Sermonette - July 2, 2018

As I methodically type my thoughts out to share with you, I am a thousand, if not more, feet in the air with an endless sea of white cumulus clouds below. I hold my breath whenever the plane jolts, shakes, or dips a bit from turbulence. Almost 29 years ago to the day, I was on a bus headed to Dallas, Texas with the youth group from my church to attend the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) youth gathering. It was my first, and I thought last, large youth gathering that I would attend.

I was an awkward teenager, not sure where I fit in, not sure I really wanted to fit in, and lonely. Yes, in a bus full of other awkward teenagers, some 'fitting' in more than others, and adult leaders, I felt alone. Sometimes this is what it feels like to be a teenager, which is a good reminder for anyone who will soon be surrounded by 30,000 of them.

So here I am, almost 29 years later, headed to Houston, Texas with one other adult leader and seven youth. These are kids who I have watched grow and change over the last eight years. These seven teenagers are all uniquely their own and all God's beloved children.

Long ago on that 30-hour bus ride, if someone would have predicted the future of where I would be in 29 years, this was not the place I would have expected. That's the funny thing about God's calling- it's unexpected. I suspect that if we only listened to the expected vocations of our lives, we might not be listening closely enough to our creator. God called the prophet Samuel as a young boy while he slept. Jesus called Matthew, a person society considered sinful and greedy. God also calls the unexpected! I wonder were these young people will be in 29 years. They may not grow to be pastors, but I have no doubt that each will be a leader in their own way. I have hope that they will take this week of worship, service work, and community life to impact not only their lives, but also the lives of others. That is what it means to listen to God's calling. Our faith impacts the lives of others and we are blessed to be a blessing. This is the lesson of Jesus incarnate, of God made flesh, who so loved the world.