Sabbatical Sermon #1

Mr. C said, "Isn't it time for you to take your shower to get ready for church?"

Then we started laughing. I'm on sabbatical, without responsiblities to lead worship today.

I may arrive at church three minutes before the service begins, grab a bulletin and a pew without care except to pray, sing and think with the Body of Christ.

I'm thinking about the Body of Christ these days.

My geographic cluster of churches within my mainline denomination doesn't respect the B of C anymore.

They've found a better way by rebelling against the authority which ordained them. They took ordination vows to be received into our "group" but no longer believe that vows matter.

In an odd way, these preachers are dating even though they are married. Married people don't date.

This dissonance between the rebellious and their "righteousness" bothers me.

I know about rebellion against authority. Not only did my generation (and the kids older than I) question authority but we rebelled if anyone told us what to do.

I have problems with authority. I've pushed limits all of my life. I question authority everyday.

But, I've learned that there is freedom within boundaries like kids who play in a fenced school yard use the entire play yard while those without fenced play yards clump together.

In better words, the boundaries give us freedom to move and be while no boundaries confine us.

Same way with our understanding of the B of C, especially our ordination vows, give us freedom within the confines of shared committment and so on.

I made my vows and I'm sticking to them. Not because I am such a great believer, hardly so, but because I need the spiritual discipline of the boundaries to serve God.

I don't understand the mind of God. I don't know how to separate myself from the vagaries of life in the dawn of the 21st century. I don't know how to call good "good" or evil "evil" with complete truth.

I depend on the Bible, my knowledge of church history and the constitution of my denomination
to help me lead my people, live my life and attempt to honor God with my life.

I will not set myself higher than those things so I can run away and invent my own church to suit my feelings.

Just won't,

St. Casserole, writing a "sermon" even when she doesn't need to because she is on sabbatical