Divided Tongues; Different Voices; Acts 2:1-4

 

Rev. George Miller

June 8, 2025

Acts 2:1-4

 

Do you recall when we were in the original Garden, with God walking with us in the cool breeze of the afternoon?

 

Do you recall the evening we were with Abraham?  A lonely night under the stars when God offered this promise-

 

You will have a family, you will have land, and your family will bless all the families of the world.

 

Today, that promise is fulfilled.  After the experience of Christ, the Holy Spirit comes down upon the people.

 

Not only does this life-giving, transformational breath of God pour down, it pours upon all,

 

igniting an indescribable, magical experience in which numerous languages are spoken, and all voices heard.

 

The voices of scholars and vendors, disciples and the mission-doers, the new-to-town and the 8^th generation.

 

With fire, they speak and share and conversate, inspiring Peter to stand and give a sermon so enthusiastic, so alive.

 

Just as we celebrated our Graduates this morning, this moment is important.

 

It’s the birth of the church.

 

God’s promise to Abraham has come true this morning- all the families of the world are blessed through Abraham’s.

Now everyone- Greek, Celtic Gaul, Roman, Jew, Gentile, immigrants, women, warriors have access to that Heavenly Lego Set called “The Kingdom Of God.”

 

Heaven on Earth is here- and everyone has access to it.

 

Good, great news!  Right?

 

Right???

Maybe not. 

 

Because now, now the language one speaks, the language one ministers in, is no longer just one, but many.

 

Now the traditions, the way things have been done, what was acceptable, has changed-,

 

who now gets to be in leadership, who gets to make decisions, who gets to have a 3-year term has now changed.

 

Though history, tradition, and culture are to still be honored, it is no longer the history, tradition, or culture of the Jews, but all people.

 

The Gauls who worship by water.  The Greeks who eat cheese and exercise.  Romans who have a romance with war.

 

The descendants of Sarah and Abraham who see Sabbath, circumcision, and staying away from pork as sacred.

 

Sure- the Holy Spirit fell upon the people as divided tongues, as of fire, but now that every voice is heard, every voice gets to speak, everyone is included…Those divided tongues can cause….division.

 

We’ve been studying the letter to the Galatians, and heard firsthand how differences were causing division.

 

We experienced Paul trying his best to address those issues, bringing it all back to grace-  Through Jesus Christ we have been gifted grace.

 

How we respond to that grace and how we treat one another makes all the difference.

 

Sister and Brothers of St. Lucas, founded 145 years ago when we were very much a rural community-

 

isn’t it interesting and encouraging to know that the issues we have faced over time are similar to what the first church experienced?

 

Since we are a congregation with many people, voices, and many ideas, we are not a stagnant, mass-produced body.

 

We are a living, breathing body of Christ made up of many different members who speak/hear differently, bring their own unique passions, skills, and thoughts.

 

We could be another kind of church.  A church that teaches one way and one way only.

 

Or a place where folk are denied the holiest of meals.

 

Or Bible Studies about what you must believe instead of what God is still speaking.

 

Pentecost morning was about God’s blessed spirit falling upon everyone, regardless if they were devout or full of debauchery, if they were from Eastern Europe or West Asia.

 

Pentecost is God’s nighttime promise made to one man being known to all women and men in the light of day.

 

What this means is that any church, any body of Christ, any committee, or team of 2 and more will have different voices, different ideas, different ways of doing things.

 

And it all comes down to how we deal with it.

 

Do we create space for honest voices to say honest things?

 

Do we welcome previously unheard voices to speak up and be heard?

 

Do we honor those who disagree? 

 

Do we realize that decisions made to honor the majority may make some unhappy?

 

Do we accept that any time there is a new voice, a new idea, a new cultural insight-

 

there will be time, trial, and error involved?  And can we honor the process?

 

As recipients of grace, can we bestow grace and second chances to those who make very human mistakes?

 

Can we bestow grace upon ourselves, as it is often through honest mistakes and big swings that we learn our lessons?

 

Today is Pentecost.  It is great and it is wonderful; it is also messy, and loud, and different, and often difficult.

 

That is when we recall our traditions and remember who we are- the ancestors of Eve and Adam, who walked with God is the garden breeze.

