Memory is a powerful part of who we are and how we live our lives as people of God. September 2 was the 80th anniversary of the first service in this building. This month we are continuing to remember the history of Grace Memorial with visits from former rectors and friends and former members of this church. Last spring we had several adult forums dedicated to parishioners just sitting and reminiscing about their experiences at Grace. There were fond memories…funny memories…some painful and poignant memories. But they are all a part of who we are as a Christian community of faith.
Scripture tells us and you and I know very well by now that families are weird and church families can be a little squirrelly too. In the wider church it seems to be a real challenge for everyone to get along. Jesus knew this and in Matthew’s Gospel and especially in this chapter he stresses the importance of Christian community and says what to do if there is trouble in the family. We could call this rules for reconciliation. When Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them,” He means we are supposed to be together. There is no Christian alone. We need each other. When we are working and worshipping together we are better than one person alone and Jesus is present.
Families and church families have collective memories. We know memories are powerful. Do you know people who always seem to remember the bad stuff and nothing good? Novels have been written about family grudges that have affected each generation until no one remembers what the original offence was. Every one of us knows how we hold on to the sins that have been done to us….and we know the damage they do.
On the other hand, good memories can shape our lives in such positive ways. And we are celebrating the good memories of what it means to be Grace Memorial Church. Last Sunday when a former rector came back to visit, I so much enjoyed hearing the stories of his time here – the young people remember how great he was with kids. Other folks remember how he rallied the church around the building program.
I was touched by his story of his pending divorce during that time….divorce is awful for anyone but for a minister who is familiar with what scripture says about divorce, it is particularly hard – there is a great sense of having failed the flock. He went to the vestry and said he would resign. His powerful memory of that time was that the people on the vestry said no – we will work our way through this together. They could have let him leave – to find his way alone. But that is not how Jesus said to do it. He said you work things out together.
When Matthew wrote his gospel and passed on Jesus’ words, he was particularly concerned about order and discipline in the new church and protecting it from damaging influences. Jesus’ teaching shows how to care for those on the margins who might cause trouble and those who might be straying and find ways to keep them in Christian community. The problem with sin is that it isolates us – and even more so if we don’t confront it and confess it. Families are guilty and churches are guilty of letting relationships go by the wayside.
Life in Jesus Christ is the most important relationship. Therefore in our personal lives and in our life as a church …it is not the building or land or the beautiful things in the church – it is how we relate to each other that is most important. Barbara Brown Taylor said, “Our life together is the place where we are comforted, confronted, tested and redeemed by God through one another…..we are to confront and make up; to forgive and seek forgiveness, to heal and be healed.” And I might add we are to always try to bring the stranger and those who have strayed.
This church dates back to 1866 – that is 142 years of Grace Church people coming together to worship the Lord. On this 80th anniversary in this building, remember that every day we are making powerful memories that will live longer than we will. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” May it always be so. Amen