The Endowment Fund of

Trinity Metropolitan Community Church of Gainesville, Inc.

The Reverend Doctor Jim Merritt, Pastor

What is the Trinity MCC Endowment Fund?

The Endowment Fund was officially established by a resolution of the congregation in 2006 to act as a long-term financial resource to ensure that future generations will hear Trinity MCC’s message of inclusive love. Gift giving is an activity at the very heart of the Christian faith. The Biblical record chronicles the activity of God as a gift-giver and demonstrates how persons of faith have responded with gifts of their own. This understanding of giving provides a powerful motivation for giving – both now and in the future.

How is the Endowment Funded?

On behalf of the Fund, trustees accept gifts or bequests from members of the congregation or others who wish to make a memorial or honorary gift.

Who controls the Fund?

Three trustees who are elected by the congregation and the pastor who serves as moderator direct the activities of the Endowment Fund.

How are endowed funds managed?

Endowed monies are actively invested in a way to maximize capital growth and minimize loss. Proceeds generated by invested monies may be granted to support the mission and ministries of Trinity MCC; however, resources of the Endowment are not spent for current or ongoing operating expenses of the church.

What sorts of assets can be donated?

Gifts or bequests of money, securities and properties can be made to the Endowment Fund.

What are some of the occasions that inspire donations?

Gifts are made to celebrate important milestones in the lives of members of the congregation such as births, deaths, honors and awards, memorials, marriages, and anniversaries.

How are bequests made to the Endowment Fund?

There are several ways to do this. A simple bequest can be written in to your will. Life insurance policies can list the Trinity MCC Endowment Fund as the beneficiary. Or simply place a check payable to TMCC Endowment Fund in the collection plate at a Sunday Service. If the donation is a memorial or honorary gift, please indicate the person or event remembered.

How is my gift recognized?

The Board of Trustees will work with you to identify the most appropriate way for your gift to be recognized and celebrated.

What are the possible tax benefits?

Contributions to the Endowment Fund may provide substantial tax advantages to the donor and/or the donor’s estate. However, tax implications differ significantly according to the type of donation and the financial circumstances of the donor. Please consult with an accountant or attorney for detailed information.

Need more information?

Contact the church and request to talk with an Endowment Fund Trustee.

PO Box 140535 Gainesville, Florida 3261411604 SW Archer Road 32608

www.mccgainesville.org 352-495-3378

“The Lord is my Shepherd (and knows I’m gay)”

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

April 29, 2012

Trinity MCC

Remember the year 1972. I turned nine that year. I won’t ask what age you were. Some of you were not even born yet. It was a leap year that began on Saturday. On January 5 that year, President Richard Nixon ordered the development of the space shuttle program. On January 16, the Dallas Cowboys won the super bowl. On January 25, Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Congresswoman, announced her candidacy for President of the United States. It was a year, not unlike this one, where so much was going on around the world. Russia, the Soviet Union, Iran and other places. And then in the midst of all that a very controversial and life-changing book was published, it was written by a 34 year old man named Troy Perry. The title of the book was The Lord is my Shepherd & He knows I’m Gay. I want you to know something this morning, my brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus knows all about you and he is your shepherd, too. Would you pray with me?

God, we thank you for the message of your inclusive love that we find all through the Bible, and not only there, but also in our constant experience of you. Enlighten and inspire us this morning we pray; in Jesus’ name. AMEN.

 President Lincoln reminds us of this spiritual both/and that we experienced this morning. While the shepherd is experienced as the liberator for the sheep, she or he is certainly seen as the oppressor of the wolves. You know, shepherds have not always enjoyed a stellar reputation. Many of them have been seen as scoundrels. In the Hebrew Bible book of Ezekiel we hear the prophet denouncing the shepherd saying, “You eat the fat … you clothe yourselves with the wool … you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them”. It sounds like a role reversal has occurred. They are no longer taking care of the sheep, feeding them, caring for them when they are sick. They have given up on finding the lost ones, and they have become harsh in their treatment of the animals in place of their former kind and nurturing approach. You might have seen a horrible video online this week during which teachers of autistic kids yelled at them, belittled them and perpetrated acts of emotional violence on them. In that situation it is easy for us to wonder, “How could they do that,” and as a connector, this is exactly the kind of behavior that elicited Ezekiel’s rebuke.

 So, we have to be mindful to read and hear the words of Jesus carefully. He does not just say, “I am the shepherd...” but he makes his point clear by saying, “I am the GOOD shepherd.” Jesus sets his form of shepherding apart from the ugly behavior of these rogue shepherds that take advantage of their charges and implies to us that his form of shepherding will be different and primarily for the benefit of those he is called to shepherd. Just one more reminder about this; traditionally, the leaders of Israel had been called Shepherds, too, and just like the shepherds in the fields, they lost their way and began to look out for themselves more that for those they were called to serve. So, Jesus’ message had yet another meaning. He shows us that he is the GOOD shepherd when compared to those in the field with animals, and that he is the GOOD shepherd when compared to those people who abandoned their responsibility to care for the people they were called to serve. As usual, these words of Jesus are packed with meaning.

 So, what does it take to earn the title, Good Shepherd? First of all, I suggest that it is important for us to acknowledge that although shepherds are most often represented with male images, women were shepherds, too. To earn the title good shepherd, one must exhibit both masculine and feminine traditional attributes. It is important for an effective shepherd to be tough, rugged and fearless. It is also important for a good shepherd to be warm, nurturing and loving. It is one thing for sheep to hear the shepherd’s voice and want to run as far and as fast as they can. It is quite another to hear a voice that makes them feel safe and one that nurtures them in ways that make them want to remain with the shepherd. Jesus embodies the ideal of the Good Shepherd when he said he was coming to bring his Good News to the poor and to bring hope and justice to the oppressed and to set the captive free.

 Jesus becomes the Good Shepherd, the liberator of humankind, not just for the few, but for all of us. So I have a final question for us to consider. Who is Jesus to you? What does Jesus mean to you?

 Professor James Cone writes that Jesus is who he was, Jesus is who he is and Jesus is who he will be. My sisters and brothers, Jesus is wonderful enough and powerful enough and big enough and awesome enough to be what you need him to be for you. You may need Jesus to be a bodacious woman shepherd taking care of sheep in the field. He can do that. You may need Jesus to be a hot looking young man who can be your constant companion in every moment of your life. He can be that for you, too. You may need Jesus to be an old scholarly looking sage to guide you through hard times in your life. He can be that, too. And perhaps, best of all, he can be a combination of all of those and so much more for you.

Troy Perry’s line works well for me. Today he says he would leave the “he’s” out of the title and make it more inclusive. So following his lead I say the Lord is my Shepherd and Knows I’m Gay. Troy’s vision offers a wonderful model of the shepherd. He says, “In our community we reach out and touch each other and we love each other.” He continues, “They may burn us out, they might run us out of town, they might even shoot some of us, but praise God,” we are not afraid, because the Lord Jesus Christ IS our Shepherd and we shall not want in any situation.

 I remember an old gospel song that says, “I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus. Since I found in him a friend so tried and true. I would tell you how he changed my life completely, He did something that no other friend could do. No one ever cared for me like Jesus. There’s no other friend so kind as he. No one else could take the sin and darkness from me. Oh how much he cares for me…and you. The Lord is OUR Shepherd.

What do you have to say about Jesus this morning? Fill in the blank: The Lord is my Shepherd and Knows I’m _____ (straight, lesbian, poor, rich, depressed, oppressed, happy, sad). Now hear God’s word for us this morning clearly. The Lord IS our shepherd and he knows us exactly as we are. The Lord IS your shepherd. Remember that, believe it, know it, and internalize it. Say it with me, “The Lord IS my shepherd: The Lord IS my shepherd. God bless you this morning.

AMEN.

A Bad Rap

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

Trinity MCC Gainesville

April 15, 2012

Introduction:

Jesus is risen; HE IS RISEN INDEED. I’m sure most of you realize that this joyful acclamation is not just for Easter Sunday, but that it is also for these next six Sunday’s of what we call “Eastertide.” We are invited to celebrate the joys of Easter for a “week of weeks.” That tells me this must be a very important season; and it is. We have forty-nine days between Easter and Pentecost during which we can focus our attention on the resurrection and all that God accomplishes through it.

At the same time, we still know that even after the resurrection, our world is far from perfect. We still struggle through very difficult times financially. We still experience the illnesses and even death of loved ones. We are experiencing one of the meanest and uncivilized presidential campaigns in history – and it’s only April. We know that the resurrection is vitally important to us as Christians and we know it did not fix all the world’s ills. Still, this Gospel lesson has much to show us. So let’s think about it for a few minutes. Would you pray with me?

God, we come seeking your voice in this Eastertide. We love you and we bless you and we know that you hold us close to you at every moment of our lives. Guide us in these moments and show us what you would have us see. In your many names we pray; Amen.

Gospel:

 Thomas gets a bad rap. I’ve read many biblical scholars this week, I’ve done my lectionary conference call with other MCC preachers and I have once again spent time in prayer and meditation over the gospel reading and I’m convinced, as many of them are, that Thomas gets a bad rap. Seminary Professor David Lose writes, “I think Thomas gets a bit of a bad rap. I don't think he's a "doubter" as much as he is a realist.” Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos writes simply, “Thomas got a bad rap.” Remember, Thomas had not been present for the first appearance of the resurrected Jesus to his disciples, so of course he wanted to see. So of course he wanted to see; wouldn’t you? Remember, Mary, his own mother did not recognize him in the garden near the tomb. He had changed. This Jesus appeared in a resurrected body and I’m just saying that I would have wanted to verify that this person calling himself Jesus was the real thing and not some imposter who planned to upset the balance of every single part of their lives. 

 Perhaps it would be more accurate for us to suggest that Thomas was a realist, rather than labeling him a faithless doubter. Frances J. Maloney, in his Sacra Pagina volume on the Gospel of Johns suggests that Thomas was already a believer, that Thomas did not require this physical act in order to believe, but he did need to verify that he and the others were dealing with the real Jesus. Who could blame him? I mean he saw Jesus nailed to cross and hee saw Jesus die. So why wouldn’t he want to have the same encounter with a really risen Jesus just like his colleagues, the other disciples did? You and I would want the same thing.

 Now let’s have a moment of realism here. I know how hard it can be to believe. I know it is not easy. Don’t you? I know what it’s like to wonder, “Am I right about all of this?” I know what it’s like to let those old Baptist tapes start playing again and then to wonder, “Am I sure about this?” And I want to suggest to you that those are some of the most important moments of all in our spiritual lives. I hope you experience them on a very regular basis? Why? Because I hope when you experience them you will dig into the Biblical text for yourselves and really read what the Bible actually has to say. Sometimes you will be amazed, I promise you. I hope you will read good Biblical scholars who are able to unpack these difficult passages for you and help you come to your own conclusions. I hope that when you doubt, you will try on some new things and maybe even try some old things again. I hope you will become a spiritual realist who knows that you know that you know because you have not only studied to show yourselves approved, but that you have implemented what you have learned into your every day existence. That’s the value of doubting. That’s the value of studying and working it out all over again. That’s the value of touching the real Jesus and making your life like his life. I honestly pray that you will try on Thomas’s approach that I am calling “Spiritual Realism.” This is a very good practice for all of us.

 Jesus asks Thomas, "Do you believe because you've seen? Blest are those who have not seen and yet come to believe!" I don't think -- as I used to -- that Jesus is rebuking Thomas. Instead, I think Jesus is blessing all those -- from John's community up to our own -- who have not seen and still believe. Jesus is blessing all those who have managed to come to a faith that is not the opposite of doubt but which lives with doubts and yet still finds a way to believe.

 People like us, Resurrection people don’t have to get it all figured out before we come to church or embark on our own spiritual practice. We don’t need to figure it all out before we begin helping our neighbor or feeding the hungry or being present for a person in need. The truth is, if we had to answer all the questions ahead of time, we would never even get started. The truth is, because we are people of the resurrection we believe in message of Jesus even as we are doubting and figuring it out again and again. Hear that carefully, we believe in the message of Jesus even as we are figuring it out again and again.

 I want to backtrack just a little bit. Notice verse twenty-one. “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the God has sent me, I am sending you.’” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the holy Spirit.” I always enjoy Biblical foreshadowing. Jesus alludes to a both/and here when he suggest that the disciples “receive the holy Spirit.” We also know that the day of Pentecost was still coming. Still, here God’s message, which I believe is the message for us this morning. Receive the Holy Spirit. Just as God sent Jesus, Jesus is sending you and you and you.

 Let’s own this. Thomas got a bad rap. You and I know what that feels like. Many of us have been falsely accused, falsely labeled, falsely excluded, falsely demoralized and falsely shut out. Hear the words of Jesus this morning, Just as God has sent me, so I am sending you; sending you to be my witnesses, sending you to be the resurrection in the world, sending you to be the light of the world. 

 So I have a word for you this morning and here it is: Keep on doubting and believe that God is sending you to be God’s witness of love, grace and of the resurrection.

