Rev. Betsy Aldrich Garland
May 17, 2009
John 15:9-17

Friends Together

Who are you? and “What are you doing here?

This is how we started our Interim Minister training in Los Angeles this week. Good questions – not only for participants to get to know each other – but also for a local church like Edgewood Congregational in a time of transition. The RI Conference had encouraged me to take this training – in fact they made it a requirement for ordination. But I love this sort of thing, absorbing new ideas and gaining new tools, buying new books (which I will share with you), and so I went gladly. I will share some key ideas in a few minutes.

But, first, let’s look at our scripture for this morning: I was amazed at the appropriateness of the passage, given what I had been studying all week – although I suppose there are no coincidences. The lectionary text is a continuation of the passage we heard last Sunday – about bearing fruit.

A week ago, remember, we thought about Jesus, the vine, and we, the branches, staying connected with the divine source of our nourishment. And we recognized three ways we were bearing fruit that very day: through our baptizing Andrew, celebrating Mother’s Day and, in particular, quality relationships, and taking action to lift people out of poverty.

Today’s lesson continues with some similar elements in this matter of bearing fruit – dwelling – abiding – in God’s love through the act of discipleship. Jesus tells the disciples that, just as God has loved him, so he loves his disciples, even to giving up his life for them. And he commands them – and us – to love each other in the same way – even to giving up their lives something we might be called to do figuratively, if not literally.

There are many ways to give up our lives that don’t involve death, e.g., giving up a good job to stay where our kids are happy, taking care of an elderly parent when we’d rather be seeing the world, helping to put a friend’s child through child instead of saving for retirement.

I am intrigued by how Jesus moves – in just a few chapters in the gospel of John – from metaphors with unequal master-servant relationships to equal and transparent relationships between friends, working relationships where everyone knows what is going on.

And he startles the disciples with this earthshaking news. Imagine how they must have heard it in that hierarchical world: “I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father” [John 15:15] A more literal translation of the Greek word for friend is “loved ones.” Jesus has shared everything he knows with the disciples, his loved ones, forging a relationship of openness that is intertwined like a vine with God’s abiding presence.

As he grows closer to the end of his earthly ministry, then, Jesus’ relationship with the disciples becomes more intimate – and equal. And, in our post-Easter life, Jesus the Christ is present with us as a friend who calls and equips us to work together to share God’s love with the world.

So, “Who are we?” “And what are we doing here?” In a nutshell, this is what I learned at the training:
A professional Interim Minister is running on two parallel tracks:

First, being the pastor of the church with all that is involved: Sunday worship; spiritual formation; baptisms and funerals; visits and crisis care. All that one might expect of one’s minister. I’ve been on this track since December, although only half-time until now.

At the same time, there is a second track for an Interim, the track having to do with the work of transition, such as: hearing each other’s stories to discover the church’s story, coming to terms with the history of our church, rebuilding the organizational structure, answering the questions, “Who are we?” and “What are we doing here?” as a way of planning where Edgewood Church is being called in this new century.

Now, churches often ask, “Shouldn’t we wait for a new settled pastor to do this?” The answer is “No,” because until you know who you are and what God is calling you to be and do in this new century, you don’t know what you want in a settled pastor.” We want the church to be moving in the direction it chooses before it begins the search process. I am told we need to relax and take the time we need.

The good news is that the next year or so of this process will be some of the most creative time in the life of this church. We have five developmental tasks before us.

First, we need to come to terms with our history.
Every church has its successes and failures, its stories about joys and griefs. We will listen to each other’s stories, value the experience of long-time members and new members, and discover the church’s story. We might think that the past is over, but we need to rediscover where we’ve come from in order to put it behind us. As William Faulkner wrote, “The past isn’t dead and buried. In fact, it isn’t even past.” And so, we plan occasion(s) when people can come and tell the church’s story.

Then, second, we need to discover a new identity.
Jesus said to the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” We need to ask ourselves the same question: “Who do we say that we are?” Many of our former leaders have grown older. Our neighborhood has changed over the years. New people in our pews bring different perspectives and gifts. Until we know ourselves, we won’t know the kind of settled pastor we are looking for when we begin the search process.

