MODERATOR'S CHRISTMAS SERMON 2007
Metropolitan Community Churches
www.MCCchurch.org
SERMON: "Joseph's Dreams"
BY: The Reverend Nancy L. Wilson, Moderator
TEXT: Matthew 1:18-25, Advent IV
When I was 12, I was chosen to play Mary in the Christmas
pageant at Hicksville United Methodist Church on Long Island,
New York, where I grew up. That meant I sang two short solos
and had a few speaking lines while seated by the manger,
dressed in the blue and white of all church pageant Madonnas.
(Sorry, no pictures or home movies survive!)
The part of Joseph was played by Richard -- a blonde, shy,
bright, nerdy boy with glasses, whose only role was to stand
stoically beside me, and stay silent. Of course, the rowdy
(Cont'd below)
shepherds rolling down the center aisle in their burlap bags
decided it was their role to make him laugh. So Richard spent
an agonizing 45 minutes during the pageant shaking and
suppressing his great giggle. Makes you just want to slap
those shepherds...
Poor Joseph! There are no great carols to speak of written
about or dedicated to him, only an honorable mention here and
there. Like Richard, he seems passive and sidelined in much of
our tradition -- except in Matthew's gospel, where his role is
more complex and nuanced, where his choices matter a great
deal.
In Matthew's gospel, Jesus is the new Moses, and Hebrew
scripture references and allusions are everywhere. Like the
Patriarch, this Joseph is a dreamer and his dreams have far
reaching consequences and holy purposes.
In one sense, Joseph is not the "decider," or the main actor,
but the re-actor to events swirling around him. Eugene
Peterson, author of The Message puts it this way, "While he
was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream..." Joseph is the
ally of God who is the one really acting in this story.
Anthony de Mello says, "The shortest distance between human
being and the truth is a story." What do we know of Joseph's
story? Not much, really. He is a man caught in the middle of
something really huge. We have to imagine the internal
struggle he waged -- between heart and mind, law and grace,
obligations, unanswered questions, expectations and callings.
And "while he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream..."
The little information we have about Joseph has to do with his
lineage. We know he was a carpenter betrothed to Mary. The
gospels allude to other children of Mary and Joseph besides
Jesus; legends say that Joseph was an older man when he
married Mary and that he had six children from a previous
marriage. Some legends have him living to 111! There is no
mention of him, as there is of Mary, in Jesus' adult life, so most
have assumed he died before Jesus' public ministry. In Mark's
gospel, the only mention of him is indirectly, that Jesus was
the "son of a carpenter." There is nothing to make us believe
that he had any prior history with great spiritual experiences or
dreams, or that he was anything but an ordinary and decent
man.
We know that in a very patriarchal system that punished
transgressive women severely, Joseph was discreet, humble
and not into posturing. Tom Bohache, in the Queer
Commentary essay on Matthew's gospel, says that Joseph
"spoils the spoiled system of the sexual double-standard," and
steps outside the patriarchal role to embrace a rather queer
family. Joseph was "blameless" and "righteous", but did the
"not" righteous thing, the merciful thing, by first offering to
quietly divorce Mary without making a public example of her;
and then by becoming her husband and Jesus' (foster?
adoptive? step?) father.
I think of all the Joseph's in Metropolitan Community Churches
-- men who raise children they did not literally father, but whom
they father with love and grace. Men who adopt children with
special needs, (Jeff Lutes and his partner Gary), who offer
home and parenting to a newborn girl (Rev. Joe Cobb and his
partner). Men who are trustworthy and not ashamed to form
lovely, queer families. Men who have so much to give, who will
not be passive and sidelined, but who will live their dreams. I
think of some women in MCC who are called "Dad" by children
in their lives, who have offered love and parenting to children
they did not birth. Of people whose gender identity has
changed, but their love for their children has not.
Joseph, the only one besides God that Jesus called "Abba,"
offers us several gifts this season, in which we "Dare to
Dream."
Joseph Trusted His Dreams: If God is, indeed the "still
speaking God," then God is still dreaming dreams in us,
speaking and encouraging us. I wonder what dreams Joseph
had in his younger life. There are the dreams we dream for our
life and future, what we imagine we might be or do. These are
the dreams referred to by the gay, African American poet
Langston Hughes, "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it
dry up like a raisin in the sun?" What dreams of Joseph's
might have been deferred? What had he thought his life might
be, and how had it turned out? I wonder, when he held the
baby Jesus in his arms, did he giggle like my Richard, my
Joseph? Did he weep or laugh with wonder at the way our
lives turn out? There are those dreams, and then there are the
dreams of revelation -- whether we call that God, or an angel,
or the deepest knowing planted in our souls, these are the
dreams that pull us into the unexpected Moment of redemption
and hope. The Voice that calls beyond our disappointments,
failures, fears and doubts, to a new possibility. A journey to
Bethlehem, or Egypt. To Eastern Europe, Latin America,
Jamaica or Pakistan. To MCC. To ministry. We must be open to
new dreams. And we must trust them!
