SERMON 8/2/26 PENTECOST 10A, St. Francis Savannah, GA

Isaiah 55:1-5; Psalm 145: 8-9, 15-22; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

            (INTRO) I love the Mission Impossible movies, are you familiar?  If not, let me give you a quick preview.  The main character is Ethan Hunt, a super spy who he never acts alone.  He leads the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) that uses incredible devices, superb intellect, and special forces like skills, to achieve what often seems like an extremely arduous assignment. The IMF team is not like the Marvel Avengers or DC Justice League heroes.  IMF is made up of real people.  They are “a small but effective group that brings their many gifts and talents to a mission.  They possess a clear focused purpose, and amazingly, they are able somehow, with the help of a greater outside support system, to accomplish an impossible mission.”  I don't know about you but to me, this sure sounds like the church. 

            We the church are real people, "a small but effective group that brings our many gifts and talents to God's mission.  We possess a clear focused purpose which is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ (page 855 Book of Common Prayer).   AND we are able somehow, with the help of a greater outside support system, namely the Holy Spirit, we a accomplish an impossible mission in the world.  

            We the church are a unique community of love brought together to literally change the world around us. It can seem like an impossible mission  but we are not left to this work alone.  God is with us at every point of our undertakings-- from the outset, through all the challenges, and even through team changes like the one you all recently experienced.  It all seems like we are facing unfathomable odds as the church, but our strategic and tactical advantage is Jesus example and support.   Jesus provisions us, feeds us, and empowers us to accomplish the work he called us to do.  He takes our gifts, multiplies them, shares them and feeds those in need of grace, mercy, peace, hope, and restoration. 

JESUS FEEDS THOSE IN NEED

            Jesus does not leave his people helpless without comfort, assistance, and presence, especially in times of great need.  In today's gospel reading, Jesus left the crowds he had been teaching to take a short rest, but they could not let him be; they followed him.  He had compassion over their plights and cured the sick. As he taught and healed and the day became late, the disciples were faced with an impossible mission themselves ...  the task of feeding an unfathomable group of 5000 people. 

            Their dilemma turned from challenge to desperation to apathy.  They decided all they could do was give up and send the folks away hungry.  What could they do, they were just a small group with very little resources?  Jesus did not buy it and he said, "they need not go away; you give them something to eat." He was teaching them (and us) that you can do this ... but it will take some faith on your part.

            Jesus took what the disciples had, a small lunch of a couple sardines and some pita bread and showed his team then and now that in God's mission, there is nothing impossible.  St. Francis, you are an incredible community of faith, but you are facing a new challenge, a new phase of mission.  Your beloved priest of six years was called to serve in a new place and mission apart from you.  However, please don't despair because Jesus has not left you hungry nor will he.  Jesus right now may very well be saying to you, "You can do this ... but it will take some faith on your part."

Mission Possible – St. Francis

            St. Francis you have a unique mission in this part of the world, but what is it? I can tell you that it is most likely not what it was six years ago.  Yes, some things that set this community on its current pathway such as your values, your unique identity and the work you do locally may have changed over the years.  I am only today getting to know you, but I imagine the challenges you've faced together, faithfully, are what make St. Francis so wonderful.

            I imagine that God has even more changes in store for you in the coming years.  Your mission will change again and thus, your work now is not to look backward and return to what was, but to discern together what your mission will become.  In the next few months, you and your vestry will begin the holy work of discernment, seeking the next priest to join you on this journey.  What is this discernment thing?  Those first disciples, created a banquet from almost nothing, practiced discernment well, even after they dealt with uncertainty, fear, and despair.

            Discernment is prayerfully listening for and then partnering with, what God has already set in motion.  I believe this about discernment, because I have seen it unfold in my work in transition ministry over the years.   Often the priest God most likely has in mind for you is already out there right now, seeking a church just like you.  That sounds miraculous does it not?  Like a 5000 person banquet in a desert maybe?  But notice this about that miracle, the disciples had to bring something to the party, a couple of sardines and some pita bread.

             Like them, you will need to bring something to this work. You will need to form a sub team (a search committee) whose work will not easy, but that ministry will be a particular key to the future.  They must evaluate who you are as a community, develop a profile or brochure and then put it out there for that priest looking for you all, to find it.  You will need to meet those priests and listen, pray, and evaluate if they are the leader God has in mind.  You will have to recommend a final candidate to the vestry who votes to elect them, then seeks the Bishop's consent to that call.  Now, this work will not be easy, but it is not mission impossible.  You have much work ahead of you, but I encourage you to be patient, to remain faithful, to pray daily for God's guidance, remain nimble, and remain open to change.

            Remember, St. Francis, you are "a small but effective group that brings many gifts and talents to God's mission." You are not alone — with the power of God's Spirit available to you at every turn, you can accomplish what some may call an impossible mission. But this is God's mission in the world, a way of life some would call Mission Possible.

St. Francis, you can do it — I know you can. This is your next assignment, St. Francis, should you choose to accept it, which is as easy as trusting God through all the twists and turns that lie ahead.

By the way, this sermon will not self-destruct in five seconds.