It’s winter in Minnesota! We all know that the winter weather can sometimes change our plans. The Rev. Canon Sandi Holmberg was scheduled to be our celebrant on January 24^th, but, due to typical Minnesota weather, she was unable to be here with us. Below is her sermon that she was to deliver to us for that day. We were to have held our annual meeting that day too.

It is good to be here with you today. Kristin asked if I could come today to celebrate Eucharist with you and to stay for your annual meeting, and I am glad I could say yes. I had already read Kristin’s letter in the St. James’ Good News Epistle. I trust you have read it too, but let me refresh our memories with a brief summary of what your Senior Warden said. She called you to a vision for the future, which would include some risks that involves financial commitment, commitment to the Episcopal Church, and a “risk in taking our own faith to a different level other than just sustaining.” She goes on to say, 　“It is my belief with God's support, education and leadership guiding the path, St. James must move beyond maintenance mode toward growth. 　I am willing to take the risk, knowing that failure is not an option. 　I am willing to commit more of my time, talents, and resources to contribute to this growth.” And she invites every member to join the endeavor. 　I say, “Amen.”

I know that in the last few years you have done good work in assessing your strengths, and with Llew’s leadership, you had the Rev. Neysa Ellgren help you look at congregational development. I know you have had special worship services in the summer. Your wardens are leading in good directions. I say again, Amen. Develop your vision, and trust God again and again to help you move toward growth.

I call your attention to your mission statement. Our mission at St. James Episcopal Church is to proclaim the Kingdom of God. We will strive for a loving, Christ-centered community which will accept all people. We hope to be a Christian witness in the Fergus Falls community by caring for a person’s mind, body, and soul. Our help in all we endeavor is from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.+

God works in wonderful ways. I believe the lessons appointed for today have some encouraging and helpful things to say to us as we seek God’s guidance for the future for ourselves and for this congregation. The lessons today offer us encouragement to persevere in responding to God’s call.

The reading from Nehemiah has something valuable to say to us. The setting is Jerusalem, after people have begun to return from Exile. The traditional way of life and worship had been totally disrupted. Their ancestors had been taken captive away from their homeland, but now these people had returned. They had been in Exile in Babylon, and their return apparently took place in four phases. The reading today takes place after the fourth and last group returned. The temple, which had been destroyed by the invading army that took the people into exile, had now been rebuilt. Nehemiah was the governor, and took it as his task to rebuild the walls of the city. Ezra, the priest, had the people assemble to hear a reading from the Hebrew Bible.

From early morning until midday, Ezra read to men, women, and children old enough to understand. It would have been in Hebrew. But during the generations of the exile, Aramaic had become the spoken language of the people. They didn’t all know Hebrew anymore. So there were Levites scattered throughout the crowd to help them understand what was being read. We are told that they interpreted what was read, so people could understand it. It seems to me that it was more than simply translating from Hebrew to Aramaic. The Levites had to help the people understand what it meant, as well. When they understood, it tore their hearts, and they wept and mourned. They had apparently lost much of their religious heritage, and now it was being restored to them. They apparently realized how far they had strayed from the covenant that God had made with their ancestors. Ezra said, “Don’t weep and mourn, but rather celebrate, because today is holy to God. The joy of the LORD is your strength.”

“The joy of the LORD is your strength.” Those words came as refreshment to the souls of the people that day so long ago. Those words come to us today, as refreshment for our souls. The people of Judah had lost a lot. Yet God was at work with the people to restore them in their homeland.

We in small congregations need to be reminded that God is at work among us as well. We haven’t suffered as much as the people of Judah did in exile, and we aren’t suffering as much as the people of Haiti as they struggle to live after the devastating earthquake there. Never the less, God wants what is best for St. James’ as well as what is best for other people in other places. So remember, in the annual meeting today, as Ezra said, “Don’t weep and mourn, but rather celebrate, because today is holy to God. The joy of the LORD is your strength.”

In turning to the Gospel lesson today we find the setting is the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown. As Luke tells us, Jesus had just returned from his 40 day retreat out in the wilderness, where he had gone immediately after he was baptized by John. Jesus attended the synagogue worship service, as was his custom. Jesus was filled with the power of the Spirit, and he was about to make his first public commentary or announcement of his identity and mission. He took the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, unrolled it, and read this portion, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” When he had rolled the scroll back up and returned it to the attendant, he said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled.” The words he read sound a lot like a lot like what we read in Nehemiah, doesn’t it? Everyone was watching him. No one was fidgeting or day dreaming about what they were going to have for lunch, or what they were going to do later that afternoon. He had their undivided attention. “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing,” he said.

