SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2026 – THE FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
THE REV RICHARD BURDEN
Title: What are we for?
Last week, I asked, “who are you?” This week, I might ask, “who are we?” This community of All Saints…What’s our purpose? What are we for?
What is this building for? It has multiple uses…housing two worshipping communities…multiple recovery groups…emergency shelter…a nursery school…a concert venue…That’s how it’s used…but what is it for?
Thanks to the great generosity of the Corey sisters (and others) we have a small, but not insignificant endowment and we also raise money through our annual pledge campaign, and facility use…What is that money for?…To pay our bills. To secure our future. Ok…but to what end?
We have a small, excellent staff, and many, many faithful, committed volunteers working together to make sure…the liturgy is done…the music is rehearsed…the children are taken care of…the building is maintained…the finances accounted for…all good and right and joyful things…but again…to what end? What are all of us for? What’s our real purpose in being together?
What is this community…with all our assets…and all of our challenges…what are we here — at the corner of Beacon and Dean — for?
The Book of Common Prayer (one of our core guiding documents) tells us that the mission of The Church is, “is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ,” (piece of cake), and we do this, it says, by “pray[ing] and worship[ing], proclaim[ing] the Gospel, and promot[ing] justice, peace, and love.’ (BCP 855)…again…super simple, right? But notice it doesn’t say anything about buildings, or budgets, or anything about the administration of this mission.
If you check our website, or pick up the Parish Notes you’ll see our parish values that the vestry put together several years ago: Welcoming all seeking refuge, inspiration, and nourishing relationships… Providing a place devoted to creating beauty and experiencing God’s grace. Empowering people to act in service to others and to care for God’s creation.
That’s what we value, and what we strive to do…But it doesn’t fully answer “who we are?” And what are we for?
If you pick up the most recent Parish Notes you’ll see an update about the major building projects we’re involved in. The roof replacement is all but complete, thanks to the amazing generosity of you all and really the whole community—we look forward to celebrating all of that great work at the Parish Picnic on Sept. 27th.
We’ve also begun the next phases of much needed work…restoring the Rose Window which—we learned doing the roof work—has some significant structural issues and will likely fail in the not too distant future…and replacing that rapidly dying Cassavant organ with the Skinner organ you see lying in parts around the room. I wish I could tell you that we have all the cash in hand to do all of that work…but I have a strict policy of not lying from the pulpit. Are we fundraising? Are we looking for grants? Could we use some of the endowment? Could we postpone or delay some of the work? The answer to all of those questions is yes(?). But each answer also has a cost and myriad consequences (some intended, many unintended) that the leadership: the vestry, the finance, and stewardship committees, the rose window and organ committees are all weighing very carefully. They are all keenly aware of the forces of anxiety that drive fears of scarcity at times like this. They’re all carrying a lot right now
For more than a year, I have watched as they prayerfully and carefully discerned each step forward, with clear eyes on the very real consequences of each decision. And very often I hear them reflecting on “why are we the ones making these decisions?” And I’m reminded of the conversation between Frodo and Gandalf early on in the Lord Of the Rings when Frodo says, “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” (Why me?) To which Gandalf replies, “So do I, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” That is what your leaders are striving to do faithfully.
But there’s more to Gandalf’s quote that I really want all of you to hear. After retelling the story of how the One Ring came to be in Frodo’s possession he reminds us that, “There [is] more than one power at work [in the world],” …Yes, the Ring wants to get back, but something else ensured that a most unlikely Hobbit found it, and so Frodo is meant to have it. “And that,” he says, “is an encouraging thought.”
There is much anxiety and scarcity and fear in the world…but there is also another power at work that is guiding all of our communal discernments about what this community…this building…and all of our assets are for, and how they can all be mobilized to serve God’s ultimate purpose.
You’re probably wondering if I’m ever going to get around to talking about the scriptures…so here it goes. If love is the fulfilling of the law, then communal discernment…grounded in love…is different from other forms of decision making. Discernment grounded in love is NOT: one person dictating, “I alone know what’s best!”; and it’s not a standard compromise where everyone is disappointed; and it’s certainly not avoiding the issue, either because we just don’t talk about that, or because if we ignore it, it’ll be someone else’s job!
If we read Matthew today a bit more broadly…it becomes more than just a way to adjudicate personal affronts. I think it can tell us quite a bit about communal discernment. Because it presumes that no one in any situation has the entire answer. The process of including more and more people in the discernment is not about forcing the one person into compliance with the majority…it’s about everyone listening to one another — and to God — and working together to get as close to the Truth as possible. And of course, the higher the stakes, and the more complex the situation is…the more important it is to have everyone — especially those who are really working at setting their egos and their anxieties aside — really listening. The kicker is that whatever we decide …doesn’t just affects us…it affects the heavenly realm as well.
So the stakes are high…but this is our work…It might seem like a lot of talk about money and buildings and personnel — all of our assets — is a distraction from the “real” work of the church?”, but it’s not. Because, learning how to let go of our ego-selves…and listen to one another…and to God…Listen with love, and for real understanding rather than simply grasping for easy solutions…That is the work of the church…restoring all people to [harmony] with God and each other in Christ. That’s the work we are called to do. And believe me, if we can’t do that here…where there is some trust, and love, and where we can dare to be brave with one another…If we can’t do that here…we’ll never be able to do it out there. But if we really do that work here…then every change we want to see out there…becomes that much easier. Amen.