God bless you. AMEN. 

Acts 4.32-35
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

John 20.19-27
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the religious leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed… 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the God has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks…I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

“We Have Seen the LORD”

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

Easter Sunday 2012

Trinity MCC

Jesus is Risen – HE IS RISEN INDEED.

 Would you pray with me? God, we are amazed by the work of your hands and so we come again to honor you, to lift you up and to learn from you. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be pleasing and acceptable to you this day; in Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.

Isaiah:

 The book of Isaiah really is a compilation of three books. Chapters 1 – 39 are First Isaiah, chapters 40 – 55 are Second Isaiah and chapters 56 – 66 are Third Isaiah. First Isaiah contains oracles of judgment and both second and third Isaiah contain oracles of salvation. So notice with me the uniqueness of this reading from first Isaiah, which sounds very much like an oracle of salvation. Notice the last section of the reading with me. “Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of the people and will take away from all the earth, for YHWH has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, (we might say “YO”) this is our God; for whom we have waited, so that we might be saved. This is (YHWH)the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in God’s salvation. For the hand of God will rest on this mountain.” So, I want to say to all of you this morning, let us be glad! Let us rejoice in God’s salvation! We have seen the LORD high and lifted up sitting on the throne of a new heaven and a new earth that has now overcome death and the grave and has risen from the dead and furthermore lives in the lives and in the minds and in the hearts of the chosen people of God. My sisters and brothers, that means you this morning! The divine presence of God is not only with you, but it is also in you. Now let me assure you of something and those who just finished the Isaiah class with me will verify for you; the children of Israel knew about suffering. And right here in the middle of a section known for its judgment, the prophet tells them to rejoice. Rejoice in suffering. Why: because God is with you. Rejoice in times of trial. Why: because God is with you. Rejoice in times of blessing. Why: because the most high God, YHWH IS WITH YOU. You know this today because we have seen the LORD. 

 Just one more point about the Isaiah reading; hear this. The words that we find just a little earlier in the reading are great encouragement for us. “Then God will wipe away every tear.” Let me be very clear; I do not mean to glorify suffering which is no fun whatsoever. What I do mean to suggest is that during times of suffering we have the opportunity to lean more and more on God. And in that moment when we see the LORD, YHWH God is going to lift us up one good time. God is going to wipe away our tears, and just like God did with the people of Israel, God is going to bring about that promised land for which all of us have been waiting. Why: because we have seen the LORD.

 Imagine Mary coming early on a Sunday morning to visit the place where Jesus was buried. You’ve been there. Many of us go to visit the burial places of our loved ones. For me it always brings about a sense of anxiety. Will the space be overrun with weeds? Will the flowers I left last time still be there? Will the headstone be upright or will it be leaning again? Worst of all, will somebody have done something to the grave? So Mary enters the space and immediately experiences what some of us fear, the tombstone had been moved. “Oh my goodness,” she must have thought, “Who could have done this? “ “WHY?” She ran quickly back and brought her friends with her, fearing that someone had taken Jesus’ body. Peter arrived first and did not go in, but saw Jesus’ clothes lying there. “Why did they take off his clothes,” he must have wondered. Then Simon Peter went in, followed by the other Peter and they notice that not only were his clothes lying there, but that the head piece was folded and lying in another place. What could this mean? They did not yet understand and they went home. 

 Mary was left standing alone outside the tomb crying. I’m reminded of the many times women are left standing alone in times of difficulty. You may remember with me that scene from the movie Steel Magnolias where the young daughter is dying in the hospital. First one, then another and ultimately her father said his goodbyes and left the room. Finally the only one left holding that precious child’s hand when she died was her mother. Mary was there when Jesus died, crying, weeping, mourning, and now she stand crying again. “What have they done to him NOW,” she must have wondered.

 Then a stranger approached and asked what was going on and she told him. Crying and weeping she explained the situation to him. He took it all in and then I see him gently placing his hand on Mary’s arm. He spoke in a voice both gentle and firm, “Mary.” And suddenly she knew she was in the presence of Jesus. Mary had seen the Lord. She ran, really ran as fast as her legs would move and began singing and shouting to everyone around here, “I HAVE SEEN THE LORD.”

 Now here’s the bottom line for this morning. Open your ears and hear it. Just like Jesus spoke to Mary on Easter morning, Jesus is speaking to you this morning. (names)…and you are seeing Jesus. What will you do with him? Whom will you tell? Henry Knox Sherrill, for whom the library at Episcopal Divinity School is named says this, “ The joyful news that He is risen does not change the contemporary world. Still before us lie work, disciple (and) sacrifice. But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the disciple, and make the sacrifice.” We are called to become the hands, the feet, the voice of Jesus in our world.

 Finally, I love the words to the song that says, “I've just seen Jesus. I tell you he's alive. I've just seen jesus, our precious lord alive. And I know, he really saw me too, as if till now, I'd never lived. All that I'd done before won't matter anymore. I've just seen Jesus, and I'll never be the same again!” 

 Sisters and brothers, JESUS IS RISEN. HE IS RISEN INDEED.

Happy Easter.

Isaiah 25:1-9

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the palace of aliens is a city no more, it will never be rebuilt. Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm, the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place, you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds; the song of the ruthless was stilled. On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And God will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of the people and will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; for whom we have waited, so that we might be saved. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in God’s salvation. For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain.

John 20:1-18

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Parent and yours, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

“Where is He?”

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

Early Easter Sunday 2012

Trinity MCC

JESUS IS RISEN: He is risen indeed!

 One point that I find interested each year as Easter approaches is this. The most amazing thing that has ever happened in all of history; the resurrection of Jesus, the single event that permeates every verse for the rest of the New Testament, the event that causes people like you and me from ages past and for ages into the future to dedicate our lives to following the Son of God, only get’s about eight verses of detail in the gospels. Isn’t that odd? Four complete gospels and only about 8 verses each of detail about the resurrection of Jesus. Well, let me assure you these eight verses are packed with information, so let’s consider some of it together.

 First of all I believe the story of Jesus’ resurrection very much belongs to the female characters in the story. Remember Mary first heard the words of the angel telling her what God was going to do through her. Remember Mary was there when Jesus appeared for the first time teaching in the temple, to everyone’s amazement. Remember Mary watched as Jesus was persecuted, tried, convicted and was led up that treacherous way to Calvary’s hill. And it was Mary who stayed there to the very end as he son was tortured and finally assassinated by the Roman government. This morning, we see Mary still present approaching the tomb of Jesus. This really is her story.

 Mary and Salome arrive at the tomb and immediately see the stone at the front of the tomb had been rolled away. A “young man” (neaniskos) announces to the women that Jesus is not there and that he has been raised from the dead. He tells the women to go and tell Jesus’ disciples what had happened but they are frightened so they run away without telling anyone.

 Most biblical scholars believe the original Gospel of Mark ended right there. If that’s the case we are left with what Professor David Lose describes as “a resurrection scene without Jesus that ends in failure.” That would mean that the disciples failed and that these two women disciples failed, too. He suggests, “ Looked at this way, I can totally understand how a well-intentioned monk, after reading this ending in dismay, suddenly thinks, "I can fix that!" and adds a short, sweet ending, that while it sounds like nothing else in Mark, at least brings things to a better end. We know better that that. We know, as Fr. John Donahue writes, “that Jesus resurrection constitutes the decisive event in a sequence of eschatological event that will usher in the kin-dom of God.” Not some kingdom way out there in the sweet by and by or up there somewhere or over there somewhere, but right here in this place right now with the followers of Jesus gathered here.

 I love Maya Angelou’s poem, Still I Rise.

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

 Why that poem on Easter Morning; Here it is. JESUS IS RISEN: HE IS RISEN INDEED. Jesus has overcome temptation, persecution and oppression and he is risen, and so will you. Jesus was tried, convicted, and assassinated and Jesus is risen, and so will you. Jesus has overcome death and the grave and lives alive and well, and so will you! Let this be the day and let this be the moment when we proclaim it together, with one slight change. Jesus is risen, and I’m risen, too. Try it. Jesus is Risen, and I am risen, too. 

 Now embrace it, live into it, hold on to it where ever you go. Jesus is risen; and I am risen, too. God bless you this morning – Happy Easter.

Gospel Reading Mark 16.1-8 
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

“A Hero’s Welcome”

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

April 1, 2012 – Palm Sunday

Trinity MCC

Introduction:

 Picture it: The Lakeland Civic Center now called The Lakeland Center. I was there with my mother and a friend when The Happy Goodman’s took the stage. They were old now, very old, and without a moment’s thought I stood up and yelled, “I love you, Sister Vestal.” She looked up and said, “I love you too, honey.” She was one of my sheroes. On another night Al and I found ourselves delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles California. It was a big night. Al and Tipper Gore took the stage and before long we all witnessed that big kiss that was broadcast around the world. People yelled and screamed and applauded and kissed each other. It was magical. Another gay man and I kissed each other as CSPAN broadcast around the world while the boy scouts, an organization known for discrimination against us, led the pledge of allegiance. Finally, many years later I was sitting in the Meditation Hall at Plum Village just outside Bordeaux, France when Buddhist Zen Master entered the room. The only words I can use to describe it to this very day are these, “This must be what it would feel like when Jesus walked into a room.” I have many heroes, sheroes, and spiritual role models. I hope you do, too. And so this morning the question of the hour is this; “How do we offer A Hero’s Welcome?” Would you pray with me?

Jesus, Son of God, son of humankind, you are the very center of our joy this morning. We know that every good and perfect thing comes from you. You are the source of our contentment hope for all we do, and so we’ve come to worship you, to give you thanks and praise and, as best we are able, to offer you our most heartfelt Hero’s Welcome. Be powerfully present among us we pray, inhabit the praises of your people in this place. In your many names we pray; AMEN.

Sermon:

 We could spend all morning thinking about the symbolism in this reading from the Gospel of Mark today. Near the Mount of Olives is where Zechariah (14.4) imagines the final battle of nations will be held. To place Jesus at this location suggests something of extreme importance is occurring. A colt: reminds us of the apocalyptic imaginings of Zechariah (9.9). Also, coronation ceremonies for monarchs of Israel may have included the use of colts (Genesis 49.11). Mark is writing circa 70 CE, as or immediately after the Temple is destroyed. This “war” on the holy city and its temple has ended the world as Mark and his contemporaries have known it. Some five decades earlier, Jesus was executed. To now imagine Jesus riding triumphantly into the city (after both Jesus and the city have been brutalized by Rome) is a dramatic cathartic tale where one might imagine Jesus as being Lord (over against Lord Caesar) and therefore, Caesar cannot have the last word. Will Jesus return with an angelic army to out-Caesar, or is the drama only meant to suggest that imperial domination can’t ultimately have the last word and justice must one day prevail? Whichever the writer believes or hopes for, the story offers a creative way to deal with the pain and disappointment with which his community is burdened. Leafy branches: “On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the year 171, there was a great

celebration in the city because this terrible threat to the security of Israel had come to an end. Simon and his men entered the fort singing hymns of praise and thanksgiving, while carrying palm branches and playing harps, cymbals, and lyres.” Mark is remembering the sacred story of Israel surviving a threat and celebrating its security with singing, instruments, and the waving of palm branches like pom-poms. This continues to the cathartic drama of imagining how things ought to be and hoping how they might one day be even if in the present moment things are very disappointing. Hosanna: from the 118^th Psalm, it means “save us.” Having lost everything in the year 70, a desperate hope that somehow they could be saved from Rome’s wrath and seeming unstoppable power is the prayer of the hearts of the oppressed. By the world’s standards, Caesar has won, Rome has one, and we know the rest of the story. We know the final outcome.

 I love the way Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins summarizes the outcome, “Jesus subverts the systems of power and privilege. In God’s realm, the so-called scum are the disciples, the prophets, the saints, the children of God! Hated tax collectors, people who fish for a living or who tend sheep, prostitutes, lepers, the poor, children, women, Samaritans…God shows no partiality. In God’s realm the last are first and the first are last. In the story of God’s realm, the star rides a borrowed colt. In God’s realm, not even death and destruction get to have the last word. In the realm of God, people like you and me ride in with Jesus for a hero’s welcome. We all experience it together as the crowds cry out, “Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest, blessed are they that come in the name of our God!” See yourself there with Jesus. Offer Jesus a Hero’s welcome knowing full well that this is your welcome, too. Ride in, Child of God! Ride on, Daughter of God! Ride on Son of God. Ride on with Jesus knowing that you receive a hero’s welcome, too.

 And be careful. Because we know that hero’s pay high prices for the service they offer. You see Jesus’ Jerusalem and our Jerusalem right here in Gainesville offer two choices. At the beginning of Passover there would have been a procession by Pilate to demonstrate Roman imperial power and theology. Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem is a counter procession—a peasant procession. As John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg suggest, “following Jesus means following him on the way; the way leads to Jerusalem; Jerusalem is the place of confrontation with the authorities; Jerusalem is the place of death and (Jerusalem is a place of) resurrection.” Borg and Crossan poignantly as us, “Borg and Crossan point out that today’s Christian, at the beginning of Holy Week, is faced with the same question as those early followers, “Which procession do we want to be in?”