Joseph Lived Into Authenticity: This is a story of gender
fluidity, of tearing down walls and building up hope. This is a
story of people who dreamed and went for it! Who risked
enormous disapproval for becoming family to each other. I
wonder if Joseph sometimes said, "I am too old for this!" I
wonder how he explained to other family members that, yes,
he had decided to take the very pregnant Mary with him to
Bethlehem. I am sure people had a lot to say and gossip about
Joseph, including just what kind of "man" he really was! What
was it about Mary and this strange calling that just compelled
him to risk in ways he had never before dreamed? What about
this coming child felt like being true to himself in a new, bold
way, in a way he had never thought possible? How did this
satisfy a life-long yearning for adventure and meaning? Did he
know right away that this is what he was born to become, or
did it dawn on him slowly, on that long trip to Egypt? MCC,
what were we born to become? Tradition says Joseph was at
least 40 when he made these choices. As we approach our 40th
year in ministry, what new authenticity, what new vocation is
God calling us to? How is this our story too, the story of
gender fluidity, of challenging the strait-jackets of gender
roles? What unfinished calling is ours today?
Joseph Claimed His Competency: Joseph discovered a new
level of competence as a leader, protector, and provider. He
could find shelter when there was none. He could hide his
vulnerable family and carry them to safety right under the
noses of the oppressors. He had to scheme, and strategize,
and constantly alter the plans. He had to partner with a very
determined young woman who just had her first baby. He had
to learn quickly who he could trust, and who he could not trust.
He had to make decisions based on a bigger plan, a long term
plan that he only knew in part. He had to get used to dreams
and angels and a God who apparently likes surprises. He had
to get good at listening to this God, and following through.
Many years ago, when I was pastor of MCC Los Angeles, and
AIDS was sweeping through our community, I went to see Lew
Adams, who was about 70 and dying of AIDS, in his home. Lew
was a survivor of the Battle of Bataan in World War II, and had
been a survivor through so much in his life. He was not good at
asking for help. Lew needed to go to a hospital and was in a
third floor walk-up, and the eclectic, interesting, mostly older
and disabled group of friends visiting him wanted to take him,
in their car to this hospital. I thought this was a bad idea (I
wanted to call the ambulance), but he was uninsured, they
were convinced he would get a big bill, and they ignored me.
Now, even though Lew was wasting from AIDS, he was about
6'2" and not small. To my horror, this frail group lifted him out
of bed, and began to carry him down two flights of stairs. I
rushed into help them, but they faltered on the stairway. Being
in MCC, and fighting the fights of inclusive language, it had
been a long time since I had heard God called "Father." But on
that stairway, the Afro-Caribbean woman who was holding
Lew's shoulders just gave the command, "Heavenly Father!"
she shouted, "We NEED your help, now, to lift our brother
Lew!" -- and to my amazement, we flew down the stairs and
were into the car before I could even process it. God was a
competent father in that moment, and carried us, in our
foolishness and weakness, to where we needed to be. God can
re-define the confining stereotypes of parenting and of gender!
After all, God invented gender and gender fluidity and is
competent and present for every need problem! We can aspire
to the same.
MCC is nearly 40 years old, and we have become competent in
quite a few things. We need to claim it. We know how to
worship with passion, creativity, variety and excellence! We
have life a giving message that has been planted and watered
in many hearts and communities! We were the first to preach a
21st Century-style radically-inclusive gospel of Jesus that now
gets preached in increasing places. Hallelujah! We know how to
apply all we have learned in the struggle to fight HIV/AIDS to
the present world crisis. We know how to link human rights
and spirituality and justice in our churches, and in places we
never dreamed we would be. We have known for 40 years that
Jesus would not discriminate -- and we know this still a
message that is strange or new to much of the world.
In this season, and into 2008, let us trust the dreams God has
given to us. Let them not be deferred! Let us live authentically
in all ways, in our diversity and beauty, and in our God-given
uniqueness. Let us claim our competency in the work and
mission that God had given us, still yet to be completed!
And let us smile the smile of Joseph as we hold in our hearts
the image of Christ coming again into a world that needs more
dreamers.
Amen!
