Take
a moment to look around this sanctuary.Assembled
here is a hodge-podge of people; everyone is different and we are all friends.But
our relationships transcend friendship; we are a family.We
do not have the good fortune to pick either our biological or church family;
rather, we are stuck with them, we grow up with them, we love them for
their strengths and for their flaws.With
a family you know you receive unconditional love, you receive the fervent
support you need and the advice you sometimes don’t want but need to hear.
In
the gospel today, Matthew writes, “When I was hungry you gave me food,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was sick and you took care of me.”This
ministry provides this vital support; we are able to care for one another
when it matters.God intends for
us, as a community in Christ, to care for one another and to build each
other up.Each one of you has provided
this type of support to someone sitting here: through a hug given during
the sharing of the peace, through a sly smile as you try not to giggle
at communion, through the dinner time conversation we share.This
is a pretty awesome and special bond to share.So
often we come to church on Sunday and do not stop to realize the impact
we have on another person just by being here.
But
let's move to the big picture, the entire impact each of us will have on
the church.This ministry, in the
five and half years that I have been here, has sent Kirk, a 2001 graduate
and creator of many of my embarrassing LCM moments, to seminary; Lisa Walda,
a 2002 graduate to become a youth director, and Heather, my Nino, into
volunteer service in Denver and India, where she has worshiped with people
of all walks of life and facilitated many moments of grace through God.These
are substantial roles in the church, yet they are not always the most vital
roles. We have also created the fervent lay people of congregations; we
are made up of the Scott and Heidi's, the people that are willing to do
the essential behind-the-scenes work.
For
those of you that don't know Scott and Heidi, they were both graduate students
that attended LCM for quite some time.They
worked in the office, baked the communion bread, provided music for us,
put together bible studies and soups; they were the back bone of this ministry
in many ways.Not all of us are meant
to become the spiritual leaders of God's church, we are not all meant to
be pastors, youth directors and volunteers in far countries that do not
use toilet paper.We are the people
that will lead the church through volunteer positions, serve on church
councils, do the unsung tasks that keep a congregation running, that will
be there for fellow church members when they are sick and need care; when
they are hungry, we will give them food.Matthew
is speaking directly to each of us — this is what we are meant to do.This
is the role that we must fulfill.And
here, in this ministry, we are already fulfilling God's desire for us.I
remember attending the LSM Gathering in Washington D.C. two years ago and
listening to Bishop Hansen, the bishop of the entire ELCA.One
of the points he made that has stuck with me was that we, the college-aged
students that faithfully go to church, are the future of the entire church.It
is our challenge to take the lessons we have learned in college and apply
them to an adult church world.
While
I have been in this ministry, I have gone from being an intimidated freshman
that came to church with a new friend because neither of us would go alone
to being the outspoken super-senior member.I
have watched us grow from two rows of chairs in the social room, with no
pastor, to three to four and sometimes five pews of students in the Kanley
sanctuary with Pastor Bob.There
have been just amazing, wonderful changes in this ministry, and I am so
proud to have been a part of them. Each of us has been a part of these
changes, and each one of you will continue to be a part of the progress
and future of LCM.There must be
something good happening at Lutheran Campus Ministries for these changes
to happen.
In
the last five years, I have been through my ups and my downs.I
have gone through more academic majors, roommates, dorm rooms, apartments,
hair colors, boyfriends and cars than I care to remember.But
what has remained constant is the fervent support of my fellow LCMers.LCM
has been here when I needed it, and it remains here for anyone who needs
it. As I start out into the big, bright future, I take not only my first
steps into my chosen profession, but I take my first steps into the world
of "real" church, where people don’t always wear jeans and where you don't
hug for the sharing of the peace.But
I am ready; it is my turn to use my lessons from college in my career and
in my faith. It is my turn to pay it forward.The
future of this ministry is in this room, in all of you that are here now.
In
the years the lay ahead of all of us, I hope that everyone will be able
to have fond memories of their time in LCM.I
wish for each of you what I found here: times when you laugh so hard you
cry, embarrassing moment in the company of your church family, adventures
in travel and fervent adventures in faith and the lifelong friendships.