 Which way will you choose today for your Hero’s Welcome? Will you choose the Caesar way that celebrates imperial power and theology? Do you choose the us against them way that leads to labels like insider and outside, we and they, us and them? Or will you choose the Jesus way that may lead to some death-like experiences, but that ultimately leads to resurrection and life everlasting full and free, not just for me, not just for us, but for the whole world. Jesus says, “I have come that you might have life, life more abundantly.”

 In closing, let me simply say, Ride on with Jesus! Experience your hero’s welcome with Jesus and let it lead you to the path of resurrection life everlasting for all of us! I pray that this Holy Week will lead all of us to a deep and mindful place of readiness for what God is about to do all over again right here in our very midst.

Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!

AMEN

Now is the Time

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

March 25, 2012

Trinity MCC

Introduction:

 Have you ever suffered with amnesia? Perhaps it was just momentary when you went from one room in your house to another and upon arriving there couldn’t remember why you were there. Perhaps you encountered a very good friend and suddenly could not remember her or his name. Those moments are embarrassing and yet we all experience this them. I thought about amnesia when I began reading the lectionary reading for today from Jeremiah that says, “this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the Lord," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord (Jer. 31:33-34a). The opening words of the gospel lesson also reached out and grabbed me when I read, “Now is the time.” Here’s the thesis for my sermon today: We have the opportunity to benefit God’s love induced amnesia that allows us to turn away from the negativity in our lives and right ourselves with God and NOW IS THE TIME. Would you pray with me?

God we open our lives to you right here and now. We ask you to make our lives living examples of those committed to you. Make us wholly acceptable and pleasing to you this day. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.

Sermon:

 Professor David Lose, whom I also quoted last Sunday, shares a story. He writes, Just under two years ago I was at a family reunion, visiting with cousins that I hadn't seen in years because of our move from the East Coast to Minnesota. One of my cousins brought greetings from her father, a favorite uncle on mine. He is in the far stages of dementia, lives with the support and care of the staff of a long-term care facility, and was not able to come to this reunion. His daughter brought this greeting: "Tell my family that, although I do not remember them, I still love them."

 Let me be clear about what I am preaching this morning. God is not suffering with dementia, nor is God suffering with amnesia. God is, however, absolutely consumed with love for you. God is not focused on what you did last night, what you did last year, what you are planning to do just as soon as this service is over and you can get on with your life. God is focused on the fact that you are God’s beloved. God is focused on the opportunity you and I have been given to align our lives with the message of scripture and God has a very clear and simple word for us this morning. NOW IS THE TIME. Scripture speaks to us when it says “though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as pure as snow.” I want to be pure as freshly fallen snow this morning. As we approach the end of this Lenten season I want God to see my heart pure as I stand before God and the world. I want God to see a person who is doing his dead level best to make his life match with the message of Jesus and the all inclusive love of God even when I fall short of that goal. I want to be known as one who has taken full advantage of this season of preparation for the blessing of Easter when even death and the tomb did not overcome Jesus, my friend, my savior and the one upon whom I depend for every moment of my life. How about you?

 It is a fact that sometimes we suffer in ways that make us question God. Sometimes we suffer, even as the people of God we suffer and I confess to you, I do not like it at all. I don’t like it when I suffer and furthermore, I don’t like it when you suffer. I don’t like it when people are sick and suffer with illness. I don’t like it when people are denied the opportunity to work at a job that pays them a living wage so they can provide for themselves and their families. I can hardly even imagine the shear agony and suffering experience by families like the family of that murdered little boy over in Sanford chased down and gunned down by a modern day vigilante while carrying nothing more than a can of coke, a cell phone and a bag of Skittles. I can’t stand it when people suffer like that. AND, yet I know that during times of suffering in my own life, I have been led into a valley where I can re-evaluate me. As my colleague the Rev. Dr. Mona West said this week, “my experience has taught me that it is often in those places of 'exile' or 'dying' to old attitudes, habits, my need to be perfect or right ...it is in those places that I hear the 'voice of the divine' in me. It is through those experiences that my covenant with the Divine is planted deep within.”

 Hear me, my sisters and brothers. God has not forgotten about you. God has not turned God’s back on you. Even when you suffer, God is right there beside you. And it is in these times of suffering that we are given the opportunity to hear the voice of the Divine in ourselves. These are times when we can plant the presence of God deep within our own lives both emotionally and spiritually. Sisters and brothers, I have a question for you; Why wait? Now is the time. Now is the time for you to hear the voice of the Divine one inside of you. Now is the time for you to plant God’s presence deep inside the very core of your being. Now is the time for you to know that you know that you know that God has never walked away from you or turned God’s back on you or, as the Bible says, forsaken you. God does not have amnesia about you. God loves you and is always with you. Now is the time to experience that, to embrace it and to align our lives with the callings of God.

 “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,” is the word of God. Now is the time for you to hear the voice of God drawing you to God’s self. Can you hear it? Will you allow yourself to hear it and more importantly, will you allow yourself to respond.

 Henri Nouwen has written a wonderful little book called Life of The Beloved and in it he speaks of the ways we listen to all the voices outside of us that tell us we are not good enough, successful enough, thin enough, smart enough. But there is at our center a voice that says "you are my Beloved and on you my favor rests." Nouwen claims, "Every time you listen with great attentiveness to the voice that calls you the Beloved, you will discover within yourself a desire to hear that vice longer and more deeply. It is like discovering a well in the desert. Once you have touched wet ground, you want to dig deeper."

 In closing, remember the words of this old Fanny Crosby hymn, “Jesus is tenderly calling you home, Calling today, calling today, Why from the sunshine of love will you roam, Farther and farther away? Calling today, calling today, Jesus is calling, is tenderly calling today. Jesus is calling the weary to rest, Calling today, calling today, Bring Him your burden and you shall be blest; He will not turn you away.”

 Now is the time. Hear the Divine voice of God in you. Plant that message deep within the core of your being. And run to Jesus, live with Jesus, live for Jesus, and hold on to Jesus wherever you are.

God bless you. AMEN.

How Do I Love Thee

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

March 18, 2012

Trinity MCC

Introduction:

 Do you remember Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem? How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. I love thee with a passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.

 This is a beautiful poem that has stood the test of time. While that is true, I want to suggest a shift this morning. Let’s ask, “How does God love us , let us count the ways.” While we’re at it let’s also ask, “How do we love God,” and let’s count our own ways. Finally, “How do we love each other?” How DO love thee? Pray with me.

God, the more we study scripture the more often we come face to face with you love. We experience it and we are challenged to share it with others. Show us your word this morning, give us eyes to see, ears to hear and feet to make it happen. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

Sermon:

 Most of you know the most famous part of this text like you know the palms of your own hands. There are some variations, but basically it says, “for God so loved the world that God gave God’s only son so that whoever believes in him would not perish and have eternal life.” We have dealt with it before in my sermons, you’ve heard other preachers work it over, you’ve seen it on billboards, bulletin boards, on posters at football games, on bumper stickers. I dare say that there are few places that some of us have NOT seen it. Therefore, let us look at the broader implications of the entire reading.

 Here is the question for the hour. Is God primarily a God of love or is God primarily a God of justice? The difference is subtle and the overlaps are significant and this is important for us to think about. Luther Seminary professor David Lose says, “We need to be careful, of course, not to separate these two completely from each other. Justice, at its best, flows from a sense of love, and love demands justice. This is why as much as I tend to emphasize God's love, I must also think and talk about God's judgment: judgment is the flip side of justice, lose the one and you've lost the other.”

 This oh so familiar Gospel reading from John leads us to ask this question. Notice two important things. First, God’s overwhelmingly dominant stance toward humanity, and toward the whole world or kosmos (in the Greek)is one of love. Interestingly, almost every time the word “world” is used in John, it is used negatively. It is used to refer to an entity that is primarily at odds with God. So try this on with me; what we are shown is that God loves this God-hating world so much that God is willing to give God’s only son to show how great that love is. I think you will agree with me that’s pretty amazing, even coming from God.

 Now, let’s be clear. God’s gift of Jesus is not some sort of “get out of jail free” card. While there is a great deal of love in this reading, judgment or justice is also present. But notice the nature of that judgment. It really is not that angry God that seeks to destroy those who were formerly the chosen ones of God. This judgment has become more passive than that. Judgment and/or consequences come from our own reaction to the light of Christ. In John, Professor Lose says, “judgment is disclosed in and through the crisis that is created when we are encountered by the living Christ and either are drawn to the light to have our deeds exposed and forgiven that we may be embraced by God's love or flee the light in our fear and brokenness.” 

 Many who encountered Jesus were so concerned about their position in the community, that they refused to tell others about their involvement or even their belief in him. Those whose family members were healed by Jesus refused to share that fact with their sisters and brothers in the temple. Why? Because the feared the loss of position. They were afraid they would be excluded. Governmental and thereby religious leaders encountered Jesus and even, no let me say especially¸ they would not confess it before their communities because they feared a loss of power and position and status. It is that practice of hiding the light of Christ in secret or, as the song says, hiding it under a bushel, that brings about judgment here. What is that judgment” It is alienation from God, exclusion from the kin-dom and all its blessing.

 Why is all of this important? Here it is. While love and justice cannot be separated, they cannot be treated as equals either. Either we believe that God is primarily and ultimately a God of judgment and suspends God’s love for all of creation OR we believe that God suspends the justice we might deserve and demonstrates compassion out of God’s love for us. I want to offer you an opportunity to shift your thinking this morning. Some of you have heard it before. I want you to really try this on. God sent God’s son to show how much God loves you. God wants to be in forever relationship with you that God sent you God’s most deeply beloved. God did not sent the son because you were so bad that you were on the slippery slope to an eternal hell from which you could not be saved. God sent the son because if God’s deep deep love for you. Let me be clear, if that does not work for you, please, hold on to your old ways of thinking. I will not be offended. However, try on a God who loves you this much. How does God love you? Let’s just count the ways.

 One final note: the clear call of scripture is for us to demonstrate reciprocal love for God. When we really love God the way God loves us, our actions will show it. Our attitudes will show it, our interactions will show it, and our very lives will show the deep deep love of God alive in our hearts and minds and spirits. When we love God with all our hearts and minds and souls, people will look at us and say, “there’s something different about her…there’s something different about him.” What will that difference be? The love of Jesus present in every fiber of our being. Perhaps that can be our focus for the remainder of this season of Lent. Love like Jesus. Live like Jesus. Lead like Jesus and cause people to wonder, “How does she love me, let me count that ways…”

 God bless you this morning. AMEN.

Law and Order

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

March 11, 2012

Trinity MCC

Introduction:

 The Ten Commandments; how many of them can you list? Even after hearing them just a few minutes ago, how many of them can you recite from memory? A 2007 survey reported in Reuters showed that most Americans could rattle off the ingredients of a Big Mac more readily than the Ten Commandments. Still, the Ten Commandments play an incredibly powerful role in our culture and particularly in this season’s political fiasco. Most of us remember them best in the image of Charlton Heston holding up a pair of stone tablets over his hear with this list of rules engraved on them. Debates continue about the placement of the 10 commandments in public parks and on public buildings all over the United States. It is abundantly clear to all of us that these Ten Commandments are very influential cultural and religious symbols, even if we don’t know much about them. Think about these questions: What makes this set of Laws so powerful? From whence does their power come? Why has their influence held on for so many thousands of years? What did they mean to God? What did they mean to Moses? What did they mean to those who heard them first? And, what do they mean to us today? Law and Order, where does it come from? Would you pray with me?

God, we thank you for your word that enlightens us about the history of God with the people of God. Open our ears, our hearts and our minds this morning so that we might hear your message for us this day. AMEN.

The Ten Commandments:

 Although I am not quoting them today, I want to share the names of writers whose work contributed to my study this week, including the esteemed biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann and Eric Baretto. I recommend their work for your ongoing study of the Hebrew Bible.

 Interestingly, the narrative of Exodus 20 begins, not with the listing of the first and thus the most important rule, but with the story of God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian captivity. This shows us that these commandments are rooted not just in God’s power to enunciate them, but also in the Israelite experience of deliverance and salvation. These commands not only represent good pieces of advice from a powerful and devoted God, but they also call for a response that is not just expected, but required of a grateful people.

 Thankfully, the lectionary leaves out the business about visiting the consequences of sins on the grandchildren and great grandchildren; it seems that God’s memory is fully intact and very long lasting. After laws against using God’s name flippantly and orders about keeping the Sabbath, we then turn to commandments that we can embrace and to some extend adopt with somewhat less difficulty. Respect your parents. That can be difficult for people like us, many of whom have endured very difficult and sometimes even violent relationships with our parents. We try to respect them, we respect what they might have tried to do, and if we happen to be amongst the lucky ones who honestly had or have parents who did or are doing the very best they know how to do, we get on our knees regularly and thank God for them. Whatever our relationship with parents is or was, we develop a healthy respect for God who models for us the honest and forever love of a good parent.

