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May 20, 2007
Ascension Sunday
Douglas McCoy - Guest Preacher
Scripture:
Acts 1:1-11May 20, 2007
Ephesians 1:15-23Ascension Sunday - C
Luke 24:44-53First United Methodist Church, Reno
"Building On The Past"
Hi, I'm Doug and I'm a great grandfather! It seems like
such a short time ago that Edie and I arrived at Reno First Church, with our
three sons, ages 4, 3 and almost 2. It was July, 1973 when I was appointed
associate pastor, working specifically with Christian Education and youth along
with the overall ministry of the church. Some of you were part of the youth
group, some young parents like we were, while others taught in the Sunday School
... giving our children a grounding in the Christian faith.
As we gather together this morning, some recall the
fifteen years we spent in ministry together, others wonder 'who is this person
from the long ago?' and all of us should remember that we have experienced God's
love through Christ and are able to worship here because of those who have
preceded us. I remember visiting First Church in 1971 and viewing the Hosanna
Arch, in memory of Dorothy Busher, which captured faces of children in the
church in the early 40's, some of whom were still active when I became pastor
thirty years later. Everywhere I look this morning, I see reminders of those who
have gone before, who built upon the past so that the ministry and witness to
Christ in and through this place and this congregation could continue to this
day.
For the past seven years, I have served as pastor of
Susanville United Methodist Church, which shares a common history with Reno
First. Both churches were birthed as the towns began ... Methodist circuit
riders from the Oregon Conference were sent to the Honey Lake Valley in 1861
just as people started to settle in Janesville and Susanville; it took less than
a year after the townsite of Reno was laid out, during the winter 1867-1868, for
Rev. Thomas McGrath to arrive and begin organizing this church.
Reno settlers gathered in the old school house located at
First and Sierra for worship; pioneers held Sunday School, led by Susan Roop,
for whom Susanville was named, in a school house. The Reno congregation grew and
in 1870 decided to build a building, which was dedicated on July 20, 1871; it
took several more years for Susanville to build its first building, also a wood
frame sanctuary, completed in 1874. Both churches built new brick structures in
1900: Susanville's which lasted for 15 years until a fire almost totally
destroyed it; while Reno's was replaced in 1925, as church leaders decided it
was necessary to move away from downtown, purchasing Judge Thomas V. Julien's
family ranch in the country... one block away! I was surprised when I looked at
the picture of the second Reno church ... it so much resembles the Susanville
church that perhaps it was designed by the same architect.
The buildings of both congregations were major acts of
faith which challenged members to give generously, women to share their egg
money, groups to hold special fundraising activities, and everyone to commit to
long range support through times of economic change, depression, and turnover of
members and pastors.
It is also interesting to me that between 1872 and 1884
two pastors served both Reno and Susanville, and one of the early giants in
California-Nevada Methodism, E. W. Van De Venter served Susanville in 1889 and
then was Superintendent of the Nevada Mission for many years.
What was it that caused our ancestors, some who are
known, while most have been forgotten, to risk sharing Christ's message with
settlers on the eastern side of the Sierras, to start Sunday schools and worship
services, to gather their meager funds together to build church buildings? What
was it that led F.M. Willis to come from Illinois in 1872 to serve as a circuit
rider in Susanville, or Leslie Burwell to enter the ministry, serve Reno from
1906 to 1910, dying after less than 20 years of service due to his intense
conviction to serve Christ?
Did they hear the words of Jesus that we heard this
morning ... "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, to
the ends of the earth ... even to Reno and Susanville? Did they feel the Holy
Spirit clothing them with power to share the hope, the light, the riches of
Jesus' inheritance with everyone they could?
Did they want to ensure that the people of their
generation, their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren would be able to
hear about and experience the love of God leading them to full life?
Do some of you remember the 1975 Easter worship in the
Pioneer Auditorium? Janice Clarke, Jerry Holloway, Nancy Wong and Bob Kurvers
were part of the leadership for the service, with the theme from Hebrews 12:1-2
depicted on the bulletin cover by Joy Meeuwig: "Therefore since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight
and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race
that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our
faith...
We are indeed "surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses..." as we worship together this morning... all those who believed and
accepted Jesus as their Lord, answering the call to be witnesses over the past
139 years in this part of God's creation, as well as all those through the
centuries who have faithfully obeyed Jesus' command: "Go and make disciples of
all nations."
We remember people who have touched our lives in this
place, and who have made us who we are. This stole contains the hands of some
who touched my life in Reno – my children, close friends, even prison inmates.
I think of May Julian Sourwine, who used to live on the
ranch at this very site, who, as a young girl, climbed the tree which still
grows by the driveway, was the announcer and vocalist for the KOH radio program,
"The Voice of the Organ" from 1928-1930, served the church in countless ways and
was the longest member of the church, having joined in 1904.
I remember those loyal Sunday school teachers who touched
our boy's lives ... Vera Dossey, Alice Morgan, Dorothy Johnson, Alice Owen, Jean
Norris, Viola Wagner ... and so many more.
