A CHURCH THAT LISTENS

(Preached on Sunday, August 13, 2006)

Then he called the crowd again and said to them, AListen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.  Let anyone with ears to hear listen.

-Mark 7:14-16

 

In the summer of 2001 in Plum Village in France, a few dozen Israelis and Palestinians spent two weeks with Thich Nhat Hanh and the other Vietnamese Buddhist monks who live in community there.  At the end of their stay, after only two weeks of practice, they had been transformed.  They had become a community of brothers and sisters, Palestinians and Israelis.  This took place as they learned to speak so that the other side could hear, understand, and accept.  They spoke calmly, without condemnation or judgment.  They told the other side of the suffering they, their children, and their societies had endured.  They all had the chance to speak of their fear, anger, hatred, and despair.  Many felt for the first time that they were listened to and understood, which relieved much of their suffering.  They were listened to deeply, with open hearts with the intention of helping them express and heal themselves.  They left this experience believing, for the first time, that peace is possible in the Middle East.

 

A week ago, Saturday, 36 people gathered in the Kelsey Building from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.  Together we listened to one another share interesting facts about our names.  We listened as we shared our remembrances about the history of Christ Congregational Church.  We listened to each other share our hopes, dreams and goals for our own lives and for our church.  We listened to the Bible and what it says are God=s hopes, dreams and goals for the church.  And we listened to the world around us, hearing through demographic statistics, who and what our immediate neighbors around the church are like.  The result of all our listening and sharing was a vision statement that we believe God has given us for Christ Congregational Church. That statement is this: A Church that listens, praises God, inspires, and serves others.

 

Over the next several weeks I invite you to think with me about the different pieces of that statement.  Beginning with: AA Church that listens.@

To whom are we listening?

The United Church of Christ has embraced the slogan:

ANever put a period where God has put a comma, God is still speaking.@

This captures an important truth about our identity as a people of God. 

This identity has been part of us at least since 1620 when John Robinson spoke those famous words to the Pilgrims setting out for America from Holland: A...the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of His holy word.@

He sent them out with the conviction they were following a God who was still speaking and who had new plans and ideas for them.

 

So, first and foremost we are a people who listen to God.

This is not the easiest task.

Over fifteen centuries ago there were hundreds of faithful Christians who left homes and lives in cities, towns and villages, to take up new lives in remote desert locations.  They left a world in which they were bombarded with noise, temptations, teachings and lifestyles contrary to the teachings of Jesus.  A world in which it was nearly impossible to hear God.  So they went to the desert where they lived simple lives and where they could practice silent listening.  Having visited the Negev desert I can tell you, it is a silent world that holds a certain attractiveness, if you are seeking silence, space, and the voice of God.

 

It is no easier for us to hear God speaking today.

Listen to this statistic: Knowledge is exploding at such a rate C more than 2000 pages a minute C that even Einstein couldn=t keep up.  In fact, if you read 24 hours a day, from age 21 to 70, and retained all you read, you would be one and a half million years behind when you finished.  An amazing statistic.  Even more amazing, and alarming when you realize this statistic is from 1979!  It does not take into account personal computers and the Internet. We are bombarded to the point of overload with information and sound.

It is tough to sort out and hear the voice of God.

 

This is also why it is so important that we seek to be a Church that listens for the stillspeaking God. 

To listen to God, of course we read the scripture, especially the teachings of Jesus. And of course we spend time in prayer.

But one very important avenue for listening to God that we often overlook is to listen to each other.  After all, our faith is all about God being with us in human flesh.  Yes, that was Jesus, but that also means us. For, God is speaking us. We are God=s story.  Everyone I meet tells me a little bit of the story.  God is speaking us.  Our stories are color movies of God=s revelation.  God is speaking us.

 

And we never know where and through whom we will hear the voice of God speaking to us.  First Congregational UCC in Santa Rosa, California discovered this recently.

AOne day a neighborhood man came to visit me,@ says the Pastor.  AHe said, >I=m George and I=m an atheist.  I want to see what you=re doing around here.=@ The pastor responded, AHi, George, which god do you not believe in?  Tell me what you have in mind?@  From that moment, George and the pastor struck up a great conversation and friendship that led to improving the quality of the neighborhood.  George would let the neighborhood know what was going on in the church in his local newsletter.  Together, they worked to sponsor a neighborhood picnic involving the congregation and the entire neighborhood and out of that has grown a true sense of community for the neighborhood.  God spoke and is transforming the church and the neighborhood because the church was listening.

 

The sort of listening to which Jesus called people, and of which we have been speaking is deep, attentive listening, directed toward the other C be that other, God or people.

It is a skill we need to cultivate.

It is not critical listening which we learn in school C listening to evaluate, critique and judge. That sort of listening is important in certain times and places, but that is not transformative listening.

A church that listens does so with an open heart C a hear of love and compassion.  It does not attempt to problem solve or fix what is wrong, but is present with respect, acceptance, and compassion. One of the most powerful things we can do for any other person is to listen to them in a way that allows them to disclose, to us and to themselves, and thus to discover, more about themselves and about God.

We need to reflect and talk more about this vital skill in the days to come that we might truly live into this vision.

 

But let me close with one more story.

AIn these times, when so much of life seems out of our control let=s fact it, life is out of our control), we=d love to come together and envision a kinder, more compassionate world.  We hope you will join us for a gathering of poetry, stories, songs, and prayers celebrating an invoking peace.  Bring something short to share about peace, a quote, poem, personal story, piece of art, song, symbol, or idea.  We also want to eat, drink, laugh, and have fun with you!  So please bring a vegetarian dish and something you love to drink.@  Such was the email invitation sent out by three friends who were tired of feeling frazzled and isolated.  They brought people together, regardless of political viewpoints, in a gathering that went beyond their differences and captured their hearts.