 Don’t murder. That one seems doable to most of us. Don’t commit adultery… that give some of us a very difficult time. Honestly, this concept can be very difficult to define as we look for biblical examples of what our society calls “traditional” relationships. What we see in practice looks more extremely non-traditional relationships. So, what it can boil down to for many of us is a commitment to live within the agreements or the boundaries to which we have agreed within our own partnership. I might suggest that an honest definition of adultery would be breaking the covenant that partners make with one another and with God. I am not able, within the context of this sermon, to develop that further, so, in summary, let me refer back to last week’s sermon during which I suggested, when you make promises, mean what you say and KEEP THEM. I will get off of some of your toes now and move forward.

 Don’t steal people’s stuff, don’t lie and don’t be jealous of your neighbor’s success and prosperity. I think we may be able to handle the first of these, but what about the second. Is it ever okay to lie? Is it okay to lie to protect someone or is it okay to lie to avoid hurting someone? Perhaps better yet, is it okay to lie when we’ve promised not to tell? The truth is this morning, I do not have the answers to all of those questions. “Don’t kill” falls in line with those, and even that leaves a lot of unanswered questions. What about war? Don’t kill. What about the death penalty? Don’t kill. Is it ever okay to kill someone? Sometimes, my sisters and brothers, the only honest answer might be, “I just don’t know.”That may be shocking to some of you. I acknowledge that I grew up in a church culture of black and white rules. At the very least, the Pastor was supposed to have the correct answer to every moral and ethical dilemma. Everything was either okay or wrong, good or bad, allowed or not allowed. That worked for a little while and then like you, I began to realize that very little in life is concrete. At times today I have to confess, “I don’t know.” Sometimes it a lie may be okay and at other times a lie absolutely is not okay. Some time I might encounter a situation where I would say somebody had to die. I just don’t know about that. The best news I have ever learned about questions such as these is that sometimes the answer is YES and at other times it is NO. God is a God of every situation and God is smart enough and big enough and wise enough to let us work out our own answers with God. We do not need a multi volume rule book to answer every one of life’s dilemmas for us. God is great enough to handle that and when our relationships with God are vital enough, we will grow more and more comfortable with answers like, “ I just don’t know.” The more I study, the more I realize how much there is that I just do not know. Are you experiencing that, too?

 So, in closing, allow me to make some suggestions to you about the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are not primarily a set of universal rules or laws. They are not just a binding list of do’s and don’ts for all times and all people in all places. They are not God’s attempt to summarize all the world’s wisdom on two stone tablets. What they are is this; the Ten Commanments are integral to the identity of a particular people in a particular time and place. Without a doubt, they clearly state basic morals and ethics that all kinds of people would and still do embrace for the better. Ultimately, however, the Ten Commandments are less about proper behavior than they are about identity. They tell us who we are, and more importantly, they tell us whose we are. The help us evaluate our relationships with God and with one another. Finally, the Ten Commandments are most importantly about the identity of God. They show us the character of God and of the people of God. They describe right relationships between children of God and one another.

 We come from many different backgrounds and many different theologies in MCC. Our identity and our theology are as intermixed as they possibly could be. Although they are both indispensible and incredibly difficult to understand fully, working diligently to follow them in our lives, in our relationship with God and in our relationships with one another can bring about a sense of order, a sense of peace, a sense of righteousness and a sense of readiness for what God is about to do, right before our very eyes. Law and Order, God’s way; it is a very good thing.

 God bless you. AMEN.

“Promises, Promises”

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

March 4, 2012

Trinity MCC

Introduction:

 Promises. What do they mean to you? Are they important or are they just a set-up for disappointment? Who makes promises to you? Do they keep their promises? To whom do you make promises and do you keep yours? Throughout the history of God and the people of God, we see God making what seem to be outrageous promises AND we see God keeping them. I want to lift up the example of both Abraham and Sarah this week as we consider the topic, “Promises Promises.” I also want to lift up an article by Professor Eliezer Siegal, The Legacy of Sarah and Abraham, which I found very helpful in this study. Would you pray with me?

God we are in the midst of journey together this Lenten season. We are often led into places we would rather not be, to face issues we would rather not face and to form relationships with those we would rather avoid. You promise us that your ways are best for us. Show us this morning, we pray. AMEN.

The Legacy of Sarah and Abraham:

 The perception that we are children of Abraham and Sarah is one of the central ideas in Jewish and, I must say, Christian consciousness. When I was growing up in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, we often sang, “Father Abraham had many sons….” Of course I wanted to edit the song just a little and sing “Father Abraham had many sons AND DAUGHTERS” or “Mother Sarah had many daughters AND SONS.” You know what I mean.

 In Jewish practice, three times every day, the traditional liturgy begins with a passage that highlights the relationship with “Our God and God of our fathers (and mothers).” It is true that the patriarchs (and unfortunately not the matriarchs) are mentioned briefly in this prayer, and the blessing culminates in these words so packed with meaning, “Sovereign (GOD) who helps, saves and protects – Blessed are you Lord God, the Shield of Abraham.” In the Jewish tradition, converts to the faith are called, “Children of Abraham,” much like we call ourselves “Children of God” in fulfillment of the Divine promise that Abraham would become “the father of nations.”

 Generations of scholars have worked hard to identify the unique qualities of Abraham that made him worthy of initiating the covenant between God and the people. The Jewish mystics see the personalities of the Bible as embodiments of Divine qualities. The attribute these mystics ascribe to Abraham is, in the Hebrew, hesed agape. Scholars have debated on the precise meaning of this term. For me, it seems clearest to suggest that this is not just agape love, Godly love, the love of God for the people of God. It is covenant love, promised love than insinuates that God loves the people of God and the people of God love God and one another because they have made a promise to do so. It is not just that touchy feely kind of love that says casually, “I love you,” because it feels good. This is that deeper kind of love that says “I love you because I made a promise to love you.” I love you when it feels good and I love you when it feels bad. I love you when I feel happy about our relationship and I love you when I feel horrible about it. I’ve decided that I am going to incorporate hesed agape into my own practice of marriage preparation because that is exactly what I mean when I suggest to couples and to all of you that love is both a feeling and a decision. Now here is Good News, Gospel, if you will from the Hebrew Bible: God loves us because God has promised to love us. The second part of that Good News is that we are called to love God with all our hearts, minds and souls. Why, because we have promised to do so. We promised when we were baptized, we promised when we became church members and every time we claim our identity as children of God we are promising to keep our part of the bargain by loving God as much as God loves us. That, my sisters and brothers is the way we keep promises made to us and by us. Promises, Promises!

 Remember these words from Deuteronomy 7, in summary of God’s covenantal history, “ God did not set God’s love upon you nor choose you because you were greater in number. God chose you because God loved you, and because God would keep the promise which God swore to your ancestors. That is why God has brought you out and lifted you up and blessed you in such manner as this. Know that YHWH your God is the faithful, is the faithful God who keeps God’s promises and shows mercy on those who love God. Promises: God is faithful and keeps the covenant and is merciful and even more so to those who keep their promises back to God.

 Rabbai Hiyya summarizes these lessons in a comment that I hope describes us, The Rabbai writes, Israel (and all the children of God) possess three good qualities: They are shamefaced (meaning that they are humble), they are compassionate, and they perform acts of kindness.

 Of course Abraham alone could not have produced a legacy for future generations. In this task he had a capable partner, Sarah. Sarah was viewed by the Jewish mystics as a representative of the divine presence in the world, the Shekhinah, a concept closely akin to the Christian idea of the Holy Spirit. I like to refer to her with a term I learned from Rev. Dr. Barbara Essex, “Sarah is a bodacious woman.” She’s just fabulous.

 You know how much I love to study the Hebrew Bible. I could preach many sermons on this passage along. For today, however, let me close with this. Our own piety and our own covenant promise with God will never allow us to remove ourselves from the marketplace, from the public forum or from the material world in which we live. Professor Segal writes and I quote, “ On the contrary, our role is to bring the Divine down to the world so that the world will become imbued with the divine spirit. Traditional Jews see the performance of the commandments, themitzvot, as the vehicle for imprinting the world with God's will. It was this facet of God's "worldliness," his direct involvement in the human condition that is represented in the personality of the Matriarch Sarah, whose solid realism frequently reins in the excesses of her husband's uncritical generosity. It seems to me that these two personality types were meant to work in a careful balance. It is only through the combination of their qualities that the divine will could be transmitted to future generations of humanity.”

 My sisters and brothers, God has made a promise to us that God will always be faithful to us. I stand before you this morning to proclaim that our redeemer is faithful and true. Every promise God has made to us, God will do. Every day, every single day God shows loving mercy on us and blesses us in ways we do not even realize. And I also know this; we have made some promises to God. To love God, to live God, to share God, to love each other, to walk peacefully with each other and to be a blessing to every person who comes our way. I’m calling on all of us this morning to renew our promises with God, to live into them for all we’re worth. I’m calling on us to use this Lent to become as faithful to God as God is to us. Let us make this as season of Promises. Let’s make it a season when we become mindful of all the promises God has made and keeps to us, and let us become mindful of our own hesed agape promise to love God by loving the people of God…ALL of them.

 God bless you. AMEN.

Places, Places Everyone

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

February 26, 2012 – Lent 1

Trinity MCC

Introduction:

 I grew up in Florida and I have a profound respect for snakes. The first encounter I remember with one of them was in a public park where my extended maternal family was gathered for a picnic. My aunt Sheila, who is only eight years older than I am, and I were on a swing when suddenly she began to scream, “Snake! Snake!” Several of the men, including my father, came running over with limbs and knives and whatever weapons they could pick up and they killed the snake. Most of the family considered them heroes. I felt sorry for the snake. Years later while I was working at Tampa Bay Academy I encountered another snake. Just as I began to sit down in the bathroom this little tiny creature came slithering past my feet. I leapt up suddenly and almost knocked the door down on the way out of it, pulling up my pants later. What a sight! So imagine Eve taking an afternoon stroll around the biblical garden of Eden when suddenly she encounters not just a snake, but one that talks to her. God’s divine stage is set as the director calls out, “Places, Places everyone.” Would you pray with me?

God we thank you for the many ways you teach us. Show us your ways again this morning, even through the lives of snakes, we pray. AMEN.

Sermon:

 Episcopal Divinity School Professor Gale Yee writes, “…the story of Eve and Adam has been pivotal in legitimating a long history of woman’s subordinate status and symbolization as evil…” It is very interesting to me that this story is generally interpreted as Eve being alone with the serpent. However, when we look carefully at the text we realize that Adam was with her the whole time, including the moment when she is involved in this conversation with the snake. Remember that phrase, “She gave some to her husband WHO WAS WITH HER. And, he says nothing to the contrary. He takes the fruit from her and he eats it. Let’s reframe the story right here at the beginning. This is not a story about the woman being tempted. It is about a man and a woman being tempted and both of them giving in to temptation. Those are the real facts of the story.

 Now men, you know I love you so let me just say that I am aware of my intent and my potential impact here. Like so many of us are known to do, Adam takes no responsibility for his actions at all and immediately begins to blame the woman. . In his Queer Bible Commentary, article, Michael Carden points out that “many centuries of male exegesis have followed the man in blaming the woman and taking license to engage in astonishing misogynistic vilification. In so doing they have followed the man’s footsteps, continuing the process of subordination initiated when the man named the women”. To take Carden’s thesis a step further, we all know that women are not the only ones whose lives have been impacted by this story. Churches and religious institutions for thousands of years have oppressed people with this thing they call the “doctrine of original sin.” It brings about a false concept of an angry God watching and waiting to punish for being the people God created us to be. Perhaps one word of good news this morning is that we can liberate ourselves from that kind of false doctrine as we embrace this model we call liberation theology. In Liberation Theology, this business about a talking snake and human committing a sin by eating of a tree has different implications for us. It is about shared responsibility for decisions shared by all parties involved. It is not, however about shame and blame and oppression that has followed from Eve all the way through to this generation of women and outsiders.. The doctrine of original sin has no place in liberation theology thinking. Sin is a social issue, so when reflecting on sin, the biblical story that comes to mind for Liberation Theology is the story of Cain and Abel (Cain killing his brother) not the story of Eve eating some fruit. While I’m at it, let me just lay it out there that using a story of two men who committed sin as the model for original sin certainly would have been challenging, and, in fact, would never have happened for the “Fathers” of our faith. 

 The reality of sin is about people’s separation from God and from one other. A result of that separation is inhumanity among humans. It’s about human cruelty towards one another. It is about those with power oppressing others with that power. Here is the bottom line; sin is about those behaviors that separate us from one another and build walls between us and each other and by doing so, separate us from and build walls between us and God.

