Sermons August 25 and 26 Sermon August 25-26, 2007 Psalm 46; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-29; Luke 13:22-30 Hillary T. West Now, when we’re sitting in our homes and we hear the scream of a roaring wind, and our windows start rattling, we’d better make certain that we’ve battened down the hatches because a doozey of a storm is on the way.   In fact, if I have my information correct, Richmond had one of those brutal storms just last week.  Power was out for more than a day.  Computers sizzled.  Telephone lines steamed and alarm systems squealed.  This place was shakin’! Scripture tells us that when a whole lot of shakin is going on, we might want to pay attention, because it may well be God’s very holy presence among us.  Think back to our friend Moses.  Remember when God asked him to lead his people out of slavery into freedom?  The journey was taxing and long.  God’s people whined and complained.  After a while, they weren’t so sure they wanted to trust Moses as their leader.  So, God said to Moses, “I am going to come to you…in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so trust you ever after. “  Moses brought the people to the foot of Mt. Siniai to meet with God.  On that morning there were “peals of thunder and flashes of lightning”. The earth shook, “and a very loud trumpet blast”.  A dense cloud surrounded the mountain as God spoke to Moses so that his people could hear.  The people trembled as smoke encompassed the mountain.  It was as if a volcano were erupting.  Terrified, the Israelites stood at the foot of the mountain as Moses went up to talk with God.  God remembered his promise to always make God’s chosen ones, God’s very own; his people. This ferocious and awesome encounter with God is what in the Greek is termed as a theophany.  A theophany is God revealing God’s self to humankind; God showing forth.  Now there is a pattern to theophanies.  First, God appears, usually surrounded by fire, wrapped in a splendorous cloud, or caught up in some kind of a fierce wind.  As a result, nature reacts with a tremble or as we learn when God reveals God’s self to the prophet Elijah, we’re talking about a lot more than a tremble.  Mountains split and rocks break into pieces!  As God would have it, the revelation brings only good.  Nature flourishes.  Often, those who experience the revelation receive a call to ministry.  Some may receive the call in a still small voice rather than a noisy whirlwind.  But, it seems that theophanies hold one common characteristic:  the presence of the awesome holiness of God results in both dread and fascination by the recipient. Now, I don’t know about you.  But, when my 75 pound dog is squeezing her fat body under our bed, and the lights are flickering, and suddenly the day has turned to night because the rain is pouring down so hard that you can’t see, and lightening is flashing way to fast and too close and thunder is pounding, I’m not thinking that God is being revealed.  But, maybe I should. Last week, I had the privilege of traveling with the mission team to serve in Lima, Peru.  As you know, Christ Church has pledged $25,000 to build in Lima, at the mission site, Sagrada Familia, a place that will bring healing to many.  Lima is a city of 12 million people and its demographics are divided by the Pan American Highway, which runs from Alaska down through South America.  On one side of the highway is a city that would be as familiar to us as New York or Chicago or Los Angeles.  It’s sophisticated, modern and bustling with people and productivity.  But, crossing the Pan American Highway, immediately takes you from modern civilization to utter, intense, and immense poverty.  Most of the 6 million Peruvians living in the other half of Lima, have fled to Lima from the outlying countryside to find work and a safe haven from the rebel forces.  These are skilled farmers, not skilled city workers or city dwellers.  Somehow this huge population has carved holes into the mountainside and set up make shift walls of cardboard, or some kind of plaster, or maybe even some sort of brick to lean against the mountainside.  Adding a tin roof, they call this shack, home.  Any electricity they have running to their shacks is pirated, illegal. It’s winter in Lima right now.  This is one of the coldest winters they have known in over a decade.  So, families give thanks for their small lean-tos as they all crowd into one bed at night to keep warm.  Recently, Bishop Godfrey, the Anglican, Episcopal Bishop of Peru, has sent out a plea for folks to donate money for blankets to keep babies warm during these cold winter nights. But, the biggest problem on the mountainside for this ever growing population is sanitation. Often, as we were working we would see huge trucks lugging gigantic tanks of water up the mountainside.   The water is poured into open, public cisterns that  hold the transported water.  Folks from all over, carrying whatever containers they have come to collect their water for the day.  But, there’s no running water; no clean water; no healthy drinking water.  No means by which to go to the bathroom and flush or bathe privately.  So sickness and disease is very common, especially with children.  Bishop Godfrey has a huge task in front of him.  But, he is not daunted.  He has cast a vision to help these fine people of Lima live lives of wholeness and wellness.  So, as you trek up the mountainside with villagers leading the way and many clamoring up behind, you’ll see the start of the Bishop’s vision.  Where shacks once leaned into the mountainside, now you will see just a few beautifully constructed, sturdy buildings.  To us, they look like churches, worship spaces where the faithful come daily to give thanks to God for the few blessings in their lives.  But, these buildings function as much more than worship spaces.  They house opportunities for growth, nourishment and healing in spirit, mind and body.  Prayer groups meet.  Children take catechesis classes.  A nursery is provided so that mothers with young children can share in Bible study and participate in classes on nutrition, cleanliness, and basic life skills.  Counseling is being made available to those who are traumatized by their escape from the country to this ever growing, unfamiliar life in the city.   These buildings have full kitchens and bathrooms with running hot and cold water.  Meals are cooked and served under sanitary conditions.  