Chosen

(Scriptures: 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Ephesians 1:1-14,  Mark 6:14-29)

Today we celebrate a rare moment in the life of our congregation – the ordination of an elder and a deacon, and a recognition of our congregation’s lay leadership. I’m not sure when the last ordination and installation of elders and deacons happened, but it’s likely been a few years.  

I’d like to say a few words about the function of elders and deacons. In preparing for the service of installation, I reviewed the liturgy from the Evangelical & Reformed order of ordination and installation of elders and deacons. Even though we are a congregation of the United Church of Christ, our roots are in the Reformed tradition, and I felt it was important to give that tradition a voice in today’s service.

According to the E&R liturgy – and while I’m paraphrasing and summarizing, you’ll be hearing many of these words again during the installation, but since it’s been a while, hearing them twice may help us remember – elders are appointed to assist and support the ministers of the Word – that would be the pastor – in the general government of the church. Elders are to be the advisors and counselors of the minister in the performance of his duties, acting as the pastor’s hands and eyes. They are to watch over the congregation in the Lord, to take an active interest in the congregation’s spiritual welfare, to feel responsibility for its condition, to be at hand in all circumstances with spiritual aid for all its needs and wants. Moreover – and this is something we seldom mention in the UCC, but it does exist – to the elders, in conjunction with the pastor, belong the whole discipline of the church to censure members and to restore them to fellowship.

According to the E&R liturgy, Deacons are appointed to assist and support the Pastor in sustaining the more outward needs of the general household of faith. They are to aid in securing the funds necessary for the support of the church, and to cultivate the spirit of liberal and cheerful giving.

I’d also like to lift up some guidance from the United Church of Christ, which I’ve included in your bulletins, and from Scripture. We’re reminded that the office of elder actually pre-dates the existence of the Christian church. From the earliest days of the Hebrew people, the elders were those tribal leaders, those wise ones whose counsel, borne of long experience, was sought out in times of decision. In the book of Numbers, 11th chapter, at a time when Moses was feeling overwhelmed and nearly beside himself with frustration with the burden of leading the Israelites through the wilderness, the Lord instructed him to choose seventy elders, and the Lord took some of the spiritual power from Moses and confer it on them, so they could help Moses bear up under the burden of leading the people. In the book of Acts, as Paul planted new churches, he would appointed elders in each church, and with prayer and fasting entrusted the church to the Lord in whom they had come to believe. In the UCC, following the Reformed tradition, elders oversee the spiritual welfare of the church – preparing for and assisting in serving communion, assisting with the provision of communion to sick and shut-in members, visiting the sick and homebound, and keeping the pastor apprised of members who are in difficulty and need pastoral care.

The UCC reminds us that the office of Deacon originated in the 6th chapter of Acts, when the Gentiles complained that the Jewish widows were getting more assistance than the Gentile widows. The twelve called together the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.” So seven men of good standing were appointed – many, perhaps most of them Gentiles - and the apostles prayed and laid hands on them. Therefore, the Deacons are to assist with the more outward aspects of the church’s ministry – to distribute aid to the poor and support the church’s ministry in the community, to encourage stewardship and faithful giving to the church, to promote the church’s work of evangelism. Deacons can also assist with serving communion.

In considering these offices, it’s important to keep in mind Paul’s words about the church as one body of Christ with many parts having different functions. Which is to say that elders and deacons must work in harmony with the body as a whole. A church with elders and deacons who know how to work together and promote the congregation’s ministry is richly blessed. A church with elders and deacons who cause discord and disorder in the Lord’s house is sorely distressed. Remember Paul’s words to the fractious church at Corinth: “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” And our elders and deacons should lead the way in building up the church.

Our sharply contrasting readings from the Old Testament and from Mark’s Gospel capture the range of emotions elders and deacons can experience. In our reading from 2 Samuel, David and his entourage are bringing the Ark of the Covenant, which had been captured in battle by the Philistines, back to the Hebrews in triumph. It’s a time of rejoicing, King David is dancing with all his might, throwing reserve and propriety to the winds. We’re told that his wife, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked on David’s gyrations and despised him for making a spectacle of himself…..not unlike some prim church folk who look down their noses upon the more ..shall we say… expressive forms of worship. No matter: let Michal be as uptight as she wants; this was a day for celebration, and king David would be second to none in dancing his heart out before the Lord. And while we may not necessarily, in the words of the praise song, dance like David danced – these days Pastor Dave dances like Methuselah danced - elders and deacons will experience those moments of celebration during those high moments in the life of our church – the anniversaries, the baptisms, the weddings, those other holy moments we’re privileged to witness. In those moments when the presence of the Lord rocks the house and fills the house with joy, our elders and deacons can lead the way in rejoicing.

And then there are those other moments – those moments when, like John the Baptist, we step out in faith and make a bold statement or take a decisive action, and folks want our heads on a platter. It happens. It’s part of the package, unfortunately. Serving the church as elder, as deacon – indeed, as pastor, or in any other capacity - is not a popularity contest. In some situations it seems that no matter what you do or don’t do, somebody’s going to be unhappy. And especially if God is using our church’s ministry to take on the powers and principalities of the world, and spiritual wickedness in high places – that is to say, if the church is truly being the church, acting according to God’s will – those powers and principalities will push back, and people will be coming for our heads on a platter.

Our reading from Ephesians gives us a broad perspective which should keep us grounded during the highs and lows, keeping us from getting carried away with ourselves when things are going well and keeping us from throwing in the towel when things seem to be crashing and burning. In the UCC, elders and deacons are chosen by the congregation – but Ephesians reminds us that elders, deacons, and indeed every member of the congregation are chosen by God, indeed have been chosen by God from before our birth. Our life here at Emanuel is a banquet, to which God invited each of us before any of us were born. We were chosen – not to get a swelled head or to indulge an overgrown ego, but – what does Ephesians say? – to be holy and blameless in love – let’s repeat that together – “to be holy and blameless in love”…..and later, Ephesians says we are to live for the praise of his glory. As we ordain Al as Elder and David as Deacon, and as we reaffirm the ministries of those who have been serving, may God be glorified, and my God’s love be known among us. Amen.