When we look at religion at work, we find ethics. What does it say to this community when we hear that moral and ethical disintegration is prevalent in our society today? Is there something to this? Is there a connection to the rapid decline of churches? When we look at religion at work, we find ethics!

When we converse thoughtfully about our religion, we find theology. How often do we talk theology? What do you understand about Christianity, living our faith? How do you share your thoughts?

But when we get to the heart of religion, what we find is song. Over and over in the Bible we find this phrase: “Sing to the Lord a new song. “ Surely the world needs a new song. Are we not past due … I mean isn’t it about time we get to the heart of religion?

I don’t need to list all the horrors of our world. We can listen to the daily news and experience what is wrong.

Perhaps a better use of our time and a more fruitful question for us to ask, is this: What does a 21st century church, one that is singing God’s new song, look like? What is at the heart of our religion? What does our song say? How are we singing it?

I don’t know – at least fully, but… I can put together some pieces of what such a church would look like— a church that sings God’s new song is —-

•  a church that is vital and life-giving,
• a church that transforms individuals and society,
• a church that is serious about both prayer and justice.

Two kids were playing church, and the one playing minister complained to the one playing a person in the pew “You aren’t playing right! You look bored.” To which the pretend-church member replied “You’re supposed to be bored in church.”

But in the church that survives the rapid decline evidenced in the US today … you will not find boredom; you will find song.

Such a church will welcome the stranger…take in the marginalized. It would be a counter-culture social structure visible to the world…resident aliens…in which people are faithful to their promises, love their enemies, tell the truth, honor the poor, suffer for righteousness thereby testifying to the amazing community-creating power of God.

We are called into community because that is what the world needs most. We are called into community because that is where God is. What gives hope to humanity in the face of all the evil of our world are the promises of God. To be believed, these promises must be embodied. The story of a chosen people becomes the story of a community committed to living in such a way that the promises of God become believable to others.

A song of community: that is the new song that the world needs. And I ask you: Is Hope United Church of Christ singing it? This is not a song about joining the choir. But I am using the scriptural image of singing a new song to talk about what it means to be part of a 21st century church. People are part of a church, including HERE, at many different levels.

Some come cautiously just to check us out. That’s fine, and they are welcome. But I hope they will come back for something more than that.

Some come as consumers. They come for what they want: fellowship, a closer relationship with God, hope, acceptance. They put money in the offering plate, give a little time now and then, but don’t see that they are the church; they don’t take ownership of the decisions and the issues and the visions. They are in effect here as consumers, buying a product. That’s ok too, and they are welcome. But I hope they will come back for something more than that.

I hope that most of us will come to Hope United Church of Christ because we become personally committed to the vision of being a 21st century church… and that we intend to make it happen,

to be part of the action,

to move beyond checking things out,

to move beyond being a consumer,

and to be the church.

People have lots of questions about what membership means. Here’s how I understand membership. It means:

I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is.

I will hang in there when things are difficult because I expect them to be difficult now and then; that’s part of the process of building something new; of course it will be hard sometimes.

I will take part in the work as well as the fun stuff, because I am not here just to consume; I’ve joined on in order to help create.

The revolution, Adrienne Rich says, will not be televised. In other words, we create an alternative church, a 21st century church, a welcome church, not by doing dramatic, powerful events that everyone notices and is amazed about. The revolution happens because we plod along doing all the same old day by day stuff (like living and dying and loving and helping) in new ways.

It means I keep the commitments I make because I am motivated by something bigger than how I feel at this moment; I hold before me a picture of what can be.

Church membership means that I have recognized and publically acknowledge that I am called to be here. I’m not a part of this church only because I wandered in, or only because my friends are here, or only because the other churches don’t want me. I am here because I have been called to be a part of this grand experiment:

God has asked me (church member) to sing a new song

so the church can heal people instead of hurt them,

speak the word of love instead of hate,

empower instead of disempowering,

work together instead of competing.

I may love to go to concerts. I may love to sit and listen to the music. When I get a chance, I may even donate to my favorite music groups to keep them going, to support them. But what will really make a difference is when I join the choir, when I raise my voice with the rest to sing what the world needs to hear. That means I show up at the rehearsals as well as the concerts. But it is being part of that community, struggling over the hard passages together that transforms me, brings the music to life for me, and creates a choir.

That’s what it’s like to be a church member.

Singing a new song even during the interim time. Singing a new song that leads you to calling the pastor that fits with God’s plans for you, your vision of the future, and your mission here in this place. Singing a new song that is Spirit led.

Some people understand the church as a museum, but I see it as an incubator. It’s a lot easier to be a museum. If you are going to be messing around with new life, and all the nurturing that requires, and all the protecting and defending that new life demands, then you can’t be alone. Soloists are great, but it is choirs that will bring in the reign of God. The movement of the Spirit happens mostly in community.

What does the 21st century world need in order to know God, to be empowered by the spirit of love? It may not be all the same things that the 19th or 20th century folks needed. It may move us out of our comfort zone. It may not be head centered or even heart centered. It may be Spirit centered.

How do we know? How do we know the new song?

As intentional interim pastor, how do I know?

I don’t know. Nor will your next called pastor. I don’t think we need a grand plan. I don’t think we need all the answers. What we need is the skills to be open to the leading of God, the moving of the Spirit. And that’s a scary way to move through life; so we need to do that in community. The Spirit always talks with many voices, so to follow God’s leading, I can’t be religious alone; I need to be in that holy choir, I need to raise my prayer voice with others. The new song bursts forth in community and by the community.

Walking uncharted territory, trying to be a new kind of church that does not make the same mistakes the old church has made; that is hard. I don’t have the strength to do it alone. No pastor does. I have never believed that old saying that God doesn’t send us more than we can handle. My experience shows me that we often get from life more than we can handle. The key is that: We’re not supposed to be handling it alone. We live in community. We are called into community. We are to sing our song in community… We are to live, breath, and have our being in relationship with God, each other, and in the wider community.

For me, all this is very exciting. I love the challenge of singing a new song. As interim, I don’t lay out the new song and teach you to sing it. It comes from the community and the community’s relationship with God… it bursts forth from within each of you. What song are you singing? How has God called you? How is God calling you today?

I invite you to reflect on HOPE UCC, what we are about here, and what your role is in the singing of this new song…

Are you called to be here?

Do you want to move from being just audience to being actor,

from going to a concert to being in a choir?

Do you think United Church of Christ is one of the choirs God is using to proclaim a new song to the world?

Is your voice singing with us?

As interim, I am invited to sing with you for a short period of time… I am invited to share with you this blessed journey of faith here and now. I invite you to sing the song of community.