Some Context: Paul is writing to the churches in Corinth because they have been splitting over who their teacher was, be it Paul himself, or followers of Apollos or Cephas, etc. The following is Paul’s admonition against splitting and reminder that they all belong to God. Listen now for the Word of the Lord:
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person.
For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age,
you should become fools so that you may become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,
“God catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again,
“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”
So let no one boast about human leaders.
For all things are yours,
whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas
or the world or life or death
or the present or the future
—all belong to you,
and you belong to Christ,
and Christ belongs to God.
***
It would be easy to begin this sermon by articulating I spent Saturday at a Presbytery meeting, and for you to expect a litany of boring reports. Presbytery is the representative governing body of the Presbyterian Church in Eastern Oregon, and there were moments as folks made motions upon motions, and amendments to motions, that I wondered if God was in parsing of church polity. Like mosquitoes, it was hard to decipher it’s usefulness. And like the bitten, I usually refrain from close examination and active participation of seconding motions, and, “all in favors.” I like being Presbyterian and at most times, I feel like I imagine the people of Corinth do, that there is a lot right about this leading body, call it Paul, or Apollos or Presbyterian. I like whom we are allowed to marry and ordain, myself included, but I like that people are allowed to disagree, I like the way the church mimics the checks and balances of the U.S. Government, I like the way we are encouraged to think and reason knowing we have a brain and a Bible. I like a lot of things. But sometimes, I think we as Presbyterian get boggled down in our own system. We get bogged down thinking, the way we have always done it is the only way.
At Presbytery, we had been discussing Pilot Rock Presbyterian Church, which had sent along a request to leave the denomination over theological differences with the national church. Folks in the Presbytery were sad, and frustrated, having spent time, like Jim Kauth has, preaching and visiting, and moderating their session the local governing body, taking communion together and being a family in Eastern Oregon Presbytery. It was like a couple who says they are trying to work things out and then send a text saying, we no longer wish to remain in the denomination with you. I have recently heard this same grief stricken hurt from my parents in San Antonio over the split of those who desire to remain Presbyterian and those who wish to leave. Congregants have left that church for theological reasons, but they have been missed for personal reasons. They are a family, and my parents miss that place where the pew remains empty. The trips that they still try to take together as friends have an unspoken divide. My parents speak in “us and them” terms, and hide behind theologies to mask a deeper loss of family that no longer shares communion. At Presbytery, a motion was passed to send an Administrative Committee to Pilot Rock to seek reconciliation, and if necessary bring forth to the Presbytery a recommendation for dismissal from the denomination. While I think seeking understanding is important, and reconciliation would be paramount, I also know that God made us unique, that whether we are Paul’s and Presbyterian, or Apollos and some non-denominational church, or Cephas and Catholic, we all belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. Perhaps, because I am younger, I don’t get so caught up in the who’s who of labels; I just want people to fit where they feel most comfortable and can grow. I want my parents to have a church that feeds them rather than drains them, while they agree theologically with their church, it might be too much of a former battlefield in which to worship, and I want their friendships to be likewise. You can have either with an ‘us and them,’ mentality. We all belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.
Then at Presbytery, it was time to hear from Monument, which was clumped together with Pilot Rock. A middle aged rancher, with light eyes and freckles from the sun, stood up and told how he’d, “grow’d up,” in the church. And ashamedly, with that phrase, I prepared myself for what I expected to be a theological treatise on how the Presbyterian Church USA was no longer Bible based, or held family values etc. He talked of Sunday School, putting his hand just so, as you would top of the head of a little boy. He spoke of waxing and waning congregations using the building and the problems that ensued. My favorite line of his was one of the preacher running off with another man’s wife, and the treasurer stealing the church’s money - all of which sounded to be the same people. Perhaps it was at this point, I saw a more measured speech then I expected, one that was not one sided, but more evenhanded. He spoke of the need for whatever happened to have structure like the Presbyterian Church. I liked that that was what he held to, and as a rancher structure suited him. He talked of being trustworthy enough to talk to people about God, and God’s in his life. I kept listening for what was under the surface, but I couldn’t hear him saying he, or they, the few remaining members, wanted to leave the denomination. He was saying, don’t get rid of our building, (as all church property is owned by the Presbytery rather than the local church). He said, that though a church is not a building, it has been a place for Christians in Monument for a century, and I was reminded of this scripture, that as people we are God’s temple, and our spaces are built for service and worship to God. He really wanted God in that place, in Monument and was there at this Presbytery Meeting to stand for that.
