Ambassadors of Reconciliation

St. Paul, in writing to the Colossians said, “May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light…. For in Christ all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.”

Today as a central part of the Offertory we are all invited to give thanks to God for his abundant gifts.  We shall bring our pledge cards, our commitment to support the work and ministry of All Saints’ Church, to the Altar and place them in the basket.  The ministry of the church is not only important, it is absolutely necessary in encouraging ourselves and others “to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light,” and to work in reconciling all things to God.

Many years ago when I was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, my bishop was Roger Blanchard.  Roger was a person of towering stature. He was committed to young people, especially those of college age, and he was persistent in the pursuit of justice, compassion, equality, and opportunity for everyone.

During the time of his ministry in Southern Ohio Bishop Blanchard sent a regular letter to all the clergy.  It had a title, the A.O.R., which stood for Ambassadors of Reconciliation.  That phrase taken from the fifth chapter of Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians summed up for him and for the clergy and parishioners of the diocese what we are all called to do.  We are to be ambassadors of reconciliation, bringing “all people to unity with God and one another in Christ.”  This is our mission, and it is why we give thanks to God for his abundant gifts.

After Bishop Blanchard’s death an endowed fund was established to carry on the ministry to which he was committed during his life.  Among the areas of his ministry was an emphasis on social justice to affirm the dignity of every person.  He said, "We take our stand on the theological conviction that a new humanity was created in Jesus Christ, to every member of which he has given equal worth by dying for all without discrimination"  Roger was an inspiration to me and the values he espoused have had an enduring impact on me everywhere I have served.

The ministry of the Episcopal church and all of us at All Saints’ who profess the Christian faith is our responsibility.  It is your ministry and what you do as we work together to reconcile all people to God through Christ.  Our pledges, our energy and commitment to the ministry and the work of our church involve several areaas: worship, pastoral care, education and ethics, and management. 

The first area is worship.  Worship, giving praise and glory to God is at the center of our Christian life.  It involves our services of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Evensong, weddings, and funerals.  All of us participate by joining in the prayers, hearing the Word of God through our Biblical readings, singing hymns as members of the congregation and the choir, serving as readers, acolytes, altar guild members, Eucharistic ministers, or pastoral care givers.  Our worship and our use of the Book of Common Prayer unites us theologically and spiritually as the people of God here at All Saints’ and wherever we go. 

The second area is pastoral care.  It includes the ministry we do through outreach to those in need, providing food, clothing, thanksgiving baskets, visiting those in nursing homes or assisted living centers, making sandwiches for Crossroads, or listening and responding to the stories of people who come here simply because they know they are welcomed and cared for. 

The third area is education and ethics.  What we provide in Sunday school for our children, adult confirmation and inquirers’ classes, occasional forums, and entertainment for children from Crossroads Family Center are all part of this ministry.  Another part is the work that each one of us does beyond the walls of this Church – your employment, your concerns about peace, justice, opportunity, and reconciliation – all of this is your ministry. 

The fourth is management.  Management includes all the work that is necessary to maintain this magnificent building, our programs, our hospitality to others including AA, the City Meal Site, and La Iglesia Luterana.  Your vestry, committees and teams that enable us to fulfill God’s call are all part of the fabric that makes up our common life.  Our relationship to the Diocese of Rhode Island and the national church is reflected in the apportionment payment we contribute each year.   All of this is what I have labeled “Life Together” in our e-parish messenger.

I share these several areas with you because it is important for all of us to understand and know how we depend upon one another and how each person here participates in fulfilling our ministry of worship and service.  I give thanks for all of you, and I invite you to join me in giving thanks to God for his abundant gifts.  To quote again our reading from Colossians, “May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.” Amen.