SETTING THE CONTEXT FOR THE 1 CORINTHIANS
The Corinthian church was struggling with conflict between factions. It’s not only part of our Methodist heritage to change leaders or pastors; it is part of our Biblical heritage. In the passage we will read Paul addresses the faith community about their clashes over loyalty to one pastoral leader over another.

Read 1 Corinthians 3:4-11, 16

THE SERMON
How does that old saying go? The only sure things in life are death and taxes. Well, there is actually another one, change. Change is a constant part of life. From the moment of our conception we start changing and we don’t stop until after our deaths. I sometimes wonder if growth and change don’t continue even in the afterlife. Change is even the beginning of the Gospel. When John the Baptist proclaims that Jesus is coming, do you remember his first words? They are “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 3:2) Repent means to change direction, to have a change of heart and attitude. So you see even the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ starts with change. This constancy of change does not mean that it is easy.

I realize that some of you are still grieving this change. We form strong bonds as pastors with different people in the church, especially when we walk through difficult times together. We come to love each other and just like any time someone we love moves away we hurt and grieve. Grief is not a bad thing; it is a natural consequence of loving another. It can and does heal over time so what is left is the wonderful memories and love. We do not come to take away from what Tim and Sara have done. Like Paul says to the Corinthians, we are field hands, working together from one season to another to serve God’s purposes.

I remember when my first daughter, Rachel was born. I couldn’t imagine her growing up. I loved having a baby, especially after she started sleeping through the night, and I wanted to keep her a baby. I feared the changes her growing up would bring because I was focusing on what I would be losing. My girlfriend, Joyce, calmed my fears by saying something I have carried in my heart ever since. She said, “Nancy, you will experience special joys at every stage of life with your children. They will change and so will you, but at each stage you are able to do new and different things together and you will find joy in each stage.” Both of Joyce’s children are now grown and when the last one left for college, Joyce shared with me that there is joy in the empty nest too. I have found Joyce’s words of wisdom to be absolutely true. While the seasons have changed many times over the years, our children and we have changed; there has been joy in every season.

You have had many seasons and many field hands over the years. Don McIntyre planted, Peter Perry and his associates watered, Tim and Sara harvested and re-tilled the soil. Now we come to be the fertilizer! Some things will be different. George and I have different gifts and different personalities. Different passions burn in our hearts and you will come to discover those as we serve together. But even with all that change some things will remain constant, our common purpose, the Holy Spirit who guides, directs and empowers us, and the loving power that God supplies to make it all work together. We are changing field hands, but we are not changing the One who makes it all grow.

I’d like to tell you a little bit about this field hand. I was born into the church, baptized and raised as an Episcopalian. My parents not only took us to church, but they modeled Christian love and they continue to model lives of faith and service today. My father by the way was a career Army officer. After I finished college, I became actively involved in the church in my own right. My faith in God deepened and began to mature. I was working in construction as a field engineer and manager. It was in my 20’s that I began feeling tuggings of a call to ministry. Unfortunately, I was afraid to answer the call because I saw that my church tolerated women priests but did not truly embrace them. I knew a bit about discrimination from my construction days and I would not risk rejection by my church. I was afraid it would turn me away from God. I have had to learn and relearn about trusting God over the years. I was sent to Blythe, California to work on a prison project and I met a Methodist minister named George Cushman. Who would have ever thought that I would meet the love of my life in Blythe! God surely has a good sense of humor. It was George who encouraged me to answer God’s call to ministry. He told me that the Methodist church had lots of women ministers. I went to visit with then District Superintendent Anita. After that meeting and the encouragement of my church community, I finally stopped running from my call and answered it and a new season of my life began. I knew from the first time I preached that I had finally found what I was created to do. George and I served together in Cottonwood and Jerome. It was there that we met and became good friends with this dashing young minister named Peter and his wife, Karen. We served together again at Central UMC in downtown Phoenix. After some prodding from God, I began a season serving in a church by myself at Shepherd of the Valley. George and I are thrilled to start a new season in ministry together again. You see our gifts are complimentary and I have missed his gifts. I am confident that with you and Carol and the rest of the staff, we are going to a have great season with its own special joys and flavor.

George and I bring our hands, our hearts, and our gifts to join with yours in ministry as “we help people know Christ and fulfill the Gospel in our church, community, and world.” We may be changing hands, but we are not changing our purpose or our faith in the One who makes it grow. After we return from our brief respite, these hands will be ready to dig in. May God bless our new season, so our fields are fertile and our harvest serves God’s purposes. Amen.

Sermon delived by Rev. Nancy Cushman on July 3, 2005.