Neighbors can come and bathe fully in privacy, and wash away much of the disease that comes from uncleanliness.  Medical teams are being secured from the States and countries beyond to offer free health care to all those in need.  Through this effort, of which you, Christ Church, plays a significant part; hope is being restored to the millions of lost and forgotten on the mountainside of Peru. Now, as you know, the Pan American Highway divides Lima.  There is another dividing mark in Peru.  The San Andreas Fault runs all the way down from California to South America.  So, earthquakes are not uncommon.  However, most of the earthquakes are small on the Richter scale.  But, last week, for some, and certainly for those of us on the mission trip, an earthquake measuring 8 on the scale was tragic for many and memorable for all. The night of the earthquake, our team was preparing to worship with Santa Maria, an established mission church in Lima.  We were excited, as Padre Aurelio, the vicar of Santa Maria, had asked Karen Schulz to serve as godmother to his friend’s son, Alonzo, and Karen had agreed.  So, Alonzo, along with 5 other young folks were scheduled to be baptized that night.  Padre Aurelio had been up since 3:00 a.m. readying the church.  The energy was high as we all gathered.   It was a festive evening for certain.  Clergy from the Cathedral had arrived to assist.  Music was playing.  Candles were lit.  The baptismal candidates were dressing in their blue and white garments.  The women of the church had gone to great lengths to prepare a beautiful reception.  Suddenly, there was a sound like a huge rush of wind crashing in around us.  But, there wasn’t wind.  Windows rattled and the church began to shake.  The sky was blackened.  The ground was shifting underneath us.  Chairs were starting to bounce around a bit.  People who knew what was happening started screaming.  Many rushed out the door to the street, grabbing whoever was in their path to get them out of the building. Many stopped to pray and ask for God’s mercy.  Confusion was everywhere.  Eventually, we were on the street, unsteady and unstable as the ground continued to dance underneath us.  Children were clinging and crying.  Older folks murmured frightened prayers.  We all huddled together as best as possible and held on to one another.  Lights dimmed, flickered and went out and then, miraculously, came back on.  The ground stabilized.  Padre Aurelio, with a very worried look on his face, moved throughout the crowd, reaching out to every person to make certain that all was well.  And then, he did exactly what we would have done at Christ Church.  He stood at the doors of Santa Maria and invited everyone to join him for worship.  There were children who needed to be baptized.  It was a baptism we will never forget.   And, clearly, the Holy Spirit was present.  Somehow, we all continued on with our duties.  But, now, we just stood a little bit closer to one another.  We held on longer at the Peace.  At the prayers and announcements we gave thanks to God for how God revealed himself to us in one another’s courage and bravery.  When we moved to the table, and the ground began to stir again, we turned all our fears and worries over to God and as always, he was our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Throughout the night tremors continued to frighten us.  And more than once throughout the week we were forced to stand in secure places as at least 2 other earthquakes stirred us. The morning after the earthquake, we in following the example of our new friends at Sagrada Familia, we continued with our work.  We met the villagers at our worksite, and gathered to dig ditches, haul rocks and chatter away in broken Spanish about the episodes of the night. Sometimes as we journey outside of what is comfortable for us, we come to see the revelation of God in ways we are not anticipating.  It seems that the author of Hebrews is asking us to consider exploring other ways to see the glory of God.  The writer is probably addressing some well healed, faithful followers of God.  Now, they have turned to Jesus Christ.  And, to harmonize their familiar tradition with their new faith in Christ, the writer blends the Old and New Testaments.  The theophany of God coming to us in a blazing fire, darkness and gloom as was experienced at Mt. Sinai with Moses those many years ago is now transformed into a new theophany.  God’s revelation to Christians is in Jesus Christ.  And, while the earth and the heavens can still be shaken, life in Jesus Christ is unshakable.  Nothing can stop God’s love for us in the presence and permanence of Jesus Christ.  In the theophany of Jesus Christ we learn more about a God who embraces us with tenderness and gentleness and a love that encircles and warmly surrounds us, and stays, constant, as a still, calm, voice; a holy strength and a sweet silence that lifts us up to conquer heights we never knew possible.  You are that theophany.  I know I speak for the whole team including Jim Wheeler, our leader, Rachel Wheeler, Jim Heck, Karen Schulz, Beth Pembleton, Heather Miller, Carol Napier, Jerry Moreno and myself when I say that God may well have revealed God’s self to us on the mountainside of Lima, in those extraordinary people who struggle so to survive.  And maybe God was even showing forth God’s self to us in the trembling and the shaking caused by the earthquake.  But, little did our team know how great God’s love in Christ is for us, and how such love would be revealed to us until we returned to you, here in Richmond.  We are overwhelmed by your tender care and your precious love.  Thank you for your e-mails, your phone calls, your hugs, and words of comfort and relief at knowing we have returned safely.  You are that revelation of God’s love.  The God who listens, who is forever patient and understanding.  The God who shows mercy and quietly forgives and loves.  The God who awaits with open arms and a joy filled heart welcoming each of us into his kingdom.   And for such a revelation, I am forever grateful.  Thank you. What a miraculous God who chooses to enter into our lives and be completely involved with us by revealing himself to us through our troubles and worries and turmoils and through the stillness of our solitude.  A God who will not rest but must be always loving us and leading us.  A God who comes to us as Jesus Christ and lives forever in our hearts as the fountain of redeeming love.