GATHER AT THE WELCOME TABLE

Luke 7: 36-50; 1 Corinthians 11: 17-26

July 22, 2001

Reflection on General Assembly

Kathy and I rode the escalator up to the main hall of the Kansas City Convention Center hearing the voice of Dr. Mary Donovan Turner’s as she was preaching before we got to the main floor. We were late for the opening worship because of slow transportation from the airport As we arrived at the top we were in awe; in this large hall, bigger than our entire church property and taller than the sanctuary, we joined over 10,000 other people in the midst of worship. It was so full we stood against the railing on the side. Six large screens portrayed the picture of the speaker so everyone could see. An offering was taken for retired ministers that totaled over $34,000. A group of deacons served Communion to us all in under 10 minutes. For the communion music and our closing song a top jazz group from Kansas City led everyone in some rousing songs of faith. Welcome to the General Assembly and General Synod of the Christian Church and United Church of Christ.

For four solid days we heard speakers, listened to stimulating music, discussed business of the church and were challenged as to the 20/20 vision of the Christian Church. We shared with our sisters and brothers in the UCC; we renewed friendships and met new friends. We were introduced to the various programs and services available to us. We welcomed delegates from Germany, Korea, Japan, Philippines, India, S. Africa, Zimbabwe, and other countries. We commissioned 20 missionaries to serve on our behalf in overseas places. All this (and much more) took place under the theme, "Gather At the Welcome Table." Once you have been to a General Assembly, you look at church quite differently. Ten thousand brothers and sisters in Christ (over 1,000 of them junior high and high school youth) from every state and province of the U.S. and Canada plus numerous nations around the world, singing, listening, sharing together in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One day Jesus was invited to have dinner at the home of a religious leader; he took his place at the table. A woman of the city, invited herself in to the house and began to anoint the feet of Jesus with an expensive ointment and bathe them with her tears and kisses. The Pharisee was aghast that Jesus would let such a thing happen – if he really were a prophet he would know what kind of woman she was, and would stop her. For purity reasons, but probably more for social reasons, there were some people that were unclean, unworthy of association, immoral people who didn’t follow Moses’ teachings, and this woman was one of them. They were labeled "sinners" because of their lifestyle (not sinner as we generally define it today). But Jesus turns around and forgives the woman and chides the Pharisee for his lack of appreciation and hospitality. In that very act Jesus welcomed to the table those the religious leaders considered unworthy. Jesus tore down the barriers that had been erected that separated people at the table of grace. For in Jesus’ day, to eat at table with someone was to include them in your fellowship as an equal, a friend.

A number of the business items we discussed at the assembly had to do with including all God’s children at the welcome table. A major focus of the entire denomination is for us to become an "anti-racist/pro-reconciliation church. As a church wide study we recognize that there is still much racism imbedded in our culture and attitudes. And we have our share in this valley. We talked about the rights of farmworkers, we expressed an apology to the African Americans for their treatment as slaves by the Caucasians. We called upon the Japanese government to admit and apologize for the misuse of Korean women during WWII as "comfort women" (read sex slaves) for Japanese soldiers. A major item that both denominations approved was our inclusion into the Churches Uniting In Christ – a total of 9 different denominations joining together to intentionally celebrate our oneness in Jesus Christ while still maintaining our denominational identity. In all these ways we tried to remove barriers that have made other people less than equal and recognize that in Jesus Christ all are welcome at the table.

The Apostle Paul had to work with his struggling congregations to include all brothers and sisters in Christ at the table. One of those occasions was in Corinth. Paul writes chiding them that when they came together for worship on Sunday evening after work, some would sit in one corner with a big picnic basket full of meat, bread and wine while other members who were poor, gathered over in the opposite corner with little or nothing to eat – and there was no sharing together. Paul was aghast that as they gathered for worship there was no sense of community or compassion for others in the church. It is better, Paul said, for you to eat at home rather than treat your sisters and brothers in Christ in this way. The oneness we have in Christ Jesus calls us to be sensitive toward the other members of our family. Jesus Christ changes the way we live and think, and in turn this changes our attitudes and actions towards others.

The sense of "welcome" table gets challenged when our comfort zone is pushed to the edges to consider including people with whom we have disagreements and different values. The two-ton elephant sitting in the living room of nearly every denomination today that people are wanting to avoid talking about is homosexuality. This one issue is the hot point of struggle for the Presbyterian Church USA, the Episcopal Church, the American Baptist Church, the United Methodist Church, the Lutheran Church and many more.

The event that united the entire assembly was not something that took place inside the walls of the convention center but took place across the street on the corner opposite the main entrance. A minister and about 10 members of his congregation from Topeka, Kansas (not a Christian Church) stood on the street corner for three consecutive evenings prior to the evening worship holding up large posters proclaiming "God Hates Fags." And that was the nice stuff they shouted. This group travels all over the U.S. shouting their hatred.

Inside the hall we heard about the discernment process that the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has entered regarding homosexuality. We are not of one mind; in fact, we have all kinds of differences. The discernment committee reported Tuesday morning; in their report a woman spoke about her belief that homosexuality is a sin; we then heard from a man who is a minister and openly gay. The entire assembly listened with respect to all positions. They are members of a group of 12 who have been meeting for two years listening to each other and coming to know each other. And they shared their journey openly. We were introduced to a process that congregations will be encouraged to do that will not force a vote but a be a process by which members will listen to each other, and through the listening come to understanding. Over time we believe the Spirit of God will be at work.

At no point are there plans to vote who is right and who is wrong because that kind of voting only divides people. There are genuine Christians on all points of this issue. There are congregations and ministers who are strongly opposed and there are congregations who are open and affirming and ministers of deep Christian conviction who are avowed gay and lesbians openly serving congregations.

As the shouting was going on outside the hall those gathered inside were wrestling and praying about what it means for all God’s children to be able to gather at the welcome table – the table where Jesus included even the sinful woman. In the midst of worship we confessed our prejudices and fears; we were confronted with our actions that divide and exclude. And we renewed our efforts to be a people who are one at the table of the Lord but not of one mind on some issues, We were challenged to affirm our oneness in Christ while sitting at the welcome table with those who disagree with us – and be brothers and sisters about it.

The last act of the entire assembly was worship Tuesday evening and we were all invited to the welcome table. We broke bread and shared the cup with our sisters and brothers in Christ. We hugged our friends and said goodbye, until we meet again at the welcoming table where All God’s children have a place.