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The grotto salamander is a pale, sickly looking thing about 4 to 5 inches long that lives in caves, especially in the vicinity of the Ozark Mountains. In the larvae stage which lasts one to three years, the creatures are brown or purplish gray. They have yellow flecks on the sides. They live outside in brooks and streams. But then they go through a metamorphosis which happens underground. They lose their color and their gills. And their eyelids fuse shut so that they lose their sight. In the blind adult phase, they spend the rest of their lives in caves in the dark. The grotto salamander is the only salamander species to undergo metamorphosis. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotto_salamander and http://amphibiaweb.org/species/4220] Now, what does this have to do with Advent you may be wondering! Well, we’ll see.

In this Advent season, we are thinking about celebrating the birth of Jesus, the light of the world. Many of our hymns, carols, and decorations celebrate light. In these shortest days of the year the importance of light is heightened. Light is significant. It makes a difference. It is visible most noticeably in darkness. A candle doesn’t make much difference in the bright light of day, but in a dark room at night it is transforming. Light truly shines in darkness.

The beautiful vision of peace that we heard from the prophet Isaiah is light shining in the darkness. The people are suffering. They are devastated. Despair has overtaken them. But Isaiah shines a light: A light that reveals a future of peace with all people living together as one. There are no more wars or threats or hostility, but a universal community of mutual respect, dignity, and justice where resources go into sustaining human life not eliminating it. This vision inspires the people to invest in the future with hope. The prophet shines a light in the darkest of times.

It does not take much to make the case that we live in dark times. Yes, it is a time of amazing, unprecedented human potential, especially in terms of technology. But the will and spirit of the times seems to be less promising. There is much going on that is revealing the dark underbelly of the human character. We see people succumbing to fear and abandoning reason, rationality, and compassion. We see people regressing into violence. We see the eruption of alienation and frustration. These trends are in evidence the world over in large ways and in small. Within a week of the election there were over 300 hate crimes committed in the US, and the problems continue. [https://thinkprogress.org/300-hate-incidents-since-election-day-bf9fd91edbd6#.hs9becdqc] People were handing out fake deportation letters on a college campus. An Episcopal church with a Spanish language mass had the sign defaced with the message “Trump Nation Whites Only.” A gay-friendly church like ours was defaced with swastikas and the messages, “Heil Trump” and “Fag Church.” Muslim women have had their hijabs pulled off and been harassed. These are dark times. Bitterness and anger are coming out.

And all the while, people are trying to deal with the day to day. Loosing a job. A baby dying of SIDS. Dealing with health issues. Facing divorce. The death of a loved one. Spiraling addiction which touches every family in some way. All these things keep happening day by day by day. It is easy to be overwhelmed by darkness.

And here’s where the salamander comes in. In our youth, we may be idealistic. We may be led by our hopes and dreams. Eyes wide to the world like that young salamander. But the steady onslaught of life, day to day, and the wider influences in society and in the world can work on us. Change us. To cope, we may learn not to look. We may become hardened. Oblivious. Numbed to the darkness. Like the salamander, we, too, may lose our sight. Close our eyes. Narrow our focus. Block out the feelings, the events, and the horror that seem too unthinkable to incorporate into our reality. So we may find ourselves fabricating our reality. Making it smaller and narrower and blurred. We may choose to blind ourselves to what is going on because we don’t know how to respond; what to do. It’s too ugly.

It’s hard to know how to incorporate the harshness, the violence, the evil of reality into our worldview. I mean, what do we do with the fact that so far in 2016 in the United States, there have been 438 mass shootings involving 4 or more people shot in one episode? [https://www.massshootingtracker.org/about] That’s more than one mass shooting a day. What kind of world is this? So, we may just resort to closing our eyes. Burrowing into our individual silos of information. Blind to what is actually going on around us.