 

We are children of Sarah and Abraham who were given the promise of family, land, and worldwide blessing.

 

We are the co-disciples of Mary Magdelene and Peter who served alongside Jesus.

 

We are recipients of Paul’s emotional letters, reminding us repeatedly of the grace given through Jesus.

 

Let’s embrace our different voices, embrace our sacred past, and embrace the global grace that God has given.

 

For that, let us say “Amen.”

LEGOS and Grace; Galatians 3:1-9

 

Rev. George Miller

June 1, 2025

Galatians 3:1-9

 

Today, we continue our study of Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia.  This is the letter that features the poetic lines-

 

“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

 

Why did Paul write this?  What was happening in Galatia and who were the people he was writing too?

 

But first, let us utilize our imagination- Imagine that during our Lego Workday extravaganza, someone comes in offering you a beautiful masterpiece of a fully constructed Lego Set titled “Heaven On Earth.”

 

This set has everything- flower beds of tulips, rolling hills of trees, bird feeders with robins.

 

There’s a miniature version of Federhofer’s with its iconic sign, a teeny tiny Kendrick’s Meat Market, and Bagel Boys.

 

A green field of folk holding flags and a Victory Garden filled with produce.

 

Imagine being given this free, fully constructed, ready to enjoy Lego set...and someone comes up and says-

 

“Nope, nunca, nein.  You can’t have this.  If you want this Lego set you must assemble it yourself, following directions exactly as written.”

 

“You must also cut off a part of your skin and from now on, no more pork steak at Helen Fitzgerald’s or shrimp scampi at Sunset Country Club.”

 

That’s why Paul is writing this letter.  The Galatian church is being held captive by a fraction of people who are saying “If you want to follow Christ you must work for it.”

 

Paul’s response is “Work for it?  You don’t even follow the basic instructions!  Why are you denying people the gift of God’s grace?”

 

Galatia was an agricultural community on a trade route that ran east to west, with many markets, places of worship, and mix of cultures.

 

It is a Greek speaking city with a Roman presence.  Some citizens are Jewish families displaced during the Diaspora.  Others are Greek settlers known for trade and art.

 

Many are Celtic mercenaries of German, Belgium, British Isles, and French descent with a deep mysticism and fierce loyalty to family and tribe.

 

Imagine what this town and people looked like.

 

Romans soldiers with wavy or straight black/brown hair, olive or light brown skin, deep set almond eyes, jawlines that cut glass, standing about 5 foot 6 with clean shaven faces.

 

Jewish citizens with similar skin tone, thicker hair.  Five foot 5, with beards of all styles and full eyebrows.

 

Greeks with wavey, curly hair, light olive/tan skin, hazel or brown eyes, with lean builds and short, manicured beards.

 

Gauls with fair skin; eyes that are blue, gray, green, hazel, and brown; hair that’s blonde and auburn; rugged beards,  broad shoulders , muscular frames;  5 foot 8.

 

Imagine the food.  Romans, reclining on couches, eating porridge with roasted pork, olives, and fermented fish.

 

Greeks, sitting around  low tables, sipping watered down wine, eating flatbread with grilled fish, fresh figs, and cheese.

 

Their Jewish neighbors, sitting cross-legged on mats, having matzah served with a lamb-stew filled with lentils.

 

The Gauls on wooden stools and benches, with an iron cauldron of boiled pork and cabbage, enjoying horns of ale and honey mead.

 

Imagine what a potluck in this Galatian church looked like!

 

Imagine all the gods and places of worship.

 

The Romans worshipped Mars, Minerva, and the Emperor.  The Greeks had temples and gymnasiums to worship Zeus and Aphrodite.

 

The Gauls met in groves, by rivers, with animal sacrifices to Epona and Belisma.

 

The Jewish people are in synagogues, worshipping Yahweh- the God of Israel, who delivered their ancestors from oppression and injustice, in which meals were sacred.

 

In other words, no matter what Lego you liked best, there was a set for you in Galatia. 

 

These people of diverse backgrounds are coming together in house churches to have a meal, sing songs, praise God, share their experiences of Christ, break bread and have Communion.