There are moments that stand out, like when Marie Hancock
(Perry) ... who was always cleaning out the refrigerator, threw away the lunch
that Alice Owen had brought that very morning for our Thursday Leadership Lunch
thinking it was garbage.
There are those with whom I worked: Sue Roberts and Vyna
Huxtable as we married over 1000 couples; Alice and Orin Morgan working on
countless projects (you can find names of church school leaders and youth behind
the cabinets he built in the downstairs church school office); music staff; lay
leaders; pastors with whom I shared ministry: Ernie Troutner, John Moore, John
Emerson, Bob Olmstead, and Belle Mecham who supported us and kept us in line.
It seems as though, throughout my ministry, there have
always been building projects, capital fund campaigns and new ministries
created. Shortly after I arrived, the office area was remodeled and the main
entrance to the church changed. After several years of considering whether this
church, like others in the downtown area, should move out, relocate and build a
new building, it was decided that First Church needed to stay in the heart of
the city, a witness to Christ confronting and serving the community. That led to
a major capital campaign ... and I really expected that we had accomplished all
that would be needed for many years to come! Boy was I wrong!!
One of the outcomes of the renovation was the creation of
Fellowship Hall with a complete kitchen. Had I only known what that would mean,
perhaps I would have discouraged the project ... since for a number of years I
found myself every Wednesday at the "new" dishwasher cleaning up after Tony
Rampone's Wonderful Wacky Wednesday dinners. I've forgotten how to operate it
... so don't expect me to jump in and wash dishes today!
It was out of this church ... because of the support of a
number of you ... that the ministries of KAIROS and Ridge House became a
reality. It was the concern and commitment of Mike and Foofie Faulstich that
forced me to consider prison ministry ... I certainly didn't initiate it or feel
called to such work. My life was touched and changed because of you who believed
that we, as a congregation, as a Christian ecumenical community, were being
called to be witnesses behind razor wire and cell bars. And as you have
responded ... your lives have been changed as well.
I rejoice in all the ministries of First Church, but
especially in the more than a quarter century of proclaiming, through our lives,
God's love and salvation to Nevada inmates and parolees.
When Jesus set out toward Jerusalem with his disciples,
he warned them of the impending danger and his probable execution. Peter tried
to deny that anything could happen to his master, but Jesus said, "Get behind me
Satan!" ... face the fact of what is ahead and that I choose to go and do God's
will. Later, as they were on their way, Jesus again predicted that he would die
... the disciples were astonished, other followers were afraid.
The Gospel of John reports that Jesus spent a long time
with his disciples during the Passover meal, explaining to them what was going
to happen, praying for himself, for them, and all believers. Those close friends
of Jesus shared so many emotions – fear for their leader, denial, false dreams
that things would turn out alright, overpowering shock at the crucifixion,
numbing grief at his death, emptiness, amazed joy at reports of his
resurrection, comfort in his appearances to them, and hope that they would never
be left alone again.
We have been celebrating Easter but today we remember
Jesus finally leaving the disciples ... his ascension. For forty days since his
resurrection Jesus had been with the disciples, teaching and equipping them for
their task of ministry. He declared that they were witnesses of all the things
that had happened... and promised that the Holy Spirit would bring them power to
be able to be witnesses to the world.
Then he led them toward Bethany, blessed them and left
them alone, being taken up into heaven ... he's gone, out of here! The disciples
were now on their own ... having received instruction, their leader was forever
gone from them. If the ministry of Jesus was to continue it was up to them. They
had to carry on Jesus' preaching of repentance and forgiveness of sins,
expanding it to all nations. They had to be the Lord's hands and feet, the
living presence of Christ in the world.
You and I are the ones left to carry on the work and
ministry of Christ to our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, our
world. Many of the saints that surround us today are no longer physically
present, yet they continue to empower us with their spirit, their dedication,
the legacy that they have passed on. Some of the saints gathered here are no
longer able to do what they were able to do 20, 30, 50 years ago ... we've all
aged (even though I would like to deny it). Yet we are surrounded by saints
today, those of you who are carrying on the ministries of Christian Education,
mission, justice-seeking, music, counseling, visitation ... look at the bulletin
and all the ways that you, the saints are responding to Jesus' command to be his
witnesses in this time ... in this place.
Our ministries and missions build upon the past, upon
what we have received from those who have taught, shared and witnessed, and we
are invited to assume our place in that long procession of faithful followers
through the ages. We receive this place, where people have touched, are
touching, and will touch our lives and the lives of others, as a sacred
inheritance to care for and convey to those who will follow us. As our ancestors
took risks for the sake of Jesus, so we are challenged to assume responsibility
for what we have received and to pass it on.
As a great grandfather, I have the privilege to provide
for my future generations so that they can respond to Jesus command to be
witnesses and thereby insure, not only God's blessing for them, but also the
continuation of Christ's message. We, through dedicating our lives and
committing our financial resources, respond to Jesus' command to be his
witnesses.
Thirty years ago, as we were beginning the capital fund
campaign to renovate the church, I wrote a hymn, "Building On The Past" which we
will sing during this morning's offering. Our faith is indeed built upon the
faith of those who have gone before. Our choice is whether we will continue to
build upon the past which we have inherited for the sake of those who will
follow.
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