Advent reminds us that Jesus came into the world in dark times. He didn’t come when all was well, and people were all getting along, and everybody was living with dignity and self-determination. No. He was born in very dark times. The Roman Empire was oppressing its subjects. The Jews were living under the thumb of Rome with severe economic restrictions and extreme taxation. People were poor and had little means of empowerment or self-determination. And the religious community had pretty much resigned itself to cooperating so that things didn’t get worse. Times were dark. And that is when the light comes. When it is needed most. In the dark. The gospel of John tells us the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. Jesus is light in darkness. It’s no accident that Jesus’ birthday is celebrated in December. It is symbolic of his coming as light into dark times.

So, to truly appreciate Jesus and all that he can mean to us, we need to recognize the darkness in which we live. We need to name that darkness. And our need for the light.

The grotto salamander thrives in the darkness. Blindness is conducive to it’s survival in dark caves. The salamander does not need light to flourish. But it is not so with us. We are made to have our eyes open. To see. To understand. To be aware. We need light. Light which shines in the darkness. So, I invite us to embrace this season of darkness. To open our eyes to the darkness that is around us and within us. May we be willing to look with honesty. Fearless. True. Yes, the light still shines. But it shines in the darkness. And if we can’t see the darkness, we will likely be blind to the light as well. Amen.

Scripture Lessons: Isaiah 2:1-5 and Romans 13:11-14
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ.

Date: Nov. 20, 2016 Thanksgiving Sunday
Scripture: Luke 17:11-19
Sermon: The Consequences of Gratitude
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

Besides turkey, what will be on the Thanksgiving menu at your house? If you live in New England, squash will probably be served. In the west, expect salad. And in the south, yes, it’s macaroni and cheese. Now for the pies. There is the preeminent pumpkin. And here in the south, pecan and sweet potato. But in the northeast and mid atlantic regions, the number two pick is apple. And if you live in the west, it’s cherry. So, we have our preferences and we make our choices accordingly.

Now in the story we heard today about the ten people with leprosy who are healed, it appears there is also a choice to make. Give thanks. Or don’t give thanks. There is the one, the wrong one, by the way, the one who was hated and an enemy, who opts to return to Jesus and give thanks for his healing. And then there are the other nine who go on their way. So, what would we choose? Would we choose to go with the one or the nine? Let’s take a few minutes to think about that.

To give thanks or not to give thanks. Hm. What might be the consequences of our decision?

The one who gives thanks runs back to Jesus, throws himself on the ground, and pours forth his gratitude. The story ends with Jesus affirming that the man is not only cured, but he is saved, he is made whole. This man is not only free of his leprosy, but he is experiencing a whole change of life. He has a new orientation. He has been transformed by gratitude.

When we are grateful, when we give thanks, we are engaging in a powerful spiritual practice. To give thanks is to give up the illusion of self sufficiency. If we are thankful for our food, for instance,then we are led to think about those who have grown it, those who have harvested it, those who have transported it, those who have built the roads and trucks that carry it, those who work in the stores that sell the food, and of course, Earth itself that provides the food. So we see that we are dependent on lots of people and upon creation to sustain us. We don’t sustain ourselves. We are not self sufficient. We don’t take care of ourselves. We don’t pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. Gratitude helps us to see we are linked to the wider community, society, and Earth in a web of mutuality and interdependence.

When we give thanks we are acknowledging all that we are receiving and it is astounding. Each day, things happen, people help us, Earth nourishes us, and we receive and receive and receive. Gratitude helps us to see how gifted we are – by others and by creation. We see blessings abound. We see grace infiltrating our lives at every turn.

Being thankful helps us to see all that we are being given. Wow! Food, friendship, beauty, sunshine, work, play, so many things to be thankful for. Just think of all that we expressed in the Ritual of Thanksgiving. Such riches!

And when we affirm the abundance of life through gratitude, we move away from the illusion that we are wanting, that we don’t have what we need, an d that we are being shorted. Our reality shifts from one of scarcity to one of abundance. That’s what giving thanks does.