 

But here is the conundrum- how do all these people come together and be a unified body that follows Jesus Christ, sharing the message of grace, and transforming lives?

 

What part of their selves and family tradition do they give up?  What do they hold onto? 

 

What are the rules?  What are the steps?  What are the foods they can or can’t enjoy?

 

Do they all need to stop working on Saturday?  Be lobster free?  Have their sons circumcised?

 

Can the Romans continue to recline on the couch enjoying fermented fish?  Can the Greeks sit at their low tables having meat and cheese? 

 

Can the Gauls still gather around the cauldron to enjoy pork with a large side of ale?

 

How can the Jews enjoy trivia night if they can’t eat White Castle cheeseburgers and pork filled toasted ravioli?

 

To which Paul says “Guess what- you can have your “jamon” and your Jesus too.  You can have your gizzards and still receive grace.”

 

In this Galatian church filled with folks who are 5’4” to 5”9”, with eyes blue to brown, hair red to wavy black, and bodies that run from slender to brickhouse, Paul says-

 

“Everyone is worthy of receiving the Spirit.  All of you are justified through faith in Jesus Christ.”

 

“You don’t have to turn your back on your heritage or work tirelessly doing many tasks.”

 

“You only need a heart that’s ready to receive this Lego Set that Jesus is gifting you.”

 

Paul is saying  “If you choose to be Kosher or circumcised, do it because it’s your choice.  Don’t take Lego sets from others, telling them to assemble it with instructions you don’t even follow.”

 

Knowing the history of the Galatian church, we appreciate it more when Paul writes-

 

“There is no longer Jew or Greek, no longer slave or free, no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ.”

 

This was the reality in which the Galatian town lived, and people experienced daily.

 

What all of this means is this-

 

No matter who we are, where we are from, or how we lived, Jesus is standing beside each of us, offering a fully formed, already assembled Lego set.

 

Christ is right beside us, knowing our ancestry, knowing the traditions we come from, the foods we like, the rules we set for ourselves.

 

And Christ is saying “Here, this is for you.  Accept this fully assembled “Heaven On Earth” LEGO set and enjoy it.”

 

Are you ready to receive it?  And are you generous enough to let others accept it too?

 

With these questions, we say “Amen.”

Remembering Those Who Are a Rootbed to Our Church and Our Faith; Galatians 1:13-17

 

Rev. George Miller

May 25, 2025

Galatians 1:13-17

 

Sometimes, when discussing Scripture, it is good to take a pause, a theological break, and discuss the people and places.

 

What we’re reading are ancient texts written long before any of us were alive, with people we will never truly know and places that have changed over the span of time.

 

But, at one point, these were living, breathing people who were existing in their own time and space, trying to just figure it out, as we continue to do 2,000 years later.

 

It’s easy to dismiss the names of people and the mention of places because they are not here, they are not now…but in some ways they are.

 

Maybe instead of seeing today’s reading as words from the past, we see it as a foundation of the present, as the “rootbed” of the sacred garden we’re part of. 

 

For months we’ve embraced our Stewardship Slogan “Love Grows Here;” visualizing ourselves as a garden being tended to, with seeds planted, soil tilled, and nutrients.

 

What if we see this garden that we’re a part of, growing together, as something that is much bigger, much deeper, and much more historical?

 

If we, in 2025 are the current top layer of the St. Lucas garden, then this letter written around the year 50 plays a role as being foundational soil, an ancestral compost of memory.

 

Thinking of it as such, we begin to wonder- who is this Paul, who are these Galatians, and why should we care?

 

We care, because not only are the Galatians part of our sacred rootbed, but they may share the same biological family roots as you and I.

 

The Galatians are a community of migrants that came into existence 300 years before Jesus, in an area we call Turkey.

 

It’s not a small town, yet not a city. They’re agricultural, but on a trade route with lots of markets, an area run by the Romans with citizens who speak Greek.  Some of them are Jews, many are the Gauls.

 

The Gauls are Druids; Celtic people of West European descent.  They had French, Belgium, German, British, Scottish, Irish roots.

 

These Gaul Druids were warriors, clannish, mystical.

 

The Greeks called them barbarians; Romans said they were no threat to their power. 

