Romans 15: 1-6                                                                                                            Rev. Dr. Galen E. Russell III

Philippians 2: 4-11                                                                                                                                  April 2, 2025

“Let the same mind be in your that was in Christ Jesus.”

        Prayer: O God who is my strength, please be the foundation of our lives and our faith, as we worship you. May we cherish and live your wisdom. Amen.

Here in the United Church of Christ, we love our slogans. Ever since 1957 when our church began, the first slogan was Jesus’ words from his prayer found in John 16 “That they may all be one.” That phrase was part of the original logo of the UCC. Other phrases gained traction and have staying power. Like “There’s unity in diversity,” and “more recently, “God is still speaking.” “Our faith is over 2000 years old; our thinking is not.” And “Never place a period where God has placed a comma,” a phrased co-opted from the late actress Gracie Allen.

But the one phrase that speaks to me and to many of us is this one: “No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.”

We say that. We believe that. We have a deep abiding sense that God’s love for humanity calls us to practice that.

And I think it is in the spirit of that phrase that we worship here tonight. It’s a spirit of welcome and openness to everyone who comes here to worship the living God. Coming to worship the Holy Spirit that can bind us together in love.

And this Holy Spirit can unify us in a spirit of ecumenical ministry. Many people from our E-town churches and the surrounding area have diverse   beliefs and practices—and look at us now! All of us here, for such a time as this, worshiping God in Christ together. This is our common ground—we have Christ as our Savior and each of us, no matter who we are, or where we are on life's journey, is loved, accepted, and welcomed by God.

I have such deep hope and faith that what we are doing here tonight is a step in a positive direction. That through these moments, we can sit together, stand together, pray together, sing together, listen together. Worship together. These are positive things that work for the betterment of our wider faith community.

        Not fighting. Not zeroing in on our differences. Not digging in our heels. Not looking at the other person sitting next to us with disdain or hatred. All of that is thievery, I think. All that steals from the good of our wider faith community. All that swipes from us the joy of having Christ’s mind formed in us, and the joy of having the common ground that  Christ is our Savior.

Our scripture text tonight encourages us to have the same mind that was in Christ be formed in us. His mindset was about being a servant to others. He was committed to God’s interest in people.

He was so dedicated to God’s love for humanity that he was willing to die for that love. And he did. But because he went that far, and beyond, the doors for every person to experience God’s saving grace are forever open. It was an incredible revelation of the mind of God, I think, showing the extravagant love of God who welcomes lost younger sons and daughters as much as older righteous brothers and sisters.

Christ’s example of being a servant shows us, and Paul teaches us that our life as Christians is not about pleasing ourselves but is about pleasing God by tending to others around us. By building up our neighbors. By finding ways to live in harmony even in the middle of the reality that we are diverse people who live in a diverse world. And maybe God might push us at times to go to the far edges in order to do that. To really, really show extravagant love.

So, when we reach across the aisle, I think this pleases God, and by proxy, can be said to be the mind of Christ. Do you think that when we come together in solidarity, letting that which unites us be more meaningful than that which divides us, do you think that can be said to be the mind of Christ?

Many of us know about the Threads and Treads project that took place last year. This project benefits the needy kids in our school district. It’s a beautiful thing!  And one of the beautiful things about this project in addition to the kids benefiting, is that our community came together. Local businesses, local churches, people of all different beliefs, political persuasions, backgrounds, we were as diverse as the day is long.  But everyone had the same mindset. To ensure the well-being of our kids. And yet, here we are… a diverse community.

I get it that the divisions are deep and wide. But I believe there is no wideness in our lives that God’s grace cannot bridge. There is no division in our thinking that the power of love cannot overcome.

I was told this past week that the divisions in our community are too wide, and the hatred is too deep to have an embracing welcome, a forgiving attitude. I categorically reject that.

        I was reminded tonight that Martin Luther King Jr. said, “An eye for an eye just makes the whole world blind.” This is a two-way street. Everyone on all sides has to make up their mind that hatred cannot be fought with hatred. Only love can fight hatred. Everyone has to, I believe, choose the power of love and not the love of power, to share God’s grace with one another and to live and practice the mind of Christ in our diverse world.

So that the slogan “No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here” can become a truthful form of servanthood helping us to welcome each other as God welcomes us. May God help us. Amen.