And then what happens? Seeing all that we have, and all that comes our way, we realize that we don’t have to hold on so tightly. We can open our hearts and our hands, and share with others. We uncover the generosity that is part of the image of God within us. We find ourselves giving and sharing and helping, and no longer afraid of what we are giving up or what we don’t have. Gratitude shifts our world view. We move from being self centered to being other centered. From a place of scarcity to a place of abundance. From individualism to the common good. From isolation to interdependence. Thanksgiving leads to a radical reorientation of life.

So, we think back to the story of the one with leprosy who came back to Jesus and the other nine who don’t. Perhaps the nine sense the power of gratitude. And they walk away because they don’t want to have their lives changed. They don’t want to see things in a new way. They just want to take their cure and go back to life as they knew it. But the one, the Samaritan, he doesn’t just want to be free of his disease. He is ready for a whole new life. For the faith that makes us whole. For the transformation that leads to our salvation.

Thanksgiving reminds us that we, too, have a choice to make. Will we align ourselves with the one, or will we stay with the nine? Each choice has consequences about who we will be and how we will live. Thanks or no thanks?

So, what will it be at your place? Turkey roasted? Smoked? Fried? And how about the pie? Amen.

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ.

Date: Sunday Nov. 13, 2016
Scripture: Psalm 146
Sermon: People Are People
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

Do not put your trust in kings and princes. Do not trust rulers. [Psalm 146] Do not trust mortals in whom there is no salvation. An interesting idea coming from a people that demanded that God give them a king. The Hebrew people were governed by a group of judges. But the neighboring peoples had kings. The Hebrews decided they wanted a king. And they wouldn’t take no for an answer. So, finally God gave in and gave the Hebrew people a king. Years later, after Saul, and Solomon, and David, and various other kings, the writer of the Psalms tells us, Do not put your trust in kings or princes or rulers.

It’s easy to want a leader that will take care of you, make everything right, and set things straight. Let that leader be responsible for everything. Let the leader save you. Then you know who to expect to get things done. And you know who to blame when things aren’t the way you think they should be. A leader is very convenient.

Have the right king and all will be well.
Get the right boss and everything will be fine.
Call the right pastor and your church will thrive.
Elect the right president and your troubles are over.

Get the right guy, and it’s usually a guy, on top, and everything else falls into place. We expect the leader to take care of everything so that we don’t have to. And when things are not as we would like them to be, then it must be the leader’s fault. So, time for a new leader. And then we impose the same unrealistic expectations upon that person.

But the Psalmist tells us not to put our trust in kings and princes because, of course, kings, princes, bosses, pastors, leaders, are people. And, well, people are people. Susceptible to temptation. Weak. Falling short. Rising to the occasion. Making mistakes. Vulnerable. Amazing. Imperfect. Every leader is a person and every person is a fickle mix with great potential for good and not-so-good.

Leaders are all too human and when we expect them to fix things for us and create a just, peaceful society for us, we are abdicating our responsibility as part of the community. Yes, we want to encourage our leaders to pursue justice, peace, and the common good. But our faith does not teach us to rely on one person to save us. It teaches us to join in taking responsibility for the health and well-being of ourselves, the community, and society. Every person is created in the image of God, so we are all co-creators with God of a world that is hospitable and sustaining for all.

This idea of the importance of the community is shown to us by Jesus. At the beginning of his ministry, he calls people to follow him. They form a group. And he shares his vision and power with the group. He gives them authority to do all that he does. He holds nothing back from them. In the story of the feeding of the multitudes, the disciples are worried that there is no food for the throngs of people. Jesus tells the disciples, you give the people food. He has faith in their power to feed the crowd. They resist. After coming down from the mountain after the Transfiguration, a crowd confronts Jesus. We wanted your disciples to heal our sick. They didn’t do it. Jesus is frustrated and annoyed. In his eyes, they have the capability to meet the needs of the people but they don’t use it. So, he does the healing. In the gospel of John, Jesus tells the disciples that they will do greater things than he has done. Jesus fully expects his followers, as a group, as a community, to change the world. That is the reason for the existence of the church, the body of Christ. The church exists to transform the world by bringing the love, healing, and compassion of God to all. And Jesus has taught us all we need to know to do so.

