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Sermon Preached at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Granite Springs by the the Reverend Matthew Mead
November 22, 2009
Christ the King: The Last Sunday after Pentecost
RCL): Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Psalm 93; Revelation 1:4b-8; John 18:33-37


Yesterday Sally Stevens and I went to the Convention of the Diocese of New York. Convention is a great example of one of the reasons I love the Episcopal Church. We met in Saint John the Divine, which is an enormous church in Manhattan. There were hundreds of people present. I know from experience that everyone in the room has strong opinions about lots of things. They come from rural areas, from inner city areas, from Wall Street, from Main Street and everywhere in between. They like to worship in really different ways, some are high church, some are low church, some are Evangelical, some are experimental and progressive. They look and speak and act differently, even the clergy have extremely different ideas on how priests should dress. They hold radically different political views: some are Democrats, some are Republicans, some are Independents, some don’t vote at all. And yet, they are all Christians, united in their faith in Jesus and willing to work together to spread the Good News of Christ to others.

I think that the primary theme of today’s service is exactly that. We celebrate Christ the King, not because we are his servants but because we are citizens in and heirs to Christ’s kingdom – and that is an identity that cuts through every division. We are Jesus’ own brothers and sisters and that means that despite the many things that make us different, we are still brothers and sisters to each other. At the end of the day… the unity we have in Christ far outweighs everything else.

I am always energized and inspired after seeing and hearing the work that is being done by the many different churches in the diocese. The Carpenter’s Kid program, which Good Shepherd is involved in, really got off the ground a few years ago when it was highlighted at Convention (and you should know that Father Patrick Ward, the interim rector here, was one of those who spoke at Convention urging others to get involved). All of the outreach of the Diocese, whether it’s a big program like the Carpenter’s Kids, or the work of a soup kitchen in the Bronx, is the work of many people. When we act out our identity as brothers and sisters and work together, we can accomplish far more than when we work alone.

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. A great way to give thanks to God for the blessings he has given us is to find ways to share those blessings with those around us. In two weeks, on Sunday December 6, the outreach committee is going to meet after the 10 AM Holy Eucharist. Everyone is welcome to come to this meeting – and I really do hope you will find the time to come. All you need is the willingness to want to be involved in some way with the outreach that Good Shepherd does. We will discuss what this parish is already doing, and look for ways to build on that great work. We will also discuss new things that we might be able to do. If you have a vision or an idea of how Good Shepherd can be a blessing to this community, this is your opportunity to share. If you have had an itch to get involved and get your hands dirty in some good old fashioned service and outreach, then this a great opportunity for you to be counted as ready and willing.

Note for all sermons: The text published here and what was actually preached from the pulpit may vary considerably. Think of this version as the published draft.