“We Have a Dream”

16th Sunday after Pentecost - Sept. 17, 23

Romans 14: 7 - BRCC - Pastor Deb

Tettegouche State Park has a new Children’s Nature Center, and it is awesome! If you have children, or grandchildren…or if the child in YOU wants to engage with nature, explore and play…you have to go and spend time there. It is magical and so life-giving!

I had the privilege of being at this amazing outdoor playland on the day a ribbon was cut and it was opened to the public. After thanking all the many volunteers who gave endless, challenging hours dreaming, researching, designing, fund-raising then clearing, mulching, building, and finally…promoting this amazing natural playground, the friends of Tettegouche team threw open the trails and the children ran gleefully into the magic of exploring and celebrating God’s world of nature and beauty. And what a magical experience it was! Play centers where little hands could handle rocks, birch bark, sticks, wild flowers and plants and make them into a celebration of natural beauty. Wooden teeter totters and climbing towers; balance beams made out of huge fallen cedar trees; hidden adventures along a creek under a bridge; home-made rock slides where children could roll rocks down a tunnel of wood; and a magical music forest where wooden wind chimes, forest drums, a wooden xylophone and rhythm shakers invited children and adults to lend their movements and musical creativity to the winds that whistles naturally through the woodlands. Words cannot fully describe how magical this natural playland is, but the smiles and delightful expenditure of energy and enthusiasm of the children engaging everywhere was heavenly. One could almost feel our Heavenly Father’s delight shining down upon His children’s playful acknowledgement of his beautiful world!

What I am describing started out as a dream. A group of people came together as a team and defined themselves as “Friends of Tettegouche State Park,” and they opened themselves to the potential expressed through gifts and ideas that each person on that team brought to the table. I wasn’t a part of that team, but I and many…many…visitors to the park, have been the recipients of their efforts. Whether through art shows; musical concerts; s’mores by the fire; nature talks and walks…their ideas have found feet and one by one have brought that state park to life. No doubt it is one of the most beloved state parks within the whole system. Why? Because of a dream, and a group of self-giving people who believed in the possibilities and stepped up to work together to make it happen!

Paul’s words to the Romans are a powerful reminder of the importance of shared dreams and the potential of unified energy when we share a dream. Paul writes: “We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves.” So often, these words are shared at a graveside to remind of that in Christ, we can live in a way that transcends the limits of this world. We don’t have to “hoard” life as if it is finite and therefore we should keep it to ourselves for our own gratification. No…for a follower of Christ, this life is to be spent…given….shared…used up FOR THE SAKE of God’s Kingdom. “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be done,” we pray. What does that mean if not.. “Give us your dream, dear Lord, and the power to live into that dream here and now…engaging, giving, seeking and celebrating the marriage of all of our gifts for the sake of realizing YOUR Dream!

Today marks a defining point in our life together as a community of faith and discipleship. It has been coming for awhile now…ever since a fire destroyed a former building and a new era of choices had to be made. Do we go forward and rebuild a church here in Finland, so do we let it pass away? That wasn’t an easy decision, I assume, for those whose energy and commitment had fueled the past history of this place began to fade away. The life of any organism has these kinds of seasons…even Christ’s church. But, out of those ashes came a dream of a remnant who heard a promise on the winds of the Holy Spirit. I don’t think it was “build it and they will come,” even though this beautiful church building is amazing and all who come in here feel drawn to its grandeur. No…it’s not a building that became the dream…but the hope of something beyond ourselves…God’s dream, that we have the privilege of fanning into flames of new life.

Like most dreams, it starts with people of various giftings committing to join in partnering, designing, planning, and bringing their resources and enthusiasm to the table willing to roll up their sleeves and get it rolling forward. Like most dreams, it isn’t fully defined at the beginning, but grows into something more than we ever could imagine at the onset. And like most dreams, its fuel is the courageous hope, courage and willingness to make sacrifices and let go of control over money and outcomes in order to follow wherever God leads. And…like most dreams, it takes a catalyst moment where a critical mass of dreamers agrees to trust an uncertain future and dig deep into faith.

So what’s the defining moment RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE, that calls us to LIVE BEYOND OURSELVES for the sake of God’s dream for this community of faith? As I have had the privilege of being a part of this congregation and now pastor among you as a bridge to what’s ahead, I’d like to make a few observations that may be helpful in naming the dream we are called to follow.

First, the gifts and possibilities within this small but mighty gathering of worshipers is so much bigger than we have been willing to utilize. Unlike many other congregations who are struggling to stay viable, we have money in the bank…financial resources that are sitting in a barn. Perhaps there is a legitimate fear that if we use those funds until they are gone, and, when the money is spent, there will not be enough to continue forward. But isn’t that like keeping our five loaves and two fish to ourselves rather than putting them into the hands of our Christ who can multiply and feed the multitudes?

