30.05.2013
Myriad of Voices Raised in Joy for Us. Celebrations
A joyful gathering marked the celebration of a new name and a new home for Us. (formerly USPG) in St Michan’s Church, Dublin, yesterday evening, Wednesday May 29. The Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke, presided over the Eucharist and the preacher was Africa’s first Anglican female bishop, the Rt Revd Ellinah Wamukoya, Bishop of Swaziland.
The service was attended by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson; the Rt Revd Michael Burrows, Bishop of Cashel and Ossory; the Rt Revd Trevor Williams, Bishop of Limerick; the Rt Revd Patrick Rooke, Bishop of Tuam; the Rt Revd Ken Clarke, Mission Director of SAMS UK and Ireland; the Very Revd Victor Stacey, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin; and the Very Revd Dermot Dunne, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. Clergy from around the country were also present.
The celebrations were joined by Senator David Norris, Judge Catherine McGuinness, the All Ireland President of Mothers’ Union Phyllis Grothier and the All Ireland President of GFS Sylvia Quinn. The CEO and General Secretary of Us. in Britain, Janette O’Neill was also there along with the National Director of Us. in Ireland, Linda Chambers and many Us. staff and volunteers.
Music was provided by a consort of the Christ Church Cathedral Choir and the Discovery Gospel Choir. The organist was David Bremner.
In her sermon (reproduced in full below) Bishop Wamukoya spoke on the theme of serving others. “We become Christians through God’s unmerited favour, not as a result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love and gentleness and merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we can do can help us to obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up the church,” she said.
The Bishop concluded by appealing: “Please pray for us to remember that in whatever small way even us in Africa we are: created to serve, saved to serve, gifted to serve, commanded to serve, our service is needed and we serve because of Jesus.”
Following the service, Bishop Michael Burrows, chair of Us. in Ireland said it had been a marvellously well attended and joyous occasion with a “myriad of voices raised in joy to the Lord and in thanks for the new name and new home” of Us. He praised Linda Chambers for the work she does for Us. in Ireland. “She is the soul person [of Us.] in Ireland – she is its incarnation and its epiphany,” he stated.
Janette O’Neill stated that the new name was something everyone could share in to give every community a full life, bringing in all the people who exist on the edge.
Linda Chambers thanked everyone for coming and said they appreciated the efforts everyone had made to get to St Michan’s.
Us. (the United Society) is the new name for USPG – an organisation which works in direct partnership with Anglican Churches in over 50 countries, helping to support vital work, including healthcare, education, leadership training and action for social justice. The name USPG – United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel – was derived from a name coined in 1701.
Us. in Ireland works directly with the Diocese of Swaziland where they have been building up strong networks over the last five years working with all members of the community.
Sermon preached by the Rt Revd Ellinah Wamukoya, Bishop of Swaziland
St Michan’s Church, Dublin
Wednesday May 29 2013
SERVING OTHERS
Sirach 36:1, 13–17; Psalm 79:8–13; Mark 10:32–45
Paul in Ephesians 2:10 writes “for we are God’s master piece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” We become Christians through God’s unmerited favour, not as a result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love and gentleness and merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we can do can help us to obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up the church. Titus 2:14 states that salvation produces a people who have a desire and a capacity for good deeds as outlined in (2:2–10) older men who apply self control, older women who honour God with their lives and teach younger women to do the same. The same applies to younger men; they are expected to live wisely. At the Last Supper Jesus led by example. He tied a towel around his waist and served his disciples. He implored us that if he the teacher could do it, you then are to was each other’s feet. Jesus was not literaly talking about washing of feet, but he was showing that those who would be his disciples were to be of a mind to serve others, regard their needs, and do what they could to help them.
Looking further into scripture, James 2:4–17 talks about the relationship between faith and works. If a person states that he or she believes all the right doctrines but their life does not show obedience to Christ a doer, that person is no good at all. That person’s faith cannot save him. He goes on to paint a picture of a brother or sister in real need. In need of clothes to keep warm and decent, food to eat that very day. He then says we can make all sorts of prayers for the “go in peace”, a very theologically correct prayer. What lacks here for such Christians is to go to their wardrobes and pantry getting out their clothing and food and sharing it with their unfortunate brother or sister. Because of this James says such prayer is completely useless. And concludes, so are all forms of faith not accompanied by action. We may believe that Jesus is Lord but if we do not obey him that belief is just empty words. We may believe that God loves the poor, but if we do not care for them, our faith is dead.
Jesus takes time to explain the forth coming events concerning his death and resurrection, but his disciples’ minds are not with him. In their pathetic self–centredness, in their the–whole–world– revolves – around –me attitude it is as if they had not heard one word out of Jesus’ mouth. They are concerned about what they could benefit from their association with such a great man. (Politicians in Africa and people occupying big positions often think about themselves first. Kenyan parliamentarians even before doing any tangible work they are already talking salary increases). Do you not understand, after washing your feet as an example, I am now even going to give a bigger gift, I am going to give up my life on the cross as ransom for humankind. Oh! What a sacrificial giving? Jesus did not think of looking for new friends (like perhaps we could have done) after his disciples had shown him they were really not his friends, for they had no empathy, no concern for Jesus after he had told them that the hour has come of his death. How much do we care for the next person?
Then the gospel of Mark emphasises this. Jesus taught that the result of giving money to the poor or any form of giving for that matter, or any sacrifice the kingdom of God, will be treasure not on earth but in heaven; ( umuntfu ubongwa asafile that is what we say in siSwati), the more we give the more gain. This does not mean that when we give money for God’s work, we get more back, as some of these prosperity cults teach. It does mean that the spiritual reward will far out–weigh any sacrifices that we may have made for Christ, even if persecution comes along with them.
The ambitious and selfish request by James and John serves to remind us of ourselves. We are like James and John. We want to be important. We want honour. We want to be number one. We want to the centre of attention. We are greedy and self–centred. The ten other disciples showed up just as badly as the two when they were angry with their request. No doubt they had wanted the places for themselves. But Jesus explains that things are done differently in God’s kingdom. He states that true greatness is humble service. He himself is the example of this. He came to be the suffering servant prophesied in Isaiah 53 and to give his life as a ransom for many.
The spirit of neighbourliness in the Swazi context is that there would be no one to sleep hungry. Swazis live in community in the extended family context. But now in the gospel era all that has changed. We have now come to be a community of I, Me and Myself.
The unbelieving world believes leadership is loading it over others. Just as Jesus’ role as Messiah and Son of God meant suffering and death being his follower involves serving others not ruling over them. Jesus now has a special honour and glory because of the suffering and death, and that honour and glory he revealed with his resurrection from death. Now he offers salvation to us through the Holy Spirit gift of faith for he has given his life as a ransom for many.
Please pray for us to remember that in whatever small way even us in Africa we are:
· Created to serve
· Saved to serve
· Gifted to serve
· Commanded to serve
· Our service is needed
· And we serve because of Jesus.
AMEN.