Dear Friends

Forty years ago yesterday, I graduated from General Theological Seminary in New York City, the oldest of our Episcopal Seminaries. (In the picture, I am on the far left.) It has been a wonderful 40 years of ministry, including the last five being retired. And the retirement opportunities continue---I will be doing vacation supply for 15 of the next 16 Sundays at five different churches. I am glad to provide some rest and respite for my still front line colleagues! 

And now back to the blog: 

Question: What do Petula Clark, the Mamas and the Papas and Alvin and the Chipmunks have in common?

Answer: They all recorded versions of the 1964 Billy Page hit song called, “The In Crowd”

I used this as an illustration last Sunday when I was preaching on the lesson from Acts (11:1-18). It includes the story of Paul’s vision which helped him understand the radical idea that God had poured out the Holy Spirit on the once excluded Gentiles also, that “God has given even unto the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.” Words from the lesson which especially stuck with me included “The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us.”

In other words, with God, there is no “in crowd”. God plays no favorites. “God shows no partiality” to quote from Acts 10:34.

I could share more of my sermon (to help you get to sleep tonight) but here is something better. A member came up to me after the service. She has a habit of taking notes during the sermon and fashioning them into a poem and giving it to the preacher immediately after the service! Here it is:

With God there is no “in crowd”

So we say it clear and loud

God doesn’t care about your pedigree

Doesn’t discriminate between me and thee

Clean or unclean it matters not

We need to share the good news we got

So toss out the labels, fully embrace

Anyone, everyone receives God’s grace

It starts when we stop with us and them

Until the whole family of God can shout “Amen”.

 

Needless to say, I was blown away! Her 10 line poem summarized the message I took 12 minutes to deliver.

Most importantly, in light of recent events in Buffalo and Laguna Woods, it is a critical message we need to continue to share and spread and act upon.

John

P.S. Below is the poem she handed me