(END)
Metropolitan Community Churches
www.MCCchurch.org
SERMON: "Joseph's Dreams"
BY: The Reverend Nancy L. Wilson, Moderator
TEXT: Matthew 1:18-25, Advent IV
When I was 12, I was chosen to play Mary in the Christmas
pageant at Hicksville United Methodist Church on Long Island,
New York, where I grew up. That meant I sang two short solos
and had a few speaking lines while seated by the manger,
dressed in the blue and white of all church pageant Madonnas.
(Sorry, no pictures or home movies survive!)
The part of Joseph was played by Richard -- a blonde, shy,
bright, nerdy boy with glasses, whose only role was to stand
stoically beside me, and stay silent. Of course, the rowdy
(Cont'd below)
shepherds rolling down the center aisle in their burlap bags
decided it was their role to make him laugh. So Richard spent
an agonizing 45 minutes during the pageant shaking and
suppressing his great giggle. Makes you just want to slap
those shepherds...
Poor Joseph! There are no great carols to speak of written
about or dedicated to him, only an honorable mention here and
there. Like Richard, he seems passive and sidelined in much of
our tradition -- except in Matthew's gospel, where his role is
more complex and nuanced, where his choices matter a great
deal.
In Matthew's gospel, Jesus is the new Moses, and Hebrew
scripture references and allusions are everywhere. Like the
Patriarch, this Joseph is a dreamer and his dreams have far
reaching consequences and holy purposes.
In one sense, Joseph is not the "decider," or the main actor,
but the re-actor to events swirling around him. Eugene
Peterson, author of The Message puts it this way, "While he
was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream..." Joseph is the
ally of God who is the one really acting in this story.
Anthony de Mello says, "The shortest distance between human
being and the truth is a story." What do we know of Joseph's
story? Not much, really. He is a man caught in the middle of
something really huge. We have to imagine the internal
struggle he waged -- between heart and mind, law and grace,
obligations, unanswered questions, expectations and callings.
And "while he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream..."
The little information we have about Joseph has to do with his
lineage. We know he was a carpenter betrothed to Mary. The
gospels allude to other children of Mary and Joseph besides
Jesus; legends say that Joseph was an older man when he
married Mary and that he had six children from a previous
marriage. Some legends have him living to 111! There is no
mention of him, as there is of Mary, in Jesus' adult life, so most
have assumed he died before Jesus' public ministry. In Mark's
gospel, the only mention of him is indirectly, that Jesus was
the "son of a carpenter." There is nothing to make us believe
that he had any prior history with great spiritual experiences or
dreams, or that he was anything but an ordinary and decent
man.
We know that in a very patriarchal system that punished
transgressive women severely, Joseph was discreet, humble
and not into posturing. Tom Bohache, in the Queer
Commentary essay on Matthew's gospel, says that Joseph
"spoils the spoiled system of the sexual double-standard," and
steps outside the patriarchal role to embrace a rather queer
family. Joseph was "blameless" and "righteous", but did the
"not" righteous thing, the merciful thing, by first offering to
quietly divorce Mary without making a public example of her;
and then by becoming her husband and Jesus' (foster?
adoptive? step?) father.
I think of all the Joseph's in Metropolitan Community Churches
-- men who raise children they did not literally father, but whom
they father with love and grace. Men who adopt children with
special needs, (Jeff Lutes and his partner Gary), who offer
home and parenting to a newborn girl (Rev. Joe Cobb and his
partner). Men who are trustworthy and not ashamed to form
lovely, queer families. Men who have so much to give, who will
not be passive and sidelined, but who will live their dreams. I
think of some women in MCC who are called "Dad" by children
in their lives, who have offered love and parenting to children
they did not birth. Of people whose gender identity has
changed, but their love for their children has not.
Joseph, the only one besides God that Jesus called "Abba,"
offers us several gifts this season, in which we "Dare to
Dream."
Joseph Trusted His Dreams: If God is, indeed the "still
speaking God," then God is still dreaming dreams in us,
speaking and encouraging us. I wonder what dreams Joseph
had in his younger life. There are the dreams we dream for our
life and future, what we imagine we might be or do. These are
the dreams referred to by the gay, African American poet
Langston Hughes, "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it
dry up like a raisin in the sun?" What dreams of Joseph's
might have been deferred? What had he thought his life might
be, and how had it turned out? I wonder, when he held the
baby Jesus in his arms, did he giggle like my Richard, my
Joseph? Did he weep or laugh with wonder at the way our
lives turn out? There are those dreams, and then there are the
dreams of revelation -- whether we call that God, or an angel,
or the deepest knowing planted in our souls, these are the
dreams that pull us into the unexpected Moment of redemption
and hope. The Voice that calls beyond our disappointments,
failures, fears and doubts, to a new possibility. A journey to
Bethlehem, or Egypt. To Eastern Europe, Latin America,
Jamaica or Pakistan. To MCC. To ministry. We must be open to
new dreams. And we must trust them!