God looks with favor upon the poor, the captives, the blind, the oppressed. What does it mean to look with favor? Doesn’t it mean to look with love and compassion? God looks with love and compassion on all hurting people. Jesus was filled with the Spirit, and brought good news to the poor, proclaimed release to captives, restored sight to the blind, let the oppressed go free, proclaimed the year of the LORD’s favor. If we want to follow the way of Jesus, how do we do it?

Jesus was filled with the Spirit. We too must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, not on our own strength. Just like in Nehemiah: “The joy of the LORD is your strength.” Second, Jesus was intentional in the way he did things. He intentionally healed the blind. He intentionally reached out to the poor and the oppressed. Third, he offered freedom. He didn’t coerce people, or manipulate them. He offered love and freedom. The same is true today. God’s joy, love, compassion, God’s Spirit are offered to us for our strength, and also that we might also pass the same on to others in Jesus’ name.

The epistle reading offers more insights as St. James’ focuses on a vision for the future. I Corinthians 12 is one of the chapters in the New Testament that guides our understanding of gifts for ministry. We read the first half last week, and most of the rest of it this morning. In the first half Paul describes the gifts of the Spirit that are given to members of Christian communities for the common good. In the portion we read this morning, he tells how to use the gifts with respect for one another, and with respect for the gifts of God, and again emphasizes the common good.

I encourage you to persevere as you continue to respond to God’s call to you to live out the covenant we have as baptized Christians. The passage from Nehemiah suggests to me that there are plenty of people around us who don’t know the covenant, whether the first covenant God made with the people of Israel in the Torah, or the covenant Jesus establishes with us in baptism. We need to engage people like Ezra did in hearing about the covenant God has with us, men, women, and children. The passage from Luke reminds us that Jesus relied on the power of the Holy Spirit, and because we are joined with Christ in Baptism, we too can rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us that the way isn’t always easy, but we are all to use the gifts that God gives us for building up the body of Christ which is the church. We are to use our gifts for the common good, with humility, gentleness, good humor, not worrying about whose turf we’re on, because it is all God’s turf, and all the gifts come from God for the benefit of God’s people.

I encourage you to pray whole-heartedly, the words of the collect for today. “Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and to proclaim to all peoples the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works.”

Amen.

Region One Minutes 01/30/2010

We met at St. James in Fergus Falls. Dean Coke opened the meeting with the reading of the discipleship Gospel Prayer Service. Communion was given in the sanctuary.

We were blessed to have Bishop Elect Brian Prior with us for the meeting. We all appreciated the opportunity to become better acquainted with him and be able to view some of our opinions.

The minutes of the previous meeting of 09/26/2009 were not read as Jane was absent. Coke asked for election of officers. Kris nominated Kathy Carter and Lisa 2^nd, VCUB. The position of Dean is appointed in some regions and elected in others. BE Rev. Prior wants this position to evolve. He will be talking to the various Deans soon so asked that Dean Coke’s position be differed till the next meeting. The committee voted to agree.

Lisa gave her treasurer’s report. There was no activity but for a gas expense check. The ckbk balance is $1409.09. The report approved and accepted. Dues for 2010 are due. Lisa Smith said she wished to resign. Again this position was deferred till spring.

Next we discussed the job of clergy and lay Diocesan Council Representatives. BE Rev. Prior spoke about the council meeting. He said it was about Finance, Audit, and Personnel. After, he asked them, “who does mission?”. He asked us “who in our churches would like to serve on the Diocesan council?” We need someone who has a voice of the region to benefit the region. Vicki White said it was important for the Native American People to be at the table. Eight of 12 Native American Missions are from Region One? They are frustrated with not being heard.

She spoke of their church, St. John’s Onigun, and their relationship with Hope Lutheran Church of Walker. Hope L. helped them financially and emotionally be able to stay open this last year.

BE Rev. Prior said the Council meeting also approved the new budget. They spoke of the congregations needing to do a simple to a complicated audit depending on the size of the churches budget. Next Bishop Jelinik passed over the gavel to BE Rev. Prior had received a simple majority of the House of Bishops and of the Standing Committees. We gave him a round of applause.

Georgia Hecock agreed to run as clergy rep. and Emma King agreed to run for lay rep. for the Diocesan Council. Kris nom. both and Lu 2^nd. VCUB. As alternate clergy, Kris nom. Dana and Lu 2^nd VCUB. As lay rep. Lisa nom. Vicki White and Dana 2^nd. They were both VCUB.

We agreed to not use Roberts Rules in the future to save time as long as we have a concenses.

Lisa gave a short talk on a video a young man in their church brought to their attention called ”How Great is Our God” by Louie Giglio. This had changed his life.