 The gospel reading this morning sets up the practice of lent perfectly for us as it presents Jesus as both one who is tempted by sin and as one who overcomes temptation. I love what my colleague The Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins wrote about Lent this week. He says, “Lent is for us a liturgical journey toward renewal (Spring, Easter, Resurrection) and empowerment (Pentecost) so that we can move forward in ministry, mission, and outreach (Ordinary Time). We will sometimes be troubled by doubts, regrets, fears (demons) but can be assured that the “better angels of our natures” can prevail and there is important work for us to do.”

 So, my sisters and brothers, we have many participants ready to play a role. We have the story of ancient couple that we call Adam and Eve; both of them. We have a talking serpent, some would call the Devil who tempted them and tempted Jesus and continues to tempt us. We have Jesus who both endured temptation and overcame it. And we have ourselves as active participants in the fabric of Lent 2012.

What will you make of it? How will you use it? Let me make a few brief suggestions.

1. Get to know God. Through whatever means necessary, do whatever you need to do to learn and know more about God this Lent.

2. Get to know you. Take an honest assessment of where you are in your own spiritual and behavioral development.

3. This is the hard one. Take responsibility for your own actions, and for the consequences thereof. Avoid the temptation to blame them on someone who is weaker, someone who is long gone, someone who is less powerful. 

4. Take on the role model of Jesus who was tempted in every way that you are tempted, and overcame temptation.

 My prayer for all of us this season is that along with all these other players, we will take our place in the fabric of the people of God, too. I pray that we will find the courage necessary to conquer our own demons, difficult as they might be. I pray that through this practice all of us together will move further along the path toward living with Jesus every moment of every day of every month of every year …you know what I mean, an on out through eternity.

Places! Places, everyone! God bless you. AMEN.

First Reading Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Jim East

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’ Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.” ’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

 Here ends the reading. 

Thanks be to God.

February 26, 2012

*Gospel Reading Mark 1:9-15 Barb Petersen

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

The gospel of Christ.

Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ.

Let Your Mantle Fall on Me

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

February 19, 2012

Trinity MCC

Introduction:

 Think back with me to someone, probably a little older than you, someone that you grew up knowing and admiring. Perhaps that person for you was a family member, a member of your church, a pastor or a teacher. I remember as a little boy learning to play the piano and sing, I didn’t just love Barry Manilow; I wanted to BE Barry Manilow. You know how much I loved and admired my Granddaddy and in some ways I wanted to be so much like him. Who do you admire? Whose life would you love to emulate? Who is that person that, when you look at her or him you think, “I so wish I could be like that?” Or in spiritual terms, whose mantle would you like to fall on you? Pray with me:

God we thank you for Godly role models, for people who enlighten us, not just with their words but also with their lives. Teach us to be like them while you teach us to be like you. Let your mantle fall on us, we pray. AMEN.

Sermon:

 You have heard it once this morning and let me just reiterate it for us, “Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.” What does it mean to be transfigured? What is this all about?

 I agree with my friend and colleague Rev. Tania Guzman when she says that this is one of the most bizarre readings in all the gospels. It leaves many questions unanswered. Still there is a message in it for us. Besides representing the law and the prophets, it was believed that Moses and Elijah were key figures in eschatology, or in thinking about the end of time as the people knew it. According to the Hebrew scripture, Elijah went to heaven alive and Moses’ grave was never found. Some would go as far as to say that God buried him. So it was believed that God would send these two figures to announce the end of time. Jesus was announcing the coming of “The Kingdom of God”. So for the gospel writer, what better endorsement could he hope for than for Jesus than the endorsement of these key figures, Moses and Elijah? 

 The writer also appears to be using some of the elements from the Moses’ stories: the clouds symbolizing the presence of God, the mention of the six days could be for the six days that the cloud was at mount Sinai, the shining figure of Jesus like the shining figure of Moses. So it seems that elements from the Moses stories are brought into this story, more than likely to give more validity to the story.

 We have represented in the story the Moses and the law, Elijah and the prophets and the ministry of Liberation in Jesus. When the disciples looked around, the representatives of the law and the prophets were gone and only Jesus and his role model of the work of liberation remained. I think that has a lot to say to us this morning as those committed to the gospel of liberation. You see we are not just some new fangled social gospel church, we are not just a bunch of liberal, left wing Christians. We are children of God living into God’s calling to liberate the captive by following the example of Jesus. It sounds outrageous to me and it is still true, that our deepest desire is for the mantle of Jesus that represents his ministry and his life to fall directly on us today and every day. There’s a gospel song that says, “Jesus is my music, Jesus is my song, I want to sing his praises all day long.” I want to suggest to you that this is a pretty song and it’s just a beginning. I want to sing praises to Jesus and I want to do more than that. I want to emulate the life and ministry of Jesus. I want to do ministry the way Jesus did it. I want to love people the way Jesus loves people. AND even more than that, I want my life, as much of it as is possible, to be like Jesus. Are you with me this morning? Our deepest desire as children of God is to be that desire to live like Jesus, and to have Jesus’ mantle for daily living fall on us. That is what it means to be a follower of Jesus, that is what it means to be a disciple, that, my sisters and brothers is what it means to be a Christian, a child of God, a member of the Kin-dom family of God.

 I love the story of Elijah and Elisha. Elisha was the protégé of the old prophet Elijah. Elisha had studied with him and lived with him and sometimes fought with him. Elisha was in line to be the next prophet of God. He was well-prepared although he was not convinced of that fact. At the end of Elijah’s life on earth we see a picture of him being taken up into heaven by God. Elisha, the young prophet, is scared. He does not know what to do our how he will survive, and he calls out, “Father, Father.” That call to us might sound more like “Daddy, Daddy,” help me, protect me, get me out of here. He is so distraught he tears his own clothes into pieces and then he sees the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him. He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the River Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. Elisha was scared, he did not know what to do and he took the mantle of Elijah and became the prophetic voice of God, even as Elijah passed over.

 Let your mantle fall on me. Let your mantle fall on me. A double portion of your Spirit, God, Let your mantle fall on me. Let your mantle of peace and justice fall on me, God. Let you mantle of loving kindness fall on me God. Let your mantle of service fall on me, Lord. A double portion of your Spirit God, let it fall and fall and fall and fall on me, God. Let your mantle fall on me I pray this day, in the many names of Jesus. AMEN.
 

The Gift of Healing

Rev. Dr. Jim Merritt

February 12, 2012

Trinity MCC

Introduction:

 Healing and Casting out Demons. What do you think about it? Have you ever experienced it? Do you believe in it? Is Jesus the only one with the power to heal? Can people still be healed today? Do you believe in miracles? What needs to be healed in your life? Would you pray with me? God, we have experienced your presence here all through this weekend. We give you thanks and praise for every moment we have enjoyed here. Speak to us now through your word, teach about healing and casting out demons, give us ears to hear, minds to comprehend and courage to follow. In Jesus name we pray. AMEN.

Sermon:

 Today I am taking a break from my usual method on analyzing the Biblical Text in order to share some stories with you. Listen to them. First this one by an unknown author.

 Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."[1]

 Listen to this one, called The Smell of Rain. A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in Dallas as the Doctor walked into the small hospital room of Diana Blessing. Still groggy from surgery, her husband David held her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news. That afternoon of March 10,1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24-weeks pregnant, to undergo an emergency cesarean to deliver the couple's new daughter, Danae Lu Blessing. At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound and nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature. Still, the doctor's soft words dropped like bombs. "I don't think she's going to make it," he said, as kindly as he could "There's only a 10-percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could be a very cruel one."

 Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Danae would likely face if she survived. She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be blind, and she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation, and on and on. "No! No!" was all Diana could say. Through the dark hours of morning as Danae held onto life by the thinnest thread David walked in one day and said that we needed to talk about making funeral arrangements. Diana remembers "I felt so bad for him because he was doing everything, trying to include me in what was going on, but I just wouldn't listen, I couldn't listen." I said, "No, that is not going to happen, no way! I don't care what the doctors say; Danae is not going to die! One day she will be just fine, and she will be coming home with us!"

 Danae clung to life hour after hour, with the help of every medical machine and marvel her miniature body could endure. Danae's under-developed nervous system was essentially 'raw', the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort, so they couldn't even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer the strength of their love. All they could do was to pray that God would stay close to their precious little girl. There was never a moment when Danae suddenly grew stronger. But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an\ounce of strength there.

 At last, when Danae turned two months old, her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time. One day Danae went home from the hospital, just as her mother had predicted. Today, five years later, Danae is a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life. She shows no signs, what so ever, of any mental or physical impairment.

 One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996, Danae was sitting in her mother's lap in the bleachers while her brother Dustin's baseball team was practicing. Suddenly, Danae fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, Danae asked, "Do you smell that?" Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, her mother replied, "Yes, it smells like rain." Danae closed her eyes and again asked, "Do you smell that?" Once again, her mother replied, "Yes, I think we're about to get wet, it smells like rain." Still caught in the moment, Danae shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, "No, it smells like Gof. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest." Tears blurred Diana's eyes. Her daughter's words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along. During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Danae on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembered so well.[2]

 We have heard many storied like these throughout our lives. Our readings today and all of scripture is filled with stories of miraculous healings. Healings from illness, healings from mental distress, healings from hurts too deep to mention that we’ve carried with us for far too long. My sisters and brothers, today can be your day of healing, too. As in all of these situations, God is a healer. Jesus is a caster off of whatever and everything that holds you back. God invites you to lay down your burdens, your hurts, your illnesses and to rest on God’s loving chest today. You can be healed. Rise and be healed in the name of Jesus. He will make you every wit whole. God bless you this morning. AMEN.

First Reading 2 Kings 5:1-17 

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. And the king of Aram said, “Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.” He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments. He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.” But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.”

So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.”But he said, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing!” He urged him to accept, but he refused. Then Naaman said, “If not, please let two mule-loads of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god except the Lord. 

*Gospel Reading Mark 1:40-45 

A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself

to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

TRINITY METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

I. Purpose

The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are guiding documents for the management of Trinity Metropolitan Community Church of Gainesville, Inc.

II. Changes and Additions

Amendments to the SOPs can only be made by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

III. Church Membership

The rite of membership shall be conducted by the pastoral leader before the congregation at any regular worship service. The interim, provisional, or senior pastor or a person of his/her designation would choose the contents of the membership class, but it should contain member rights and responsibilities as outlined in Trinity MCC bylaws.

IV. Conduct of Congregational Meetings

A. Business shall be conducted in accordance with UFMCC Bylaws, Trinity Metropolitan Community Church Bylaws and Standard Operating Procedures and Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

B. Prior to the meeting, the moderator shall appoint a parliamentarian.

C. Voting will be by written ballot for every elected office. At the discretion of the Moderator, other votes may be taken by voice or show of hands. Only members present and in good standing may vote, but everyone in attendance may speak to the motion.

D. The names of candidates elected will be announced prior to adjournment of the meeting. The count will remain confidential.

Ballots will be retained for the duration of the office held. A recount of the ballots may be requested by a majority vote of the congregation.

E. Written reports from all standing and ad hoc teams (at the discretion of the Board of Directors) shall be turned into the Church Clerk at least two weeks prior to the annual meeting. These reports shall be copied and distributed to members at the worship service prior to the congregational meeting.

V. Team Guidelines

A. Nominating Team

1. Posting positions to be filled by an election - At least two (2) months prior to the congregational meeting, the Chairperson of the Nominating Team shall obtain a list of positions to be filled by election from the Clerk of the Board of Directors. It is the responsibility of the Nominating Team to approach and encourage qualified candidates to run for these offices.

The Chairperson shall convene a meeting of team members for the purpose of informing them of the positions to be filled. At this meeting, the chairperson shall appoint a recorder. Following the meeting, notice of the positions to be filled together with an open invitation to those interested in filling positions, shall be posted in the church and church offices and published in the Sunday bulletin.

Team members shall provide a description of qualifications and duties for the position to be filled to each potential candidate for that position. When at least one (1) month has elapsed for persons to indicate their interest in being a candidate, the Chairperson shall convene a meeting of team members for the purpose of nominating candidates for each position to be filled by election.

2. Questionnaire/Resume for church positions - A Questionnaire/Resumé for Church Positions form must be completed by each candidate by a designated date, to be considered by the Nominating Team. The Nominating Team is responsible for the Questionnaire/Resume forms.

3. Elections - The nominating team recorder shall prepare a written ballot and shall be responsible for seeing that adequate ballots are available for the congregational vote. The Chairperson shall report the nominations of the Team to the Congregational Meeting. Nominations from the floor are considered write-in candidates and shall be added to the ballot. Elected write-in candidates are subject to standard administrative processing, including back ground checks and must meet the qualifications for the office as stated in the By-laws.

B. Pastoral Search Team

1. In the event of a vacancy in the pulpit, the Nominating Team shall appoint two (2) lay members in good standing to join the Board of Directors to constitute a Pastoral Search Team. Members of the same household, their spouses or signification other, shall not serve simultaneously on the Pastoral Search Team.

