A Time to Close, A Time to Go On

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Galatians 6:1-10; Luke 6:27-38

When this church started back in 1854 its founders were enthusiastic, committed, eager, and more than willing to put their life on the line for the gospel of Jesus Christ. They struggled, they worked hard together, and they submitted to one another and to the Lord, in order to build a church and have a building in which to worship.

We look back to those wonderful pioneers of the faith with gratitude and appreciation. For it was their spirit, working in concert with God's Spirit, that resulted in the growth of a wonderful church, here in Owosso, a church which reached its zenith in the early 1950's.

Yet, as Ecclesiastes has pointed out, everything has a season. There is a time and a place for everything. While the founders of this church were alive with enthusiasm at the beginning, and while this church reached its climax of growth in the early '50's, we have come to learn that there is an end, as well. For with every living body, while there is a beginning, there is also an end. And this is just as true for the living body known as the Owosso Central United Methodist Church.

Certainly, we can be proud of the past for several reasons.

First of all, think of all the saints that went before us. If you read the article in the Argus-Press the other day, you saw a history of a church which was led by persons who's styles of leadership were selfless and humble. Or, better yet, if you went downstairs last night and saw all of those pictures and books from the history of the church, you saw a record of persons who gave their humbly dedicated their lives to God. This is what builds a church. This is what makes a church great.

And we can be proud of the work that this church did in missions over the last 140 years; of all of the persons who left this community to spread the gospel in distant places because of the inspiration they got while attending this church.

We can be proud of the revivals which were held by this church over the years, of all of the persons who came to Jesus because the leadership of this church was not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We can be proud of the way this church has served the community over the years, sponsoring Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and other civic activities. And we can be extremely proud of the young persons who came out of the ranks of the membership of this church who gladly served in the armed forces in times of war and peace.

But, we are here today, not only to celebrate our history, but to experience the fellowship of the present, in spite of the hurt feelings, strained emotions, and tensions that have brought us to this day. We can celebrate our history, but we need to deal with the burden that many of us carry, now -- a burden of careless words which been said, insensitive things which have been done, and thoughtless abuses of power. In regard to this heavy burden, it is time for us to forgive and forget. It is time for us to let go, to lay that burden down.

There is the story about an event in to the life of Leonardo do Vinci, one of the greatest intellects of all history. Just before he began painting his famous picture, "The Last Supper," he had a violent quarrel with his fellow painter. Leonardo was so enraged and bitter that he was decided to paint the face of his enemy, the other artist, into the face of Judas, and thus take his revenge and vent his anger by handing the man down in infamy and scorn to succeeding generations. The face of Judas was therefore one of the first that he finished, and everyone could easily recognize it as the face of the painter with whom he had quarreled.

But when he came to paint the face of Christ, he could make no progress. Something seemed to be baffling him, holding him back, frustrating his best efforts. At last he came to the conclusion that the thing which was checking and frustrating him was the fact that he had painted his enemy into the face of Judas. He therefore painted out the face of Judas and began anew on the face of Jesus, and this time with the success which the ages have acclaimed.

You cannot at one and the same time be painting the features on Christ into your own life, and painting another face with the colors of enmity and hatred.

So, indeed, it is a time for beginning anew and afresh. But, we should do it, remembering the wonderful things this church and its past have given us. Many of us sitting here today have our roots in the Evangelical Church. We have been nurtured by the strengths and sensibilities of the traditions of United Methodism. And we shouldn't forget these roots. We would do well over the next few weeks to visit neighboring United Methodist Churches to learn what each of them may have to offer.

We also need to remember that starting anew and afresh in another church not only means just attending. It also means getting involved as a member. Offer your services. Go to Sunday School. Sing in the choir. Attend Bible studies. Get involved in the U.M.W. Join the United Methodist Men. Volunteer to lead a project. Get on a committee. Stick your neck out. Take some healthy risks. Have positive thoughts. Join a group. Let go of the negative things of the past. Remember the good. Make some friends.

Most of us sitting here today would like to give some meaning to the life that Central United Methodist Church has lived. Certainly, by our own witness, by our own love, by our dedication to Christ, by our love of missions, by our humble submission to the teachings of Jesus, by our faithfulness, we can leave a legacy that will give honor to the memory of this church.

This church had a beginning. Now, the cycle is complete. The end of its life has come. Nevertheless, like those who founded this body, we can start the cycle anew, once again, by going forth in faith. Amen.