Eagle Harbor Congregational Church, UCC
Sermon preached by Rev. Emily Tanis-Likkel
July 25, 2010
Acts 10:24-35, 44-48
Walking with God
Radical Inclusion
When Julia and Paul Child moved to Paris in 1948, Julia was not a great cook. She wasn't even all that interested in cooking, but loved to eat and was always hungry. She fell in love with French cuisine, and became determined to learn how to prepare it herself. She entered culinary school, began entertaining, and then giving cooking lessons to a group of women home cooks. In the 50s back in the U.S., manufacturers were putting out pre-packaged meals for the convenience. But many still had the do-it-yourself creative urge like Julia Child. She wanted to demystify French cooking, to simplify it and make it accessible to ordinary housewives in the U.S. And she did, consequently, men and women today still lean on her recipes for French cooking. Many were drawn to her sunny, encouraging, quirky personality on her television show. She spoke so personably, invited all to join her, to create. People who never previously considered cooking fine French cuisine found that even they had it in them. More recently, chef Jamie Oliver began a revolution to teach Americans how to cook quick, healthy meals. He did not simply tell folks how easy it can be, he hung out with folks and got to know them. He gave them the skillets, utensils, and ingredients. He gave them encouragement, that we're in this together.
What Julia Child did for American home cooks, Wikipedia does for those who would like to share information with the masses. They are both examples of open source. Open Source is a movement that promotes access to an end product's source materials. Open source software development is a collaborative effort, with everything from the end-product, source-material, “blueprints” and documentation available all for free. It is the do-it-yourself era, when the how-to for just about anything is found through a search engine. The sharing of ideas gives access. It demystifies.
In the realm of Christianity, everyone has access to the source material. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. The Jesus life is open to all.
We are transititioning into a time in history where people are increasingly yearning to collaborate, co-create and have access. This yearning is what the Jesus life engages. Doug Pagitt, pastor of Solomon's Porch Church, describes this as the Inventive Age. In a web-based seminar I took from him last week, he described the necessity of pastors facilitating “open source faith experiences.” Fully accessible, readily applicable, with the tools for creativity given. How do we become a church that is radically inclusive not only of those who come through the doors, but gives the tools each individual needs to fully integrate the Gospel into their lives, to assimilate it and fully engage themselves in co-creation?
Barbara Brown Taylor in her book An Altar in the World, describes how she has come to understand the congruence, a coming together, of the sacred and secular realms. She writes in her introduction, “Whoever you are, you are human. Wherever you are, you live in the world, which is just waiting for you to notice the holiness in it. So welcome to your own priesthood, practiced at the altar of your own life. The good news is that you have everything you need to begin.” She writes of a Benedictine monk who noted that biting into a tomato can be a kind of prayer, saying, “anyone who recognizes the sacramental value of a homegrown tomato sandwich can be my spiritual director.” We can help each other, and others to recognize the sacredness in everyday experience. We can facilitate, translate, and offer a way of looking at the world that sees the beauty of God everywhere, even and especially where it is least expected.
In the slums of Brazil, beauty has been nurtured by a project of community art and music. Art and music are inclusive by it's very nature, they are woven into the fabric of humanity, regardless of whether someone can sing in tune or has taken painting classes. A documentary film called “Colors of a Creative Culture” shows how community painting and music has been transformational for the city of Salvador in Brazil. While musicians play handmade drums and other found objects to make music together, visual artists paint on trees, cans, whatever they can find for their canvas. They paint murals on the walls of their neighborhood streets. Covering over so-called “visual pollution,” such as grafitti and political billboards and blank space with beauty. Incredibly unique, many brillliant paintings that are fully accessible to all. Not everyone can pay to go to a museum – but everyone can see fabulous art by walking down the street. One artist by the name of Rui Santana who had been painting neighborhood murals for many years, said, “my intention has always been to demystify art production to the public. When you paint on the streets, you are closer to the people, and using different spaces to make art.” In a community painting with music project, kids were given paint to make their shacks more beautiful. They were given encouragement – you don't need a lot of paint – use both sides of the brush, then it won't splatter. The art was already inside them, they were given the tools to express it. The local priest said, “our creation originates from the life we live.” He spoke about the integration of spirituality and earthiness. As a visual artist, he also paints walls in the community, explaining, “The artist must go where the people are.” As the church needs to go where people are. As the church needs to hand out tools, such as the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Sabbath-keeping and peace=making, to encourage folks to express what is already inside them.
Our time for sharing each week is an open source faith experience. It is co-created. Our prayers are open source. When a church member brings flowers to a neighbor, and offers love, support and encouragement, it is an open source faith experience. When the kids make a craft about a Bible story in Sunday school, teens discuss their struggles in Youth Group, adults share insights in Bible Study; when we give willingly of our time to pull weeds, put up shelves, brew coffee, lend an ear, offer a ride, we tap into the source that is wide open to all of us. The source that is Jesus is not reserved for those who’ve got their spiritual lives completely together, that would result in a religion of none. Peter had to see that vision three times before he got it. The Gospel is for all. The walls of our churches are temporary. In eternity, there will be no distinctions. Do we get the vision? Have we taken hold of it and allowed it to transform us? Do our language and customs invite or hinder inclusion? Do we promote access to the source? In the text, Peter does not simply accept Cornelius. He is not merely tolerated. He is embraced. He and his family are baptized. He is given the tools, the lessons, the encouragement.
This story in Acts is radically inclusive. The word radical means a change at the root. Not a surface transition, but extensive, complete transformation. Christianity does not teach mere acceptance, but love for enemies. It is not about tolerating each other, but putting each other’s needs before our own. In the story, Peter had been taught the Levitical prohibitions, about what to eat and not eat, about who to associate with and who to avoid. In the vision he was given, all those prohibitions that were an integral part of who he was were rendered obselete. The Gospel was to be fully accessible, it was open source, demystified.
The Jesus life is open to all. What does this mean for worship? What does this mean for ministry? What does this mean for mission? We co-create with one another to bring about worship that is pleasing to God. We collaborate with one another in our ministry and mission in the world. We will increasingly need to find ways to include, invite, and encourage people into the Jesus life, the church. It will stretch us in ways we have yet to discover, for our still-speaking God is continually calling us to renewal. May we listen with humility, may we see the vision, and like Peter, be open to being challenged and changed.