2. The role of the Pastoral Search Team - The Pastoral Search Team shall be responsible for seeking and interviewing potential candidates to fill a vacancy of the church’s Senior Pastor. The following shall be taken into consideration during the process:

(a) The Elder serving the Region shall be contacted for advice and guidance. The Elder will also provide guidance as to whether an Interim Pastor might be engaged.

(b) A survey of the congregation shall be undertaken to ascertain the qualities needed to lead the congregation at this stage of the Church’s life and growth.

(c) When the Search Team has identified the scope of its pastoral need, a letter shall be drafted and forwarded to the Director of Leadership Development at UFMCC, UFMCC clergy, and clergy candidates.

(d) The Team shall prepare an information packet containing details on the Church and its ministry, the city and community, as well as a list of information sought from the applicants.

(e) All responses shall be kept in the strictest confidence.

(f) The Team shall present a budget to the Board detailing the cost of bringing the candidate along with spouse or significant other to visit the church. This shall include travel, hotel accommodations, car rental and out of pocket expenses. The budget shall also include relocation costs for the successful candidate and family.

(g) The Team shall prepare a short list of applicants, view videos of preaching and conduct phone interviews.

(h) One candidate shall be selected and announced to the congregation. The candidate’s resumé and statement of faith shall be made available to the congregation. Arrangements shall be made for the congregation to view the candidate’s video prior to the candidate’s visit.

(i) Arrangements will be made with the candidate to visit the church for a period of at least 8 consecutive days including two (2) Sundays. A special congregational meeting to elect the candidate as Pastor shall be scheduled at the end of the visit or shortly thereafter.

(j) If a candidate fails to get sufficient votes, or declines the invitation, a second choice shall be selected and the invitation process repeated.

(k) The search process normally takes 6-12 months

C. SOP Committee

The SOP Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members appointed by the Board of Directors. The committee shall meet at least annually and receive and initiate proposed amendments to the Standard Operating Procedures of Trinity MCC and submit them for action by the Board of Directors.

VI. Pastoral Staff

A. Pastor

1. Qualifications. The Pastor shall be an ordained UFMCC clergy person with a current License to Practice issued by UFMCC. 

2. A Pastor with the minimum of a Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent is highly desired.

3. Terms of Contract. The Pastor will be provided a written contract. It is recommended that the following elements be included:

(a) Legal names of both parties

(b) Signatures of each party

(c) Designation of the clergy person as either employed or self-employed

(d) Job description

(e) Terms of employment and conditions for renewal

(f) Grounds for discipline or dismissal, and any procedure that must be followed

(g) An arbitration clause committing the clergy person and the church to utilize arbitration to resolve disputes rather than civil courts

(h) Terms of compensation for the clergy person

(i) Schedule for performance review

Additionally, a provision shall be included that makes the contract “subordinate to the policies of UFMCC.” It is also important to be aware of provisions in UFMCC Bylaws which state that “Unilateral failure to renew a pastoral contract does not constitute removal of the Pastor from office.”

B. Interim Pastor

In the event of a pastoral vacancy the congregation may elect an Interim Pastor while the pastoral search is in process. The person elected shall meet UFMCC guidelines for Interim Pastors and would not be eligible to apply for the position of Pastor. The Interim Pastor shall not be a member of the Board of Directors nor act as its moderator; however they may attend in an advisory capacity. They shall not serve on the Pastoral Search Committee.

When a Provisional Pastor is in place these SOPs defer to The UFMCC Transitional Ministry Manual.

C. Pastor as Personnel Director

The Pastor shall act as personnel director of the church staff and shall have the authority to delegate responsibilities and duties as seem wise. The Pastor shall present a budget request for staff support to the board of directors. The Pastor will determine vacation periods and titles and responsibilities of the church staff. An Associate Pastor, compensated or uncompensated, may be appointed by the Pastor under these guidelines.

D. Deacons

1. Definition: Within the UFMCC By-laws (IV.A.2), Deacons are affirmed as a lay ministry within the local church.

2. Training:

(a) A Deacon Candidate shall serve a minimum period of six months training under the supervision of the Pastor, or someone appointed by the Pastor or having served a minimum of one year as a Deacon in another MCC congregation within the past five years. The Pastor may require persons with previous Deacon experience to receive training specific to Trinity MCC’s needs.

(b) Deacon candidates will be trained in the following areas:

(i) Celebration of Holy Communion

(ii) UFMCC Rites and Sacraments

(iii) Basic Pastoral Care Skills

(iv) Hospital Visitation

(v) Bereavement Support

(vi) Inclusiveness & Diversity

(vii) Deacon’s Pantry & Benevolence Fund

3. Responsibilities

(a) Participation in Worship Service, including the consecration of Holy

Communion, administering of Baptism, the rite of Laying on of Hands, the Anointing with Oil and the rite of Blessing (as set out in UFMCC bylaws Article IIIB & C).

(b) Hospital Visitation to those who are ill, providing communion if requested.

(c) Providing on call pastoral care.

(d) Assist in or direct specific pastoral programs as requested by the Pastor.

(e) Be available before and after worship to greet members and visitors.

(f) Assist or officiate at funerals or memorial services as requested by the Pastor.

4. Dress Code. Deacons and Deacon Candidates, while assisting in the worship service and when representing the church, shall be neatly and appropriately attired.

5. Conduct and Discipline

(a) Deacons are expected to model loyalty and commitment as members the Church. Unbecoming conduct or disloyalty as defined in the UFMCC Code of Conduct shall be cause for removal.

(b) Attendance at weekly worship service and church events is strongly encouraged. The Pastor shall be notified of anticipated absences.

(c) The ministry and responsibility of Deacons to Trinity MCC extend only to the area specific to Trinity MCC. Ministry beyond this requires approval of the Pastor.

E. Clergy Candidates

Persons wishing to pursue professional ministry within UFMCC or another denomination, and who have enrolled in an appropriate course of education may participate in the ministry of Trinity Metropolitan Community Church with the designation of Clergy Candidate, under the supervision of the Pastor, and with the endorsement of the Board of Directors. Specifics for clergy training in UFMCC are published in the Clergy Manual, available from the UFMCC website

F. Guest Ministry

The Pastor may invite guest ministry in line with Board and budgetary guidelines. The Board of Directors shall determine the level of reimbursement within the overall church budget.

VII. Non Board Administrative Positions

A. Assistant Treasurer

The members shall elect an Assistant Treasurer. The election shall take place at the Congregational Meeting opposite to which the Treasurer is elected. The Nominations Committee shall seek nominations for this position. The Assistant Treasurer shall not serve on the Board of Directors but may seek election as Treasurer, or may be appointed to the position in case of the Treasurer’s position being vacant. The Assistant Treasurer serves a two year term and may be re-elected.

The duties of the Assistant Treasurer shall include, but not be limited to, the counting and banking of money in the Treasurer’s absence and serving on the Finance and Budget committee. They shall not be a signatory of the church’s checkbook or other legal documents.

VIII. Risk Management

A. Insurance and Liability

1. Annual Review - As part of the Board’s fiduciary responsibility for the church’s assets, insurance shall be reviewed annually to insure that there is adequate insurance to cover losses.

2. Documentation - Documentation must be kept in the following areas:

(a) Annual Board approval of the insurance coverage must be documented in Board minutes and any action taken to decrease/increase insurance coverage must be reflected.

(b) A video inventory of all church assets shall be prepared annually and at least one copy kept in the church’s safe deposit box. Back up files of all computer data shall also be kept off-site. Records showing costs and/or appraisals of hard-to-value assets shall be maintained.

(c) Permanent legal documents such as title to real estate, wills or bequests, insurance policies, etc shall be copied and the originals shall be kept off the church premises in the safe deposit box. Copies shall be kept on file at the church office.

3. Contact with the Insurance Company - As soon as a loss is discovered or an allegation of misconduct or a liability issue is raised, the insurance company shall be contacted.

One Board member shall be appointed as liaison with the insurance company.

4. Types of Insurance - In appraising the Church’s insurance coverage, the following areas shall be considered.

(a) General Liability (Multi-Peril). This policy responds to lawsuits, which may involve personal or property injury, bodily injury, damage and sexual misconduct or molestation. This insurance shall apply whether or not the injury or damage occurs at or away from the church and is caused by an employee, volunteer, church or board member or virtually anyone else while acting on the behalf of the church.

(b) Professional Liability. A special concern of churches is the exposure which the clergy has from counseling.

(c) Director’s & Officers (D&O). Available either as an option in a multi-peril policy or as a separate liability policy. The coverage may be referred to as “errors and omissions,” “directors and officers,” or “directors, officers and trustees” insurance.

(d) Property Insurance. Property insurance covers the main church buildings and their contents. The amount shall cover rebuilding and contents replacement costs in the event of total destruction.

[Per the suggestion of the 2008 SOPs review committee, Article VIII. Risk Management: Section B. Confidentiality, has been removed from the SOPs as it duplicates Article X of the bylaws]

C. Background Checks

The Board of Directors shall undertake background checks for all officers, employees and Deacons of the church other than licensed UFMCC clergy. The Board shall also request background checks on volunteers working in areas where the church could be liable, such as working with children and seniors, and the handling of money. These background checks will be marked “confidential” and maintained in confidential personnel files of the church.

D. Activities for Children, Youth and Seniors

1. Selection of Workers - All workers, whether paid or volunteer, who work with children, youth or seniors shall be screened through the following process:

(a) Completion of a screening form;

(b) Completion of a criminal records check authorization form;

(c) Reference checks with a written record of responses;

(d) A criminal records check initiated and paid for by the church

(e) A personal interview

All of the above information shall be marked “confidential” and maintained in confidential personnel files of the church. Applicants who have been convicted or have plead guilty to criminal charges of sexual abuse or molestation shall not be placed in positions working with children or youth.

 Volunteers seeking to work with children shall have been members of the church for at least six months prior to applying for a position.

2. Supervision of Children’s Workers. For activities outside of regular Sunday worship, the church shall adopt a “two adult” rule: two adult supervisors, from separate households, shall be present at all church sponsored activities for children or youth. Where parents are not present, written parental permission shall be required for the participation of children or minors in any church sponsored activity. Special attention shall be given to overnight activities for youth to assure that such activities are carefully planned in writing, approved by church leaders and have an adequate number of approved adult supervisors.

The church shall also maintain a written statement of all applicable policies concerning its programs and activities for children and youth, and all workers shall have read and signed copies of this statement.

3. Reporting Abuse. The church shall be aware of the State of Florida’s mandatory reporting law governing the reporting of abuse. See Addendum #1.

4. UFMCC Directive issued in March, 1985:

“While the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches strongly endorses the concept that control over our own bodies is a God-given right as well as a major issue in the foundation of our Fellowship; we equally recognize that our relationships with others must be based on mutual, informed consent. In light of the position, the Board of Elders issues the following Pastoral Directive to all of our member churches:

All coercive sexual activity with persons who are helpless in the situation by virtue of age, abilities, dependency, or any other circumstance cannot be approved or condoned.

Further, sexual activity between adults and children can never be condoned by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches under any circumstance. Such activity is always inherently coercive even when it appears on the surface to be voluntary and the product of mutual consent. The disenfranchisement and the dependency of children in all cultures in the world underscores the reality that adults hold both overt and covert power over children to the degree that informed consent is not possible.”

IX.Conflict Resolution

A. Direct Dealing and Conflict Management

It is the policy of Trinity MCC and its administrative bodies to directly deal with people regarding issues of the church and to teach all members, staff and friends in proper methods of direct dealing. Administrative bodies will refuse to deal with proposals or concerns where the proponents are not willing to identify, by name, the individuals involved. Those named, as well as the person said to represent them, must be present or in writing before the concern or proposal will be considered. If the individuals are not willing to represent themselves, the administrative body will not consider nor address the issue.

If resolution cannot be accomplished, following scriptural guidelines, persons with a grievance or concern are instructed to take their concern directly to the person or ministry group involved in the matter. Parties involved may request that someone serve as a facilitator to help the parties resolve their conflict. This meeting will require all parties present. If the conflict still cannot be resolved, the parties may request that the Board of Directors assist in seeking resolution to the conflict.

Any meeting of the Board of Directors that shall involve discussion of the personal affairs, membership status, or grievance of any named individual may be conducted in closed or open session at the request of the individual involved. In cases of grievances all parties concerned shall be present. Closed session means that only duly elected or appointed members of the Board shall be present and where called for, the persons concerned.

The Board of Directors will address conflict with individuals, staff or friend, and clearly specify how their behavior is unhealthy and causing disruption in the congregation and request that a change in their behavior occur. Unwillingness to change their behavior may cause the Board to move for this member, staff or friends removal from the church.

When there are conflicts or difficulty within a local church, including apparent irreconcilable differences between the Pastor and congregation, the Elder serving the Region shall have the authority to interface with that church, to take appropriate measures, to provide resources and support, and to attend and voice at any meeting of the local church administrative body or Congregations Meeting. (UFMCC Bylaws Article V4b&C)

X. Financial Management

A. Counting Money

All collected income including tithes, fundraising proceeds, and freewill donations, shall be counted by two members of the congregation, not from the same household, of whom at least one must be a member of the Board of Directors. For security purpose, the money will be counted privately immediately after the service or event. Church funds will then immediately be deposited in the bank holding the church accounts.

