Loved, Called and Sent

We pray, most gracious God, that your church, through the power of the Holy

Spirit united, may show forth your power to the whole world.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Well, we begin a new year this year, and I always feel a little embarrassed.

But the truth is that most of our activities church happened from September to May.

That's just the way it is. So we talk about having a beginning, a new year this year.

It's not the beginning of the church year, but it's a new year of activity where

all our formation programs have started today.

And over the course of the next few weeks, other activities that we normally

have about of our life together, Bible studies and so on and so forth. We'll resume.

And I know that many among us are just waiting to get to the next piece,

the water slide and all that's out there, as well as our picnic today.

So I have a more informal reflection about our scripture today.

And I've been

given a benefit of the fact that one of our scripture readings speaks deeply

to myself in the way in which I lead as a priest and the way in which I feel

as if I am called as a preacher.

And if someone were to ask me,

what are the three things that you want everyone to know on any given Sunday,

in any given sermon, I think they are contained in the call of Jeremiah that we have just heard.

And I would confess to you that it is foundational to what is in my mind.

I know that Amy would tell you and Mike would tell you and Bob would tell you

and the clergy would tell you that for each sermon we prepare,

we have bookshelves of books.

And we open them up and we read them and we consider the passage and we consider

its context and the language in which it was written and what was going on historically at the time.

So that we might be able to share with you an expository reading of that scripture

that both demonstrates our brilliance,

but also takes us deep into the word of God.

But in the end, I would have to confess to you that the call of Jeremiah contains

everything I would ever want to share.

We read in this passage today something profound about God and God's relationship with us.

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you.

God knows you, and God loves you, before you ever had a chance to think about loving God.

And God chose to know you and to love you.

And when God chooses, God never unchooses.

No matter how far we stray, it is the character of God,

not to un-choose God's people.

Second, you have been called by God for life,

and you have been called by God to share the good news of God.

In your particularity, in the gifts that God has given to you.

We may struggle to accept the gifts. We may struggle to discern them at times.

They may change over time. But what is not in doubt,

is that you have been called by God to share the good news of God.

And third, the result of that sharing, though we have been given the strength

and power, you might say, to pull down and destroy,

the ultimate goal is to build up and to plant.

To build up the kingdom of God,

and to plant the good news that it might grow in the heart of every human being,

and it might shape the society in which we live.

All of my books and all of my amazing intellect in the end are not needed.

God loves you before you ever knew how to respond to God's love.

God calls you just as God created you.

And God is asking.

That you use that power to build up and to plant the good news of God's amazing love and grace.

As we kick off this new year,

as we begin a year of formation for our children, for our youth, for us,

adults, the core and foundation is found in Jeremiah's call.

May God continue to give us the grace,

to love, to respond,

to build up, and to plant that the glory of God may be revealed not only for us in this community,

but for our city,

for our region,

for our nation,

and for the whole world.

Amen.

Thanks for listening to 60 Church Street, a podcast of Trinity Episcopal Church

in Asheville, North Carolina.

Now, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

The homily was offered by the reverend dr. r.

Scott white introductory and

closing reflection Transcription by shared by the Reverend Amy Peterson.

Musical contributions were performed by Dr. Kevin Seal.

Sermon audio was prepared by Nanette Popa. Production was guided by Karin Marie Fredrickson.