What about all the amazing gifts and talents of so many of us now living in retirement or in the productive years of our working lives? We talk endlessly about our busy schedules; trips and outings we want to enjoy; seasons where we leave this cold climate so we can’t commit because we just aren’t going to be around. In a perfect world, a young generation would be stepping up to lead, to dream, to engage so those of us who have been stepping up for years can finally lay back and take it slower. But it is no longer the 1970’s and 80’s where that expectation is realistic is it? The harvest is different now…the hurting, the marginalized, the seeker of God’s mercy and grace doesn’t fit those models. The workers are few….just as in Jesus’ day….but the harvest is heavy and plentiful…waiting, hoping, eager to be found and given hope. “Here I am…what would you have me do?” is the prayer of God’s dreams.

And finally, there is something to be said about “seizing the day.” For the last decade, this church has been in a survival mode. We had a wonderful, loyal pastor in Tom Murray who walked beside us after the fire for 11 years until a pandemic brought remote worship and the loss of fellowship and identity. To continue with remote worship and a one night per week life as a congregation wasn’t viable as a discernible dream. What followed was a chance to have visiting pulpit supply preachers. This gave us an opportunity to wonder about what was needed and important to us, and the dream began to be shaped by the desire to have a local pastoral leader who lives among us and is a part of who we are here in Finland, Minneota. As a bridge pastor, that dream has continued to unfold in my walk with you as we have tasted what it feels like to grow in fellowship and faith development opportunities, to be encouraged within an anchor church relationship with Gloria Dei and Messiah Lutheran churches and or Synod relationships, and to welcome more and more visitors into our midst as we worship together. Your council leaders have been attentive to moving us forward out of the void of losing all our historical records and organizational structures, and offer the ratification of a constitution and by-laws as well as the fruits of an enthusiastic call committee. It's a “seize the day” moment in the journey we share together. It’s a moment filled with challenges that may seem insurmountable, yet aren’t ALL dreams insurmountable as they unfold?

Today…we need to seize the day much like our friends at Tettegouche State Park, who saw the potential of making their new building and presence along the north shore a defining, welcoming, life-giving experience for all who stop there to enjoy God’s creation. Many of those dreamers are retired, or working and have busy lives, yet, they harnessed themselves to a dream BEYOND their personal lives to bring legs of purpose to their dream. Can we not do the same?

My challenge to each of you today is to ask yourself these questions: What “one thing” can I offer to make this dream of a growing, thriving faith community named Baptism River Community Church alive? What gift or resource can I place into the hands of the Holy Spirit and trust it will be used for God’s dream…and not just my own?

And, if we are so blessed to realize the dream of having a dynamic, spirit led, local and engaging pastoral leader brought into our midst to help us define the future… how can I step up and offer my support and giftedness so that God can truly work through US…and not just one pastor?

Let me give you just a few examples of some of the ways you have shared your gifts with me that have made all the difference. A very special lady in this congregation (Sandee) has a gift for being a prayer warrior. She prays continually for me and for so many others, and sends me encouraging scripture and prayers via text many times a week! I can’t imagine doing ministry in your midst without her support! What if we were to bathe the next pastor in prayer…but put legs on that hospitality. What if EVERYONE found a way to invite the pastor and family over or came over to the church to visit over coffee within the first few months of arrival so that relationships were built quickly and effectively? Think how empowering that would be for a new pastor coming into this community to not only know the flock, but to experience a personal connection and understanding of who we are as a community?

Another example: When the Outreach team decided to offer a vacation Bible School for the families in our area who have young kids…7 of you stepped up. You didn’t just help help…but LED with crafts; games; storytelling and bringing joy to those kids and their families. I could NEVER have done this alone! What would it look like if some of you so gifted to work with children offered to help a new pastor provide support to the struggling Thursday night kids night at Clair N Ctr, or took my place at the Child’s Nature Care Center once a month reading books or singing songs with the children there? It’s so easy…and so rewarding. It just involved stepping up and saying…I’ll do that.

Or what if some of you who have served on the church council for many years and need to let others step up, now mentored someone new by co-leading with them for the first 6 mo as they learn the ropes in leading the business of this church?

My friends…with God’s grace carrying us forward, together, WE HAVE A DREAM. Let us seize the day and trust the journey. Let us LIVE FOR CHRIST, and not for ourselves. For truly, we NEED each and every one of you to engage…actively engage and offer your gifts, talents and resources. We have a dream…God’s dream. Amen.

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And now… As your pastoral leader, I now invite each of you to affirm your faith within this assembly, and claim in our baptism, our calling to work together in unity of faith and purpose! This is an opportunity, and not a requirement…for all are always invited to share in this place and community, and no one is to be judged…only invited.

So…. If you are baptized and desire to affirm your commitment of faithful discipleship within this community, please stand and turn in the cranberry book to page 234.