B. Expenditures

Except for recurring operational expenses and emergencies, bids from three vendors shall be submitted to the Board of Directors prior to purchase of single items costing $200 or more

With the exception of sales taxes for hotels and meals, sale tax is not a reimbursable expense. Members making purchases on behalf of the church shall furnish the church tax number to the vendor and request tax exemption. These reimbursable expenditures need to be approved by the Pastor and two (2) Board members.

Receipts for authorized purchases on behalf of the church must be presented to the Treasurer no later than thirty days following the date of purchase. All requests for reimbursement must be accompanied by an itemized vendor receipt.

Travel reimbursement requires prior approval of the Board of Directors and is limited to per diem expenses and allowable travel expenses as established by the Board.

A petty cash fund may be maintained for special operational expenses for the church and/or office. Approval of all disbursement from petty cash must be obtained from the Treasurer prior to disbursement. Original receipts must be submitted to the Treasurer to account for disbursement from petty cash and must be signed and dated by the purchaser. The Treasurer’s report to the Board of Directors will include petty cash disbursements.

C. Donations

1. The Board of Directors will consider donations of major equipment, furniture, or articles and will make a decision whether to accept or reject the offer of each item.

2. If an item is accepted by the Board of Directors, a letter or memo will be entered into the church files indicating the disposition of the article. The letter or memo shall include the name of the person making the denotation and the date it was received. A letter of appreciation shall also be sent to the benefactor.

D. Audits

The Board of Directors shall seek an audit or review of the church finances at least every two years. The audit may be conducted internally by members or friends of the church with necessary skill. The Pastor shall not be part of the audit team.

XI. Benevolence Fund

The Benevolence Fund is designed to meet the immediate needs of persons in distress and shall be used to cover direct services, i.e., services without which the recipient would be destitute or in personal danger, but is not limited to emergency food, clothing, and shelter. Expenses over the amount of $100 shall require the approval of the Pastor and two (2) Board members. All requests for money from the Benevolence Fund shall be in writing. All checks will be made payable for the service received, never to the recipient.

XII. Global Fund

A Global Fund shall be set up to provide financial assistance for developing MCC congregations or MCC congregations who have suffered disaster. This fund shall be separate from the General Fund and not be subject to tithes. The Board of Directors shall determine distribution of these funds, on the recommendations of the Pastor. The Pastor shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors who shall determine how these funds are disbursed.

[Per the suggestion of the 2008 SOPs review committee and the 2010 SOPs review committee, the endowment fund, formerly XIII, has been removed from the SOPs. See appendix 1 for endowment information]

XIV. Administrative Procedures

A. Document Retention

1. A copy of Board Meeting minutes, Congregational Meeting minutes, Membership Roll and Endowment Fund quarterly reports shall be retained in the church office as a permanent record.

2. Original copies of financial records shall be kept for a minimum of seven (7) years onsite. Back-up copies of all records should also be kept off-site.

3. Non-financial support documentation, attendance records, ballots and board reports may be destroyed after three (3) years.

B. Safe Deposit Box

Permanent legal documents such as title to real estate, wills or bequests, insurance policies, etc. shall be copied and copies or originals kept off the church premises in a safe deposit box or another secure location. The Pastor and the Treasurer shall make an annual inventory.

XV. Buildings and Grounds

A. Building Use

1. Rental fees will be determined by the Board of Directors. The Board shall set rental fees at the beginning of each fiscal year.

2. All requests for use of the building(s) must be submitted on the approved Rental Agreement Form to the Pastor or Board of Directors. See Addendum #2.

3. The Church shall be reimbursed at fair market value for all damages to the property. A security deposit may be required before rental of the church property.

4. The Pastor and the Board of Directors shall determine which types of events or activities will be acceptable.

5. No illegal drugs or substances shall be permitted on the church premises.

6. Smoking is permitted only in the designated smoking area.

7. Alcohol may only be consumed on church grounds for specific events pre-approved by the Pastor and the Board of Directors.

B. Maintenance and Security

1. The Board of Directors shall establish a method to review the church building upkeep needs and to make needed repairs as quickly as possible.

2. All major construction in and to buildings or structural changes shall be approved by the Board of Directors prior to buying or soliciting supplies for the completion of work.

3. The Board of Directors shall appoint a security person who will be responsible for key control and building security during all rentals.

4. The Board of Directors shall ensure that an inventory of all non-expendable church property is conducted on an annual basis.

C. Interment of Ashes

1. It is the preferred practice that ashes be scattered along the Memorial Trail in the area between the AIDS ribbon and the amphitheater.

2. No coffins may be buried on the premises at any time.

3. Ashes may be interred only at the discretion of the Board of Directors and then only along the area around the Memorial Stone. All plots shall be marked. The means of marking must first be approved by the Board of Directors.

4. Trinity Metropolitan Community Church shall, within its resources, keep the pathways clear and maintained. The church is not responsible for maintaining individual plots, but at the discretion of the Board of Directors may remove dead flowers and old tributes.

5. Memorial plaques shall be of uniform size and shall be at the cost of the loved ones of the deceased. All memorial plaques shall be affixed in the allocated location.

6. The Board of Directors may appoint a Memorial Trail committee to act on their behalf on matters pertaining to the Memorial Trail.

7. Future growth of the church will respect areas described in the policy.

8. The Board of Directors reserve the right to amend this policy whenever and in whatever manner deemed necessary.

XVI. Sacraments and Rites

A. Communion Supplies

1. The Pastor is authorized to establish an account with a vendor of church supplies for the provision of communion elements.

2. It is the general practice of MCC congregations to use “intinction” as the preferred form of communion.

B. Baptisms

MCC congregations accept baptism in other Christian traditions and do not require baptism unless a member requests it. The mode of baptism is at the discretion of the Pastor who shall take the physical and emotional needs of the candidate into consideration.

C. Holy Union and Holy Matrimony Fees

The Pastor may set his/her own fees for conducting services of Holy Union and marriage. Additional fees may be set by the board of directors for the use of the church building and facilities.

D. Funeral and Memorial Services Fees

Fees for Funeral and Memorial services may be set at the Pastor’s discretion. Additional fees may be set by the board of directors for the use of the church building and facilities.

Board of Directors

Trinity Metropolitan Community Church

Adopted April 30, 1989

RevisedMay 6, 1990

May 11, 1991

October 20, 1991

November 1, 1992

November 5, 1993

November 4, 1994

November 5, 1995

December 5, 1995

April 28, 1996

November 8, 1998

May 2, 2003

November 8, 2005

October 29, 2006

February 28, 2010

November 6, 2011

ADDENDUM #1 – Florida Child Abuse Reporting

The 2006 Florida Statutes

PART II

REPORTING CHILD ABUSE

39.201Mandatory reports of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect; mandatory reports of death; central abuse hotline.--

(1)(a)Any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child's welfare, as defined in this chapter, or that a child is in need of supervision and care and has no parent, legal custodian, or responsible adult relative immediately known and available to provide supervision and care shall report such knowledge or suspicion to the department in the manner prescribed in subsection (2).

(b)Reporters in the following occupation categories are required to provide their names to the hotline staff:

1.Physician, osteopathic physician, medical examiner, chiropractic physician, nurse, or hospital personnel engaged in the admission, examination, care, or treatment of persons;

2.Health or mental health professional other than one listed in subparagraph 1.;

3.Practitioner who relies solely on spiritual means for healing;

4.School teacher or other school official or personnel;

5.Social worker, day care center worker, or other professional child care, foster care, residential, or institutional worker;

6.Law enforcement officer; or

7.Judge.

The names of reporters shall be entered into the record of the report, but shall be held confidential and exempt as provided in s. 39.202.

(c)A professional who is hired by or enters into a contract with the department for the purpose of treating or counseling any person, as a result of a report of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect, is not required to again report to the central abuse hotline the abuse, abandonment, or neglect that was the subject of the referral for treatment.

(d)An officer or employee of the judicial branch is not required to again provide notice of reasonable cause to suspect child abuse, abandonment, or neglect when that child is currently being investigated by the department, there is an existing dependency case, or the matter has previously been reported to the department, provided there is reasonable cause to believe the information is already known to the department. This paragraph applies only when the information has been provided to the officer or employee in the course of carrying out his or her official duties.

(e)Nothing in this chapter or in the contracting with community-based care providers for foster care and related services as specified in s. 409.1671 shall be construed to remove or reduce the duty and responsibility of any person, including any employee of the community-based care provider, to report a suspected or actual case of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect or the sexual abuse of a child to the department's central abuse hotline.

(2)(a)Each report of known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect by a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child's welfare as defined in this chapter, except those solely under s. 827.04(3), and each report that a child is in need of supervision and care and has no parent, legal custodian, or responsible adult relative immediately known and available to provide supervision and care shall be made immediately to the department's central abuse hotline on the single statewide toll-free telephone number. Personnel at the department's central abuse hotline shall determine if the report received meets the statutory definition of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Any report meeting one of these definitions shall be accepted for the protective investigation pursuant to part III of this chapter.

(b)If the report is of an instance of known or suspected child abuse by someone other than a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child's welfare as defined in this chapter, the call shall be immediately electronically transferred to the appropriate county sheriff's office by the central abuse hotline.

(c)If the report is of an instance of known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect that occurred out of state and the alleged perpetrator and the child alleged to be a victim live out of state, the central abuse hotline shall not accept the call for investigation, but shall transfer the information on the report to the appropriate state.

(d)If the report is of an instance of known or suspected child abuse involving impregnation of a child under 16 years of age by a person 21 years of age or older solely under s. 827.04(3), the report shall be made immediately to the appropriate county sheriff's office or other appropriate law enforcement agency. If the report is of an instance of known or suspected child abuse solely under s. 827.04(3), the reporting provisions of this subsection do not apply to health care professionals or other persons who provide medical or counseling services to pregnant children when such reporting would interfere with the provision of medical services.

(e)Reports involving known or suspected institutional child abuse or neglect shall be made and received in the same manner as all other reports made pursuant to this section.

(f)Reports involving a known or suspected juvenile sexual offender shall be made and received by the department.

1.The department shall determine the age of the alleged juvenile sexual offender if known.

2.When the alleged juvenile sexual offender is 12 years of age or younger, the central abuse hotline shall immediately electronically transfer the call to the appropriate law enforcement agency office. The department shall conduct an assessment and assist the family in receiving appropriate services pursuant to s. 39.307, and send a written report of the allegation to the appropriate county sheriff's office within 48 hours after the initial report is made to the central abuse hotline.

3.When the alleged juvenile sexual offender is 13 years of age or older, the department shall immediately electronically transfer the call to the appropriate county sheriff's office by the central abuse hotline, and send a written report to the appropriate county sheriff's office within 48 hours after the initial report to the central abuse hotline.

(g)Reports involving abandoned newborn infants as described in s. 383.50 shall be made and received by the department.

1.If the report is of an abandoned newborn infant as described in s. 383.50 and there is no indication of abuse, neglect, or abandonment other than that necessarily entailed in the infant having been left at a hospital, emergency medical services station, or fire station, the department shall provide to the caller the name of a licensed child-placing agency on a rotating basis from a list of licensed child-placing agencies eligible and required to accept physical custody of and to place newborn infants left at a hospital, emergency medical services station, or fire station. The report shall not be considered a report of abuse, neglect, or abandonment solely because the infant has been left at a hospital, emergency medical services station, or fire station pursuant to s. 383.50.

2.If the caller reports indications of abuse or neglect beyond that necessarily entailed in the infant having been left at a hospital, emergency medical services station, or fire station, the report shall be considered as a report of abuse, neglect, or abandonment and shall be subject to the requirements of s. 39.395 and all other relevant provisions of this chapter, notwithstanding any provisions of chapter 383.

(h)Hotline counselors shall receive periodic training in encouraging reporters to provide their names when reporting abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Callers shall be advised of the confidentiality provisions of s. 39.202. The department shall secure and install electronic equipment that automatically provides to the hotline the number from which the call is placed. This number shall be entered into the report of abuse, abandonment, or neglect and become a part of the record of the report, but shall enjoy the same confidentiality as provided to the identity of the caller pursuant to s. 39.202.

(i)The department shall voice-record all incoming or outgoing calls that are received or placed by the central abuse hotline which relate to suspected or known child abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The recording shall become a part of the record of the report but, notwithstanding s. 39.202, shall be released in full only to law enforcement agencies and state attorneys for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting criminal charges pursuant to s. 39.205, or to employees of the department for the purpose of investigating and seeking administrative penalties pursuant to s. 39.206. Nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit the use of the recordings by hotline staff for quality assurance and training.

(3)Any person required to report or investigate cases of suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect who has reasonable cause to suspect that a child died as a result of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect shall report his or her suspicion to the appropriate medical examiner. The medical examiner shall accept the report for investigation and shall report his or her findings, in writing, to the local law enforcement agency, the appropriate state attorney, and the department. Autopsy reports maintained by the medical examiner are not subject to the confidentiality requirements provided for in s. 39.202.

