Given By Rev. Robert W. Lee IV on October 22, 2017
The sermon today takes its inspiration from the old hymn Rock of Ages. The Reverend Robert W. Lee IV offered us a bit of background. His mother is a nurse. Back in the early 1980’s, she was on the front lines of the AIDS crisis. She did not allow hysteria get in the way of patient care. Just like his mother, we care for our community. As we celebrate our church’s 60th anniversary, Rev. Lee advises us to take a moment to look around and feel the impact of this moment. Church has a transient nature. Years from now, our church will look/feel different. Today, just like in our reading, we have found the presence of God. It is in our 60 year legacy of work in social justice and inclusion ministry. We celebrate this service built on a foundation devoted to these ideals. Rev. Lee reminds us that there is a question we must look to answer: What is next? Where will we take our mission? He advises that we be ourselves. We continue to seek God’s presence and trust that He will show up. In our reading today, Moses asks God to show up and He does. If God showed up, would He be proud of what we have done? Probably, but He would also challenge us to keep going. We are still writing the story of God’s work in this world. Turn the page. We respond when we see a need, just like Rev. Lee’s mother. This is what faith looks like.