February 6, 2024

 

125 years ago January 23, a few Swedish residents of this area gathered in a small log cabin to form Saron Lutheran Church, a name that reflects a favorite flower, the rose of Sharon, from their homeland.  A year later they started building on the first church location on Powell Valley Road and about 90 years ago broke ground on this location, followed by 2 additions over the years.

I wonder what they would say if they could see us now, but as we pray in thanksgiving today for their faithfulness and vision, we know they certainly prayed for us, who would come after.  They took that leap of faith, not knowing what the future would bring, but trusting God to make something new, to bless us all and this neighborhood, through this gathering of people.

Those who came before would recognize in their story the story we share, coming as immigrants to this country, speaking a different language, deciding over the years what language to worship in, being driven to welcome and include all kinds of people over the years.

As we look at our scriptures for today, we see a number of beginnings, of call stories, God talking to people and people in various states of response or refusal.  Jonah had his mind made up about the people of Ninevah.  They were different.  They were outside the scope of his responsibility and care. He didn't want to engage with them.  But God did.  God saw a new beginning for the Ninevites and pushed Jonah to be the vessel to work through to get a message through.  /God brought Jonah and the Ninevites together, a new relationship, a new creation, new life in an unexpected place.  

In the Gospel, too, Jesus calls his first followers, students, disciples.  He begins his ministry not with the people who would be expected to be called.  Here are fishermen.  What do they know about the good news?  

Both Ninevah and the disciples were near the sea so it seems they knew a few things in common. They knew how to mend nets, that conditions could change in an instant, and how to gather together different kinds of fish, and finally, how to give thanks.

They knew things could change in an instant.  They had to be ready for whatever came at them.  This is part of the point of the reading from 1 Corinthians, too.  Be watching and waiting for storms, for good weather, for times of plenty, for people in distress on the water. Being near the sea, meant letting go of control, knowing that certain things are out of your hands, and be ready for what you can be, so you can survive. Things could change in an instant.  For the Swedish immigrants, they knew how fast things could change, being far from the land of their birth, far from safety, far from what they knew, they built a church to be ready. They built a church to have a community of safety and trust.  They built a church to help people through hard times.  They built a church to be ready for the new life that God was handing them.  

Many of us can relate, coming here from another country, being far from home and family, finding a welcome and safety, finding a way to survive with other survivors.  Some come here in retirement or as widows or widowers, knowing conditions can change at any time and knowing how important it is not to be alone when disaster strikes. Some come here after experiencing rejection somewhere else and found a welcome and a place of safety.

The fishermen, the Ninevites, and those of us gathered are menders of nets.  We are humble people called to seek out the broken places, sit down, and give them attention.  Through Stephen ministry, parish visitors, our funeral ministries, Santa Cruz' Plaza Encuentro, offering citizenship classes, the feeding ministries that go on here, we know to look for the holes and patch them so that many can be caught in the net for safety and new life.  There is lots of good work still to do in our congregations and in the community.

The fishermen, the Ninevites, and those of us gathered know how to gather different kinds of fish.  That's what nets do--all are scooped up together.  I am excited to see who else is in the net. Many of us are excited by the youth in the net with us, Santa Cruz confirmed 14 students on Pentecost last year.  Trinity is excited that about our growing youth group and Sunday School.  We pass little Santi around--he truly unites our congregations.  Some struggle using two languages, and our struggle gives us compassion for others. We learn to appreciate the language of a smile, a hug, a gesture that conveys God's love better than any words.

Finally, the Ninevites and church planters and those of us gathered, have a sense of gratefulness to God.  We all have a need to express that gratefulness in worship and acts of service, of turning around from the pressures and fears of this world, to follow God's way of hope and new life. Where God is leading us next, who knows, but we are letting go of control, mending nets, gathering with unlikely partners in the Gospel, and expressing our thanks and faith in worship together.  Happy 125, Trinity and thank you Santa Cruz for being true partners in the Gospel!