 

The Gauls were seen as uncivilized, foreigner, “other.” Yet they had intricate systems  of religious leaders, scholars, and intense loyalty to their tribe.

 

It is to these citizens of Galatia, made up of Greeks and Romans, farmers and merchants, Jews and Druids that Paul preaches the Gospel of Jesus and tills the earth of the church.

 

Think about that- if you have German, Irish, French or British Isles blood in you, you could have a far off relative who was part of this sacred, ancient soil.

 

It is to this mixed group of people that Paul says “Guess what?  Labels do not matter.  In Christ we are One; flowers in God’s garden.”

 

Part of how Paul tends to this Galatian garden is to tell them his own story.

 

The story of how he was once one way, and now he is another; of how he has deep roots to his past, but he is blooming in unexpected ways.

 

His is a story about his experience of grace, and “Oh!- the places he has been.”

 

Paul shares his story to nourish their story so they can continue to grow into this new soil called the church.

 

We share this because today we honor Memorial Day; in doing so we get to honor our own church’s land of memory.

 

St. Lucas is a church with many members who fought for our county; over 400 veterans.  At least a dozen served in the Civil War.

 

Our members served in every conflict since our founding- The Spanish-American War, both World Wars, Korean and Vietnam, 1^st and 2^nd Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom.

 

Not just members who were affected, but their loved ones who had to worry about them- spouses, parents, children, even their dogs.

 

Thanks to the faithful work of the Heritage Committee, we know their names, we know their families.

 

We know that we have lost 6 of our tribe, our clan.

 

Just as Paul and the Galatians were real and lived full stories, so did the men who died.

 

Let us take time to say their name and remember who they are-

 

Andrew Huegel, age 27, who died October 23, 1918, of pneumonia in France, reminding us that our men served in wet trenches that affected their health.

 

Harold Klein, age 26, who died in action on January 18, 1955, in Germany.

 

Larry Reynolds, age unknown, who died in a Jeep accident in Germany on June 3, 1945.

 

Charles Jacob Rott, age 36 who died May 10, 1943, while serving in the Navy.

 

Arthur William Spindler, age 19, who died in an airplane accident on April 1, 1944, reminding us that we sent young, young men oversees.

 

Marshall Weidlich, age 24, who stepped on a land mine in Normandy one day after D-Day, and died July 19, 1944.  Bob is a family member.

 

Though these 6 individuals are gone, they are part of our legacy, our soil in which love grows, even when death steps in.

 

Sometimes, when discussing Scripture, it is good to take a pause, a theological break, and discuss people and places.

 

What we read are ancient words, written long before any of us were alive, with people and places we will never know.

 

But at one point, these were living, unique, folk who were just trying to figure it out.

 

It’s easy to forget or dismiss the names because they are not here, now…but they are.

 

Instead of seeing names and stories of people as words from the past, we see them as a foundation of the present; the “rootbed” of the sacred garden we are part of. 

 

St. Lucas is a garden that we’re growing together, and we’re a part of, something that is much bigger, deeper, historical than you and me.

 

Paul plays a part.

 

Those German, British, Irish, Celtic Druids who Paul shaped and cared about play a part.

 

Those who established our church played a part, as do the names of the men we honor today-

 

This Andrew, this Harold,

This Larry, this Charles,

This Arthur and this Marshall.

 

They are part of the foundational soil that makes us who we are.

 

One day we will be part of that soil as well.

 

Legacy never dies, nor does the love of Jesus Christ, whose grace is given to us all.

 

Amen.

Honoring Haiti; Honoring the Stories of Others; Acts 15:1-18

 

Rev. George Miller

May 18, 2025

Acts 15: 1-18

 

For me, today is special.  It’s Haitian Flag Day, an event that’s historic and colorful.

 

Today is special because of Carnide, the pianist at the last church I served, who is a proud child of Haiti.

 

Because of the relationship Carnide has with Emmanuel UCC, we knew how important  Haitian Flag Day is to her identity. 

 

Each year we’d dress in red and blue, hear songs in French, and tell the story. 

 

It’s a story filled with many heroes.  One is Suzanne Belair.

 

At age 15, she made the choice to fight beside her husband for Haiti’s Independence.  Eventually she became Lieutenant.

 

One day, they were caught; he was shot in front of enslaved individuals made to watch so they would not get any ideas.

 

Because she was a woman, Suzanne was seen unworthy of execution by gunfire, so they decapitated her.

 

She refused to wear a blindfold.

 

Infront of that crowd of enslaved sisters and brothers, her last words were-

“Liberty!  No to slavery!”

 

At 21 Suzanne Belair died.  At 21, she was willing to die than to see her people oppressed.

 

Though her death was meant to scare others, this brave woman who fought for 6 years said “Long live freedom!  No to slavery!”

 

She became known as the Tigress of Haiti, and joins the ranks of others who were brave like Shiphrah and Puah, Mary, Martha, and Joanna.

 

She joins other brave folk who show us how to live with integrity, maintain dignity, stand for what’s right even when surrounded by wrong.

 

On May 18, 1803, a woman named Catherine Flon pieced together a red and blue flag.

 

The people marched with that flag, saying “In Unity We Find Strength.”

 

Haiti became the first nation in which enslaved women, children, and men, fought for, and won their freedom.

 

That is one reason today is so special.  Another is because this day prompted Emmanuel UCC to honor other days that mattered to members.

 

Cuban Independence for Ari, our Director of Music.  Filipino Day in honor of Fe who often fed us with the tastiest food.

 

Eventually we celebrated Pride, inviting all the city.

 

Being in relationship with others, acknowledging and respecting folks’ stories and heritage, is so easy to do.

 

An act of social justice that involves intimate, relational acts of worship and praise,

 

always focused on God, on Christ, and always aware of the Holy Spirit.

 

See, if a church and people are comfortable in their own ancestry and identity, it becomes natural to honor.

 

Mothers and Fathers, Peace Makers and Presidents, Graduates and Veterans, Germans and Haitians, the 4^th of July and the LGBT.

 

Celebrating one does not mean excluding others or saying one group is superior.

We see this in today’s story.

 

Peter, James, Nicolaus are in Jerusalem, focused on the ministry that Christ embodied.

 

They’re caring for widows, serving Communion, telling the story of Jesus, making sure that God’s will is being done here on Earth.

 

Paul and Barnabas are North, 120 miles away, sharing the Gospel, growing the church, reaching out to those who are hungry to learn about God.

 

Things are popping!  Love is growing, from Emmaus to Tyre, Samaria to Sidon.  They are feeding the birds. 

 

But (because there is always a but), a small fraction of the faith community aren’t happy. 

 

Things are not being done the way they want it to.  The ways of the ancestors are not being honored.

 

And you know what?  THAT is ok.  They have every right to be concerned. 

 

They have every right to say- “Tradition is vital.”  After all, it is tradition that kept them alive during the Exile. 

 

It is tradition that kept them united when the Temple was gone. 

 

It is tradition that their families followed for over 20 generations.

 

So what happens?  The church calls Paul and Barnabas back to Jerusalem, a 7-day journey.

 

The people discuss; communicate.  They share all sides of the issue.

 

Paul and Barnabas share what they’ve seen and done, and the lives transformed.

 

James, the brother of Jesus, points to Simeon, who is likely a Black Man from Africa.  He says-

 

“Simeon told us how God has smiled about the Gentiles, fulfilling the prophet’s words of return, rebuilding, and all people.”

 

After everyone has spoken, is heard, the church leaders come together to create a new way to welcome folk into the family of God.

 

Together, they create a way that has both open arms and well-defined boundaries.

 

This allows space so that everyone can experience the fullness of life.

 

Today’s story is not about a war of words, or relationships torn asunder- it is about building bridges, growing, and transforming lives.

 

Friends- it is good to be here today (and on-line).  To tell stories about my former home in Florida.

 

To tell a story that took place in Haiti 223 years ago.

 

To tell a story that took place 2000 years ago, across the ocean, in a land where palm branches and olives grow.

 

Our stories shapes our lives.  The stories of others enhance our lives. 

 

The stories of God transforms our lives.

 

Let us share.  Let us hear.

Let us welcome others.   

 

Let us be comfortable enough in our own stories that we can welcome the stories of others. 

 

May we all continue to be transformed together. 

 

Amen.