(4)The department shall establish and maintain a central abuse hotline to receive all reports made pursuant to this section in writing or through a single statewide toll-free telephone number, which any person may use to report known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect at any hour of the day or night, any day of the week. The central abuse hotline shall be operated in such a manner as to enable the department to:

(a)Immediately identify and locate prior reports or cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect through utilization of the department's automated tracking system.

(b)Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the department's program for reporting and investigating suspected abuse, abandonment, or neglect of children through the development and analysis of statistical and other information.

(c)Track critical steps in the investigative process to ensure compliance with all requirements for any report of abuse, abandonment, or neglect.

(d)Maintain and produce aggregate statistical reports monitoring patterns of child abuse, child abandonment, and child neglect. The department shall collect and analyze child-on-child sexual abuse reports and include the information in aggregate statistical reports.

(e)Serve as a resource for the evaluation, management, and planning of preventive and remedial services for children who have been subject to abuse, abandonment, or neglect.

(f)Initiate and enter into agreements with other states for the purpose of gathering and sharing information contained in reports on child maltreatment to further enhance programs for the protection of children.

(5)The department shall be capable of receiving and investigating, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, reports of known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect and reports that a child is in need of supervision and care and has no parent, legal custodian, or responsible adult relative immediately known and available to provide supervision and care. If it appears that the immediate safety or well-being of a child is endangered, that the family may flee or the child will be unavailable for purposes of conducting a child protective investigation, or that the facts otherwise so warrant, the department shall commence an investigation immediately, regardless of the time of day or night. In all other child abuse, abandonment, or neglect cases, a child protective investigation shall be commenced within 24 hours after receipt of the report. In an institutional investigation, the alleged perpetrator may be represented by an attorney, at his or her own expense, or accompanied by another person, if the person or the attorney executes an affidavit of understanding with the department and agrees to comply with the confidentiality provisions of s. 39.202. The absence of an attorney or other person does not prevent the department from proceeding with other aspects of the investigation, including interviews with other persons. In institutional child abuse cases when the institution is not operating and the child cannot otherwise be located, the investigation shall commence immediately upon the resumption of operation. If requested by a state attorney or local law enforcement agency, the department shall furnish all investigative reports to that agency.

(6)Information in the central abuse hotline may not be used for employment screening, except as provided in s. 39.202(2)(a) and (h). Information in the central abuse hotline and the department's automated abuse information system may be used by the department, its authorized agents or contract providers, the Department of Health, or county agencies as part of the licensure or registration process pursuant to ss. 402.301-402.319 and ss. 409.175-409.176.

(7)On an ongoing basis, the department's quality assurance program shall review calls to the hotline involving three or more unaccepted reports on a single child, where jurisdiction applies, in order to detect such things as harassment and situations that warrant an investigation because of the frequency or variety of the source of the reports. The Program Director for Family Safety may refer a case for investigation when it is determined, as a result of this review, that an investigation may be warranted.

History.--ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ch. 63-24; s. 941, ch. 71-136; ss. 1, 1A, ch. 71-97; s. 32, ch. 73-334; s. 65, ch. 74-383; s. 1, ch. 75-101; s. 1, ch. 75-185; s. 4, ch. 76-237; s. 1, ch. 77-77; s. 3, ch. 77-429; ss. 1, 2, ch. 78-322; s. 3, ch. 78-326; s. 22, ch. 78-361; s. 1, ch. 78-379; s. 181, ch. 79-164; s. 1, ch. 79-203; s. 7, ch. 84-226; s. 37, ch. 85-54; s. 68, ch. 86-163; s. 34, ch. 87-238; s. 21, ch. 88-337; s. 33, ch. 89-294; s. 6, ch. 90-50; s. 51, ch. 90-306; s. 7, ch. 91-57; s. 17, ch. 91-71; s. 6, ch. 93-25; s. 59, ch. 94-164; ss. 22, 44, ch. 95-228; s. 9, ch. 95-266; s. 51, ch. 95-267; s. 133, ch. 95-418; s. 1, ch. 96-215; s. 14, ch. 96-268; s. 14, ch. 96-402; s. 271, ch. 96-406; s. 1041, ch. 97-103; s. 43, ch. 97-264; s. 257, ch. 98-166; s. 31, ch. 98-403; s. 4, ch. 99-168; s. 10, ch. 99-193; s. 41, ch. 2000-139; s. 3, ch. 2000-188; s. 1, ch. 2000-217; s. 1, ch. 2001-53; s. 1, ch. 2003-127; s. 7, ch. 2006-86.

Note.--Former ss. 828.041, 827.07(3), (4), (9), (13); s. 415.504.

39.203Immunity from liability in cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect.--

(1)(a)Any person, official, or institution participating in good faith in any act authorized or required by this chapter, or reporting in good faith any instance of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the department or any law enforcement agency, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of such action.

(b)Except as provided in this chapter, nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to grant immunity, civil or criminal, to any person suspected of having abused, abandoned, or neglected a child, or committed any illegal act upon or against a child.

(2)(a)No resident or employee of a facility serving children may be subjected to reprisal or discharge because of his or her actions in reporting abuse, abandonment, or neglect pursuant to the requirements of this section.

(b)Any person making a report under this section shall have a civil cause of action for appropriate compensatory and punitive damages against any person who causes detrimental changes in the employment status of such reporting party by reason of his or her making such report. Any detrimental change made in the residency or employment status of such person, including, but not limited to, discharge, termination, demotion, transfer, or reduction in pay or benefits or work privileges, or negative evaluations within a prescribed period of time shall establish a rebuttable presumption that such action was retaliatory.

History.--ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ch. 63-24; s. 941, ch. 71-136; ss. 1, 1A, ch. 71-97; s. 32, ch. 73-334; s. 65, ch. 74-383; s. 1, ch. 75-101; s. 1, ch. 75-185; s. 4, ch. 76-237; s. 1, ch. 77-77; s. 3, ch. 77-429; ss. 1, 2, ch. 78-322; s. 3, ch. 78-326; s. 22, ch. 78-361; s. 1, ch. 78-379; s. 181, ch. 79-164; s. 1, ch. 79-203; s. 27, ch. 88-337; s. 55, ch. 90-306; s. 63, ch. 94-164; s. 73, ch. 97-103; s. 33, ch. 98-403; s. 12, ch. 99-193.

Note.--Former ss. 828.041, 827.07(7); s. 415.511.

39.205Penalties relating to reporting of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect.--

(1)A person who is required to report known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect and who knowingly and willfully fails to do so, or who knowingly and willfully prevents another person from doing so, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. A judge subject to discipline pursuant to s. 12, Art. V of the Florida Constitution shall not be subject to criminal prosecution when the information was received in the course of official duties.

(2)Unless the court finds that the person is a victim of domestic violence or that other mitigating circumstances exist, a person who is 18 years of age or older and lives in the same house or living unit as a child who is known or suspected to be a victim of child abuse, neglect of a child, or aggravated child abuse, and knowingly and willfully fails to report the child abuse commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3)A person who knowingly and willfully makes public or discloses any confidential information contained in the central abuse hotline or in the records of any child abuse, abandonment, or neglect case, except as provided in this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(4)The department shall establish procedures for determining whether a false report of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect has been made and for submitting all identifying information relating to such a report to the appropriate law enforcement agency and shall report annually to the Legislature the number of reports referred.

(5)If the department or its authorized agent has determined after its investigation that a report is false, the department shall, with the consent of the alleged perpetrator, refer the report to the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction for an investigation to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to refer the case for prosecution for filing a false report as defined in s. 39.01(28). During the pendency of the investigation by the local law enforcement agency, the department must notify the local law enforcement agency of, and the local law enforcement agency must respond to, all subsequent reports concerning children in that same family in accordance with s. 39.301. If the law enforcement agency believes that there are indicators of abuse, abandonment, or neglect, it must immediately notify the department, which must assure the safety of the children. If the law enforcement agency finds sufficient evidence for prosecution for filing a false report, it must refer the case to the appropriate state attorney for prosecution.

(6)A person who knowingly and willfully makes a false report of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect, or who advises another to make a false report, is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. Anyone making a report who is acting in good faith is immune from any liability under this subsection.

History.--ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ch. 63-24; s. 941, ch. 71-136; ss. 1, 1A, ch. 71-97; s. 32, ch. 73-334; s. 65, ch. 74-383; s. 1, ch. 75-101; s. 1, ch. 75-185; s. 4, ch. 76-237; s. 1, ch. 77-77; s. 3, ch. 77-429; ss. 1, 2, ch. 78-322; s. 3, ch. 78-326; s. 22, ch. 78-361; s. 1, ch. 78-379; s. 181, ch. 79-164; s. 1, ch. 79-203; s. 28, ch. 88-337; s. 56, ch. 90-306; s. 10, ch. 91-57; s. 21, ch. 91-71; s. 251, ch. 91-224; s. 10, ch. 93-25; s. 276, ch. 96-406; s. 4, ch. 98-111; s. 35, ch. 98-403; s. 6, ch. 99-168; s. 3, ch. 2000-217; s. 4, ch. 2002-70; s. 29, ch. 2006-86.

Note.--Former ss. 828.041, 827.07(18); s. 415.513.

ADDENDUM #2 – Meeting Area Agreement

Trinity Metropolitan Community Church

MEETING AREA AGREEMENT

Name:____________________________________________

(Individual/group/organization)

Meeting Area: _____Sanctuary_____Social Hall _____ Amphitheater

 Other: _____________________________________________

Please provide a brief statement or description about your group or organization.This information may be used by the Trinity MCC in newsletter publications or on our website with advance permission from the group administrator.

Trinity MCC reserves the right to edit text for inclusion in Trinity MCC publications

Trinity MCC member: Yes:____ No:_____ If yes, name on Membership:__________

Number of expected attendees: ________Food:(Y/N)_____ Beverage:(Y/N)_________

One time event: Date of event: ________________ Meeting time: from______ to_______

Recurring event: weekly_____ monthly _____ other ___________________________

Meeting day: (circle) M T W TH F SA SUMeeting time from_________ to_________

Contact Person: _______________________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: ________________________________________________________________

Phone: (H)________________________(B) ___________________ (C) ________________

E-mail Address: ________________________________ Trinity MCC Member Yes___ No ___

Meeting Rates

Basic Usage: ________ Payment Method:

Other fees

 Room Deposit ________ Cash _______

 Cleaning Deposit ________

 Security Service ________ Check#______

Total: ________ Date Paid: ___/____/___

MEETING AREA POLICIES

Meetings held other than normal working hours must be authorized and may require

Security Service.

Trinity MCC welcomes non-profit community services and support organizations to use the meeting areas for weekly or monthly meetings.Trinity MCC also welcomes business, commercial, non-members, and not for profit corporations.

Scheduling of the meeting areas is on a first-come basis with an emphasis on our membership.Meeting area use is assessed periodically with members and groups in good standing having first priority for days and times.One time events must be canceled 48 hours prior to the event or the deposit will be forfeited.

Support:Trinity MCC’s operations and up-keep are dependent primarily on community support and dedicated volunteers.With the exception of fundraising events to benefit Trinity MCC, we cannot provide support services such as crew, technical setup, box office services, special publicity and public relations to those using our facility

Responsibility:All individuals and groups using the Meeting Areas must leave the area in the same condition they found it.This includes folding tables; stacking chairs and placing them back where they were found, as well as discarding all trash.Failure to comply with this policy will result in loss of Cleaning Deposit and/or use privileges.

Hold Harmless:Execution of this agreement is also an agreement from the individual or group to hold Trinity MCC harmless from all liability from injury and/or loss for personal property.

Note:By signing below, the Contact Person represents that they are authorized to make and will be responsible for these arrangements.

________________________________________ _____________________________

Authorized Signature Date

For Trinity MCC use only

Approved by:________________________________Date: _________________________

Comments:___________________________________Entered on calendar(initial)______

Appendix 1 – Endowment Fund

Endowment Fund

An Endowment Fund may be set up to benefit specific projects of the church. The congregation shall elect a governing board to manage the fund. The Senior Pastor shall also serve on the Board of the Endowment Fund for the duration of her/his tenure with the church. The quarterly report from the Endowment Fund Trustees shall be added to the BOD minutes and poster on the bulletin board in the church foyer.

Resolution:

 WHEREAS, stewardship involves the faithful management of all the gifts such as time,talent, and resources_, including accumulated assets; and

 WHEREAS, Trinity MCC members and friends can give to the work of the church through bequests in wills, trusts, charitable gift annuities, assignment of life insur]]> 2011-11-08T00:00:00-05:00 http://www.mccgainesville.org/n/trinity_mcc_history_2011_by_dr_linda_lamme.html http://www.mccgainesville.org/n/trinity_mcc_history_2011_by_dr_linda_lamme.html The most recent version of Trinity's History