The tradition of Jesus is one of shared responsibility and power. It is not a personality cult. It is not a group run by a demigogue. It is not an authoritarian dictatorship. What Jesus shows us was later expressed by Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

So often people want to make Jesus the ruler who does everything for them. Jesus will do this for you. Jesus will do that for you. I met a man who told me that Jesus got his job for him. Really? Well, then why doesn’t Jesus get a job for the single mother who can’t feed her kids? Why doesn’t Jesus get a job for the felon who is out of jail and trying to start anew? Jesus is not going to do anything for you, but he will show you how to help yourself and others.

Jesus shows us how to be in community, holding one another accountable, supporting each other, passing on values from generation to generation, working together for the good of the whole. He does not show us how to abdicate our personal agency to a leader. He does not show us how to shirk our responsibility and expect a leader to do things for us. He does not show us how to revere a human leader so that we are absolved of expectations and consequences.

Now we have just had an election this past week. And some people wanted to elect Hillary Clinton so that she could solve all our problems for us. And some people wanted to elect Donald Trump so that he could solve all our problems for us. Some wanted to elect Gary Johnson, or Darrell Castle, or Jill Stein, or Rocky De La Fuente so that they could solve all our problems for us. But we are reminded of the words of the Psalm. Do not put your trust in kings or princes, and we can add, presidents. They are not going to solve all of our problems. They are not going to save us.

This was very directly expressed in a letter to the editor on election day. Charles Brusovich, Jr. of Lutz wrote this:

 No matter who wins the election, I wonder how many people feel they have a personal responsibility as free citizens to promote the overall welfare of the country.
Does it bother anyone that we continually spend more than we pay in taxes by a substantial amount, and do we as citizens have a responsibility to curtail it?
Does it bother anyone that we complain about illegal aliens, but the only way they can stay here is because they are employed illegally by U.S. businesses and citizens? Do we have a responsibility to stop it?
Does it bother anyone that we send volunteers to fight “terror” when our own intrusive actions into other countries inspire it? Do we have a responsibility to vigorously object to ill-advised invasions?
Do we have a responsibility to each other to base our opinions in facts that promote the general welfare of the people? And to help each other by insisting on equitable wages, benefits and justice to all people?
Do we really think one elected person will change this? Or should we be looking in the mirror and asking ourselves if we are serving the country or ourselves? And, in the end, does one person make the country great, or do we make it great?   [Tampa Bay Times, 11/8/16]

You and I may have different concerns and issues than Mr. Brusovich, but we can identify with his point about responsibility and accountability. The outcome of the election does not change the fact that we have much work to do. The whole election process showed us that our society is in great need and we can’t expect one person to make it right. Our faith calls all of us to work to make sure that every person in this country and the world is treated with dignity and respect. We believe each and every person is sacred and valued. And we need to make sure that the laws and conduct of our country reflect that. We need to address ourselves to caring for the environment which we believe to be God’s self-disclosure and gift. It is past time for us to insist on health care for the Earth which feeds our bodies and spirits. And we must redouble our efforts at creating a culture of peace. The election itself was fraught with contention, attacks, and hostility. We need to cultivate a culture of civility, kindness, respect and peace. And this includes speaking out with gentle strength against violence of every kind including verbal violence, sexual violence, economic violence, religious violence, gun violence, and war as a tool of foreign policy.

No leader is going to do this for us: this is our job. This is the calling of the church. This is what Jesus gathered people together to do. It is our responsibility to create the country and the world that we want to live in. And we need each other to fulfill our calling. We cannot do it alone. Amen.

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ.