some group or organization to serve as a greenhouse for spiritual transformation.
Looking back over the past year, there have been some definite highlights. The cross that has been mounted on the wall behind me has been received favorably, and has been a positive addition to the sanctuary. Once again, our Strawberry Festival was a huge success, and met or exceeded the previous year’s record-breaking profits. Walk for the Cure used our fellowship hall for the second year running as their starting point. And after considerable discussion and a significant investment of time and energy, we are poised to begin work on the inside of the fellowship hall. (More about that later…)
There were some things that didn’t get done last year. One of them was my theology paper that I still need to submit so I can complete the ordination process. I had hoped to have it done by now, but reached the point where I was tired of taking vacation time to work on it. Since my new tactic isn’t working very well, I’m probably going to have to take a few more days off from hospice just to get it done. Hopefully, we’ll be able to have an ordination service and a party in the not-too-distant future. Something else that didn’t happen was the series on growing a spiritual greenhouse. I’m still intrigued by the idea; perhaps the timing will be better this year.
And what about this year? Dee has come up with an idea for a church web page that would allow people to get a little taste of who we are by being able to look at sermons or the interactive prayers we use. Taking the idea a little bit further, would we be able to add a link for our page to the website for the area chamber of commerce? Or perhaps the Westport Heritage Center? Or are there other popular websites that we can link to, where people might come across our information?
We need to continue working on our music for the worship service. Carole and I are glad to offer our services for the interim, but it would still be nice to have someone who can give it the time and energy it deserves.
As we start the work on the fellowship hall, we will need to pay some attention to fundraising efforts. I for one would like to have a little fun with this, because people are more likely to be generous if they’re enjoying themselves as part of the process. This might involve joining up with Merrick’s to have a Pizza Party; or having a birthday party for the church, where people bring gifts to use in our construction plans in exchange for some cake and ice cream. I would also like to send a letter out to the people in our community who have worshiped with us in the past, but no longer do so, and follow the letter up with a visit. And if we have any mailing addresses for our out-of-town supporters, I also think a letter from the pastor would be in order.
If we complete enough of the project by next fall, we could have an open house celebration where we dedicate the building to the service of God and our community, printing a special booklet that includes a brief history of the church, block ads to recognize any gifts from businesses or companies, and a list to honor all the contributors who made it possible to reopen our building. I believe that local hardware stores, Merrick’s Bakery, plumbing and electrical contractors, the convenience stores in Westport, the Marina, the local hotels, real estate agents, and a variety of other local businesses would be interested in making a contribution in exchange for the advertising exposure.
Order of Service back to sermon
"NC" refers to The New Century Hymnal, The Pilgrim Press (1995)
January 13, 2008
Welcome, Announcements & Prayer Requests
A Candle for Peace NC #570, verse 6
Call to Worship
Leader: God of hope & love, let your light shine upon us today & every day. Let your patience & kindness flow through us, inspiring us to new depths of love and hope.
People: Transform our lives, O God, that we might overcome envy and resentment. Envelop us in your love, that believing, hoping, and enduring may become our way of life.
Leader: God of wisdom & power, speak to us today. Open our ears, minds and souls to hear your words.
People: Awaken our hearts to respond with love and thanksgiving. Make us into new creations, living to love and serve you.
Hymn NC #154 Go, Tell it on the Mountain
Responsive Prayer
Leader: O wondrous God, this day is made sacred by your presence among us. Inspire us by your gifts of grace and lift our spirits to thank you for all you have given us.
People: May this time of worship strengthen and refresh us, and may your presence near renew a right spirit within us.
Leader: Ever present One, you call us to be your presence, to be your people in this world, but too often we get caught up into living for ourselves and lose sight of the overarching mission you set before us. As we hold our business meeting later this morning, let your Spirit guide us, encourage us, and give us renewed strength.
People: Lord, forgive us when we leave church and go our separate ways, forgetting that we need each other to be whole. Forgive us for those times when we feel so tired and discouraged, thinking that we are the only ones, doing the work alone with no help. Remind us that you are always caring for us and that we are never working alone.
Leader: Bountiful God, you have blessed us with so many gifts. In this time of worship, may we be open to receiving these gifts. Though we are very different people, with many different talents and gifts, make us one in your Spirit, that we may accomplish your will in our meeting & be your ministers in our community.
Pastoral Prayer, Lord’s Prayer
Hymn NC #161 Amen, Amen Psalm 33:1-11, Isaiah 42:1-7, John 1:29-34
Sermon Reflections on 2007
Offering, Doxology, Dedication
Hymn NC #166 Immortal Love
Benediction
Leader: And now, children of God, we have received three gifts: faith, hope, and love. Go with faith. Go with hope. But most of all go with love, for this is God’s greatest gift!
People: We go as God’s children into the world, hoping for goodness and believing in the transforming power of love. We go with the Spirit into the world, letting love be our guide. We go into the world asking God to inspire our actions, so that we might serve others with confidence and commitment.
Leader: May the blessing of Almighty God carry you and your loved ones through.
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