Joseph Lived Into Authenticity: This is a story of gender
fluidity, of tearing down walls and building up hope. This is a
story of people who dreamed and went for it! Who risked
enormous disapproval for becoming family to each other. I
wonder if Joseph sometimes said, "I am too old for this!" I
wonder how he explained to other family members that, yes,
he had decided to take the very pregnant Mary with him to
Bethlehem. I am sure people had a lot to say and gossip about
Joseph, including just what kind of "man" he really was! What
was it about Mary and this strange calling that just compelled
him to risk in ways he had never before dreamed? What about
this coming child felt like being true to himself in a new, bold
way, in a way he had never thought possible? How did this
satisfy a life-long yearning for adventure and meaning? Did he
know right away that this is what he was born to become, or
did it dawn on him slowly, on that long trip to Egypt? MCC,
what were we born to become? Tradition says Joseph was at
least 40 when he made these choices. As we approach our 40th
year in ministry, what new authenticity, what new vocation is
God calling us to? How is this our story too, the story of
gender fluidity, of challenging the strait-jackets of gender
roles? What unfinished calling is ours today?
Joseph Claimed His Competency: Joseph discovered a new
level of competence as a leader, protector, and provider. He
could find shelter when there was none. He could hide his
vulnerable family and carry them to safety right under the
noses of the oppressors. He had to scheme, and strategize,
and constantly alter the plans. He had to partner with a very
determined young woman who just had her first baby. He had
to learn quickly who he could trust, and who he could not trust.
He had to make decisions based on a bigger plan, a long term
plan that he only knew in part. He had to get used to dreams
and angels and a God who apparently likes surprises. He had
to get good at listening to this God, and following through.
Many years ago, when I was pastor of MCC Los Angeles, and
AIDS was sweeping through our community, I went to see Lew
Adams, who was about 70 and dying of AIDS, in his home. Lew
was a survivor of the Battle of Bataan in World War II, and had
been a survivor through so much in his life. He was not good at
asking for help. Lew needed to go to a hospital and was in a
third floor walk-up, and the eclectic, interesting, mostly older
and disabled group of friends visiting him wanted to take him,
in their car to this hospital. I thought this was a bad idea (I
wanted to call the ambulance), but he was uninsured, they
were convinced he would get a big bill, and they ignored me.
Now, even though Lew was wasting from AIDS, he was about
6'2" and not small. To my horror, this frail group lifted him out
of bed, and began to carry him down two flights of stairs. I
rushed into help them, but they faltered on the stairway. Being
in MCC, and fighting the fights of inclusive language, it had
been a long time since I had heard God called "Father." But on
that stairway, the Afro-Caribbean woman who was holding
Lew's shoulders just gave the command, "Heavenly Father!"
she shouted, "We NEED your help, now, to lift our brother
Lew!" -- and to my amazement, we flew down the stairs and
were into the car before I could even process it. God was a
competent father in that moment, and carried us, in our
foolishness and weakness, to where we needed to be. God can
re-define the confining stereotypes of parenting and of gender!
After all, God invented gender and gender fluidity and is
competent and present for every need problem! We can aspire
to the same.
MCC is nearly 40 years old, and we have become competent in
quite a few things. We need to claim it. We know how to
worship with passion, creativity, variety and excellence! We
have life a giving message that has been planted and watered
in many hearts and communities! We were the first to preach a
21st Century-style radically-inclusive gospel of Jesus that now
gets preached in increasing places. Hallelujah! We know how to
apply all we have learned in the struggle to fight HIV/AIDS to
the present world crisis. We know how to link human rights
and spirituality and justice in our churches, and in places we
never dreamed we would be. We have known for 40 years that
Jesus would not discriminate -- and we know this still a
message that is strange or new to much of the world.
In this season, and into 2008, let us trust the dreams God has
given to us. Let them not be deferred! Let us live authentically
in all ways, in our diversity and beauty, and in our God-given
uniqueness. Let us claim our competency in the work and
mission that God had given us, still yet to be completed!
And let us smile the smile of Joseph as we hold in our hearts
the image of Christ coming again into a world that needs more
dreamers.
Amen!
(END)
Current Message
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
ALERT: Weekly services are postponed indefinitely.