'God's foolishness is wiser than our wisdom' - September 14
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 61, 62; PM Psalm 68:1-20(21-23)24-36; 1 Kings 21:17-29; 1 Cor. 1:20-31; Matt. 4:12-17
Today’s Reflection
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. … For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’ –1 Cor. 1:21, 25-31
It’s mostly invisible to people participating in worship in the Nave or online, but there are many complicated logistics involved in coordinating all the people and elements required for a worship service, especially within a larger parish like Saint Stephen’s. Then we add in all the technology needed to amplify our voices through microphones and speakers in the Nave, and that’s another level of complexity and coordination.
And then there’s everything required to get these images and sounds into a live feed—getting the lighting just right, controlling the three cameras, and the time given by the people who know how to run all these things—not to mention we should always be praying for a strong, consistent Internet connection! And now we’ve added livestreaming our Sunday Forums from the Parish Hall, which means we’re coordinating many of these same elements to make our adult formation hour accessible to as many people as possible.
This past Sunday was the first Sunday in a very long time that we were offering all four worship services in person plus in-person Christian formation programs at 10:15 a.m. for children, youth, and adults. It was the first Sunday we were moving the livestream operation to the 9 a.m. service, and the first Sunday we were trying a new technology set-up to livestream and record our Sunday Forum speaker John Archibald in the Parish Hall.
Many, many hours of thought and preparation went into planning the liturgies, laying out and editing the bulletin, and planning and practicing the music for the worship services. Still more time and thought was spent figuring out the cameras, mics, speakers, and livestream technology for our first Sunday Forum of the fall season. Our children’s and youth staff spent still more hours planning all their fall formation activities to begin on Sunday mornings. So many people’s time and talents were given to glorify God in and through all these preparations—all in the hope that still more people would be able to learn and worship together as a community this Sunday.
But then things happen that no amount of preparation can prevent or fix. An audio tower somehow was not plugged in, but just in the nick of time this was discovered and fixed (thanks Sheila!) and all was well with the audio output in the Parish Hall. Some very weird static interference was emanating (loudly!) from one of the main speakers in the Nave—in both the 9 and 11:15 worship services. In the 11:15 service, as celebrant I tried to just power through the noise—even as the static became increasingly overwhelming as we said the Nicene Creed. John rushed down the aisle to the problem speaker and then to the sound booth so that, by the time we reached the Peace, the announcements, and the Eucharistic Prayer, the speakers were working normally once more. There were probably other logistical hiccups around the church campus of which I am not even aware.
But let’s shift our mindset and think of everything that went right on this Sunday morning (and this is just a partial list):
· Before we worshipped, flowers were arranged beautifully, and the items needed for communion were laid out carefully, by members of our Flower and Altar Guilds.
· Hundreds of people came to worship in the Nave, spread out over four services.
· Many others had the opportunity to worship with us online, whether watching live that morning or through the recorded service later in the day.
· Children and youth were welcomed into sharing their gifts as acolytes—and they served with willing and joyful hearts that, by extension, encouraged all the rest of us to have a child-like faith.
· Adults shared their gifts by reading scriptures, helping serve communion, greeting, ushering, and running the sound, video, and livestream.
· Others shared their gifts of music, leading us with their voices and instruments.
· Still others shared their gifts by spending an hour of their Sunday morning learning in community with our children and youth.
· Members of our outreach ministries committee shared about their outreach ministries at tables in the Gathering Space.
· People donated their blood to those in need through our LifeSouth blood drive.
· Many people had the chance to learn from John Archibald and one another by attending our Sunday Forum in the Parish Hall—and many others viewed his presentation through YouTube.
· Hundreds of people joined together to pray for the needs and concerns of our fellow parishioners and our wider community and world.
· Communion was taken and shared with those who cannot travel to the church for worship.
· The Gospel was proclaimed, an inspiring sermon was preached, and communion was shared—not just once, but four times.
As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, God takes all our human weaknesses—and even our human foolishness—and turns it into something that glorifies him and encourages us. Mistakes will be made. Speakers may not work right. Lines of the Gospel or the Eucharistic prayer may be flubbed. Livestream feeds may be lost in the shuffle.
There are no perfect people—and there are no perfect churches.
But amidst all of this, we come together to show one another love and hospitality, to worship God, and to share communion with one another. So, when we get things right, let us boast in the Lord. And when we get things wrong, we can rest assured that “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” (1 Cor. 1:25). How much greater is the love of God than any of our human imperfections and insecurities!
For all of this, we can say loudly and joyfully: Thanks be to God! Alleluia, alleluia!
—Becky+
Questions for Self-Reflection
When have you felt overwhelmed by your mistakes? When has it been hard to get past seeing what went wrong to see what went right? How does your belief in Jesus and being in community with others who believe help you to regain perspective and hopefulness?
Daily Challenge
Consider re-watching our clergy conversation from the spring, “Being Church in a Pandemic: Lessons Learned.” You can find it, along with all our other Sunday Forums and sermons, on our Saint Stephen’s YouTube channel.