Back in 1832, a young man in the U.S. Army went to war against the Indians. He fought in what was known as the Black Hawk War.

At the beginning of the war, this young man was a captain. But by the end of the war, he was no longer a captain. He was a private.

Now, how a soldier can go from captain to private without committing treason is a mystery to me. You military men and women know that if you go to war and survive, you are pretty well assured of a rise through the ranks. But this young man did not distinguish himself as an officer — as a captain he was twice in disgrace, once for firing a pistol near camp and again because most of his company was intoxicated.

Well, at war’s end, this skinny, awkward, funny-looking young man looked for other things to do. Eventually, he found his niche, and even achieved a measure of success. His name was Abraham Lincoln.

This story has a moral, according to Archbishop Robert Bowman: Just because you’re a failure at one thing, that doesn’t mean you’re going to be a failure at everything. Different people have different gifts. Evidently, Indian-fighting wasn’t one of Lincoln’s. It took him a while to discover that his gift was in politics, and he went on to become one of our greatest American presidents. As Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians, “there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord” (12:4-5).

We’ve just heard our current president, George W. Bush, give his State of the Union address, so it seems right for me to use my sermon this morning to reflect on the State of our Union — the State of the Congregation at Fairfax Presbyterian Church. Looking back over the past year, we’ve had some challenges, and we’ve suffered some losses. It hasn’t been as bloody as the Black Hawk War, but there have been some painful moments.

Last spring, both Andrew Dobos and Brenda Weiser resigned from their positions in the music program, and over the summer Judy Chambers retired as Business Administrator after decades of faithful service. The position of Director of Christian Education was eliminated, the Associate Pastor’s job description was redefined, and a full-time Youth Director position was created. Then, last week, we heard Carrie Yearick’s announcement of her resignation, as she responds to God’s call to another form of ministry.

Wow. What a year. If I focused only on staff transitions, I would have to say that the State of our Union is shaky. But Fairfax Presbyterian Church is not defined by its staff. You, the people of FPC, are the heart of this church, and your health and vitality is stronger than ever. When I look at your gifts for ministry and mission, and I know that the State of our Union is strong.

I say this because I was amazed by the ways in which you responded to these staff changes over the last year. Judy Viccellio stepped forward to lead our Summer and Sanctuary Choirs and arrange for organists to play each Sunday through the end of October. Karen Hammond kept the adult handbells ringing throughout the interim period. Adrianne Knight agreed to direct our Children’s Music Program at the start of the school year, and worked with Sheri Zimmerman to provide excellent leadership to our young people’s vocal and handbell choirs.

On the youth front, Susan Wisseman agreed to serve as a Youth Program Coordinator until we secure a full-time Youth Director, and Nicola Kerlin stepped in to work as coordinator of our Junior and Senior High Sunday School classes. The leadership of these women, along with the efforts of youth fellowship advisors and church school teachers, has helped the youth program to stay on track through a transitional year.

And that’s not all. The session hired Beth Corry to serve as Interim Director of Music during the critical musical seasons of Advent and Christmas, and we had a wonderful Abendmusik and set of Christmas Eve services. Church members worked tirelessly on the Director of Music search committee, leading to the hiring of Bruce and Sallie Horner, whom we will be welcoming in a reception this morning. Another group met weekly to search for a Youth Director — a search that has now been completed, with the hiring of Nancy Stevens, who will begin her work right after Easter. And more recently, our personnel ministry and session have worked quickly and carefully to realign the staff in the wake of Carrie’s resignation, and they are unanimous in recommending that Michelle Fincher serve as our Director of Small Group Ministries, and Robin Meeks take the position of Business and Building Administrator.

What tremendous efforts these have been — by you, the members of FPC. On top of all this, you responded so generously to the 2006 stewardship campaign, increasing your pledges by almost $70,000. Looking at your energy, your enthusiasm, your commitment, and your love, I have to say that the State of our Union is strong.

The key to our health, you see, is that we are one body with many members. Our church’s vitality does not depend on a particular person being in the pulpit, or at the organ bench, or in the church office, or leading a youth mission trip. I know this is a radical thought, since we put a lot of trust in church professionals, and we expect them to do an excellent job.

But listen to what Paul says in today’s lesson from First Corinthians, “Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many.” Not one senior pastor … not one associate pastor … not one director of music … not one organist … not one business administrator. No, the body of Christ consists of many members, people like you who have gifts for understanding scripture, playing music, handling money, teaching classes, mentoring young people, maintaining buildings, caring for children, serving neighbors in need. The body of Christ is all of you, not just the members of the FPC staff. While we staff members have important jobs to perform, we know that we are just one part of complex and multi-talented organism known as the Body of Christ.

The apostle Paul knows that people have a natural human tendency to elevate one part of the body over the other, which is why he writes, “If the ear were to say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?” Paul knows that the body needs eyes to read the Word of God, ears to hear glorious organ music, and noses to smell the food being prepared for our Homeless Hypothermia program. Each member is important, because each member has something to contribute to the health and vitality of the church.

A doctor once came up to a pastor after worship and said: "You may be interested to know that there is a certain part of your body that is absolutely essential to you as a preacher; you probably don’t realize it or even think about it when you are preaching. Yet, without it, you couldn’t do what you do."

The pastor said, "What is it?"

The doctor said: "It’s your big toe. The big toe senses when your body begins to lean or shift or fall or get out of balance, and it immediately strengthens so that you can stand up and speak. Without your big toe, you could never preach."

From that time on the pastor would go around telling people, "Don’t step on my toe! It’s an important part of my ministry."

“As it is,” says Paul, “there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” Paul will not tolerate any hierarchy within the organization of the church, because he knows that everyone has a gift that is absolutely indispensable to the health of the congregation. We cannot truly be the church without teachers and students, preachers and listeners, nursery attendants and babies, mentors and confirmands, dreamers and worker bees, advisors and youth group members. We each have a part to play, and “if one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.”

It’s exciting to be part of such a church, because we are all linked to one another, and on a journey of discovery together. Like Abraham Lincoln, some of us are discovering that we’re not such great Indian fighters … but maybe we’ll have a chance to excel in politics! Others are finding that they can do things they never thought possible — sing in the choir, ring a couple of handbells, make a homeless person feel loved and cared for, teach a church school class, join an interfaith network, visit an elderly member, or tutor a low-income neighbor. There is so much good that we can do, as we exercise our abilities as wonderfully talented members of the Body of Christ.

I believe that State of our Union is strong, because of all the talents and abilities I see throughout this congregation. The body does not consist of one member, but of many, and it is as a complete community that we will be able to serve God well in the year to come. Amen.


Sources:

Robert M. Bowman, “There Are Different Gifts, But One Spirit,” January 17-18, 1998, United Catholic Church Website, www.rmbowman.com/catholic/s980117h.htm

Ralph Rowley, “The Unimportant Member,” September 29, 2002, Messiah United Methodist Church Website, www.messiahumc.org/sermons/sermon-9-29-02.htm