Third, we need to determine what kind of leadership and structure we need for the future. Whenever there is a pastoral change, volunteer leadership changes always follow. Some people figure it’s the time to move on. Others get excited about new directions and sign on. Now, too, is the time to look at the bylaws, clarify policies and procedures, work on job descriptions, and so forth. The deacons already have begun this step, but there’s lots more to do.

Fourth, we will review the resources and services available to us through the RI Conference, because we will need their help for the search process – when we’re ready. In the meantime, the denomination is urging us to pray, to pray for the interim time and for the lay leadership of the church, to pray for all churches in transition, to pray and to trust that God is listening. And what not to do? Don’t forget to pray, don’t form a search committee (yet), don’t forget to pray, don’t begin to assemble a parish profile (yet), don’t forget to pray.

Fifth, if we do these things, we will come to new directions in ministry.
We will arrive at a point more unified, with as clear a vision and mission as possible, with a realistic and informed identity, and ready for a new beginning with a settled pastor. We will have had transforming conversation, not focusing on problems but recovering the church when it was at its best, identifying our successes. We will dream together and translate our dreams into the future to which God is calling us.

How are we going to do these things? Thoughtfully, intentionally, prayerfully – and together. But our roles will be different: You will build the new, healthy church. I will work along side you to guide the process. Interim Ministers can’t do the work for a congregation, you see, because what we do leaves when we leave. What you do stays when we leave.

On the plane out to LA, I started making a lists of things I need to do now that I am full-time. Before we got even as far as St. Louis, I had 20 items – and I knew I didn’t have them all! But now, after the training, I have added others.

This summer, I have three items related to the interim period on my to-do list:

To work with you to put together an Interim Team to be my eyes and ears and to serve as my partner in this interim period.

To draft a Covenant – with the help of the deacons and perhaps some of you – which will include the proposed tasks and timeline for this work over the next year.

To move ahead with a neighborhood assessment. It’s on my list already as we develop the Edgewood Center – but we will benefit from talking to our neighbors during this interim period anyway.

I have been around churches all my life. I find more here at Edgewood to celebrate than at most of them: We have a strong group of deacons whose roles need to be further clarified and fleshed out and a support structure added where more members can participate and enhance their work.

We have grounded, long term members who have stories to tell about Edgewood before many of you were born, who remember the peaks and the valleys, and who can help us identify and build on our strengths.

We have strong roots in a stable neighborhood, members within walking distance, or not too far away, with all kinds of professional expertise to bring to the table, and commitment to this congregation.

We have a sound physical plant – that meets fire code, no less – and grounds to do something with, like create a peace garden. Yes, we need some face-lifting, but we can handle that!

We have a history of being generous, participating in the denomination’s special offerings, managing the Edgewood fuel fund, bringing food for the food pantry at Transfiguration, helping members with our Deacons Fund. We all are blessed that we are so healthy – and that we have a foundation to build on.
And now we need to let this interim period work for us, to prepare us to call the right new settled pastor. And we need everyone here to help us do that.

When Jesus tells the disciples that he no longer calls them servants but friends, he is modeling a way for the church to work together, a way for ministry that is more healthy and productive than the hierarchical models we see around us.

Friends are companions on the journey of life. And we will be companions in this process. And now I have a better understanding of the process to lead you – not by being out front but by walking beside you, by serving as the leaven in the church loaf, by helping it to rise. Together we will bear fruit that shall last!

Jesus called his disciples “friends.” He will be leaving them soon – and he pushes them to a deeper, more intimate relationship with him. Why? Because he will be depending on them – and by extension you and me – to be his hands and feet in the world, to carry out his mission.

And what is God’s mission? It’s bigger than we can understand, but suffice it to say, to live out God’s love for all of creation. It’s a big, divine, mind-blowing story. And our story at Edgewood Church is a little piece of God’s big story.

To know how we fit, we must live with the questions, “Who are we?” and “What are we doing here?”

Amen.