Then the Clerk of Presbytery explained how long he and others had spent trying to help this church, and all the requirements the congregation had not met to count as a viable congregation. The Clerk mentioned legitimate things like the need for worshiping at least four times a year with communion, having a session, etc. But I wondered too about what I call, “rules,” and perhaps the scripture calls the wisdom of this world. Rules are meant to foster relationships with God, not to shut that relationship down. I thought about the PCUSA moment of 1001 Worshiping Communities, groups of people who meet in coffee shops, or for dance practice, or to serve the community in one way or another, and wondered if those rules were different. Then a woman from Monument got up and explained they wanted God to continue there. I thought about how sad it would feel to be asking the Presbytery for help, for wanting to remain. The thought broke my heart, not just saying no, but the idea of even having to ask, to want to be a church, to want to be a part and to be told no. Then Roger Fisk, their former pastor, and member of Presbytery addressed how the Presbytery had left them, having once been a Mission area with a circuit preacher and when that was taken away by the Presbytery, the church lacked that structure and began to dry up, all but these few. I wondered how this church might become sustainable on their own. I thought about how Baker City was begun by four women in 1884 and how here were six, holding on in Monument. I thought about the hurt and pain, and why for the local branch of the PCUSA to give up on them. Then another woman said that decisions and conversations with Monument and Presbytery were made through e-mail and there was a need to explore in person, face-to-face. I thought, “of course, I would have hoped there would have been lots of face-to-face time, lots of sharing a meal, listening to stories, hopes and dreams.” Then another woman from Monument stood up and tearfully said, “We are asking for help. We want to stay Presbyterian. We just need some creativity and some ideas.” In my head I literally pictured myself raising my hand - I can do creativity.
I raised it and honestly, being the youngest member of Presbytery, was surprised when I was called on next in front of older and longer established members. I stood up and asked, “Maybe I am missing something, or there is something we aren’t talking about, but at the beginning of our meeting we looked at the map of churches in the Presbytery and we wondered where we might even add churches. Here we have a group of people who want to remain a part of the Presbyterian Church, who have come here in person, who are asking us for help.” I said, “I know I can do creative, I am not so good at the structure part,” of which the rancher spoke, “but I think there are people in this room who can do that.”
Then, the moderator asked me to make a motion, deer in headlights. I said, “I was just naming what I was noticing. I don’t know if that is how the body feels, remember I do creativity.” Others spoke, in agreement, while Jim Kauth kneeled beside me, and he whispered, “Would you be willing to serve on a committee for this?” “Yes.” I said without hesitation, except for the time it may mean I spend away from Baker City. I felt called. I wanted to go and listen to these people who had traveled from Monument to Milton-Freewater to try to save their church. I wanted to support them, to have a meal with them, to listen to them and the community, to hear their dreams, to listen to their gifts, to learn from them. I figured too, and I am asking, for you to support me in this as well. Because I don’t think we are Baker, or Monument, Pilot Rock, or Pendleton, Paul’s or Apollos, we belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. I even wonder, if any of you feel called to join me?
Then Keith Hudson, the pastor in LaGrande, came and asked me the same question, with the admonition, “I will join you Katy.” I again whispered, “Yes, I will serve,” and Keith, the structure one, made the motion. There were tears both from the Presbytery and the people from Monument, as well as some murmurs from those who had tried on previous committees and been unable to come to a resolution. Keith and I walked over and introduced ourselves after the meeting. The rancher said to Keith, we have a cabin you have a place whenever you need after a meeting. A woman came up to me and said, I will cook for you and we will have dinner together. Isn’t this what we are supposed to do? Isn't this what it’s about? I think this is how Jesus would have it, and I
