Moment for Witness – William Claflin

January 30, 2011

 

What is it that brings a person back to Central after his or her first visit?

Is it the extraordinary music led by Patrick and made complete by our wonderful choir?

Is it the Sunday School and youth programs superbly conducted by Cathy and Kat?

Is it the preaching, led by Rebecca, assisted by Claudia and Kat, always challenging, always reassuring, always perceptive?

Is it the myriad educational programs, which enlarge our knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith?

Is it the mission program, which reaches out to Amos House, New Orleans, Haiti, and many, many other places?

Is it the building, this wonderful space, so plain throughout but with such a richly decorated chancel dome, together comprising the frame or context for everything we do here?

We talked about these things in a recent budget planning meeting, and I made the point that it was all these things together that make it worthwhile and enriching for people to come here each Sunday.

What I left out, however, is that we are an extraordinarily caring and compassionate people, reaching out to one another and to the world.

What I have discovered in the past year is the bottomless well-spring of goodness and love that has supported me here in a time of grieving and loneliness, when I have been questioning, “Why am I still among the living?” How can I live a complete life when an enormous hole has occurred in it?

There are no magic answers, but knowing the concern about me of so many in the congregation has made an enormous difference. You have been with me.

Caring works in many directions. The many care about each of us as an individual person, and we as individuals care about the whole body.

Budget making is a part of that, and we are invited to attend and participate in what I think is the most interesting meeting of the congregation each year: to consider and adopt the Tentative Budget that shapes our program and our mission for the year ahead.

About three-quarters of a century ago a small boy and his parents came into this room for a Sunday worship service. The small boy stared in wonder at the chancel dome, even though he could not distinguish or name the images shown there.

His mother leaned over and kindly pointed out the two deer drinking from the eternal springs, and the boy was able to see these. He knew about reindeer from Christmas and from the Roger Williams Park Zoo.

Now, years later, I continue to look warmly at the chancel dome, and I know in my heart how fundamentally I am supported and sustained in this place by God and by this church family.

 

Posted in Moments for Witness.