Sermon delivered 12/02/18 at North Hadley United Church of Christ
Sermon text: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
(The sermon time starts with Larry P singing “Won’t you be my neighbor” and Pastor Gordon entering the sanctuary, donning a sweater and changing into a pair of boat shoes. Gordon speaks after the song ends.)
Indulge me for a minute in calling forth the spirit of Fred Rogers, the host, puppeteer and musical composer for Mr. Roger’s neighborhood which first aired on PBS in 1968
Welcome to the neighborhood, friends. There are many kinds of neighborhoods, but the best kind are the ones where people care for each other and talk about feelings and learn how to deal constructively with anger and learn that we have the power to control our actions. That’s the best kind of neighborhood. Simple, unassuming, a little corny at times and running on a shoe string budget
We are that kind of neighborhood, not necessarily in proximity but in the closeness of how the various strands of our lives are woven together. We are neighbor’s in the way we say, “I love you” --preparing coffee hour, soaking beans for church suppers, serving communion, changing the lightbulbs, filling the crack in the door, making advent banners, singing, decorating the sanctuary and Bartlett chapel, roasting chicken over an open pit, preaching, cleaning and the list goes on.
Won’t you be my neighbor?
At the end of every Mr. Roger’s neighborhood show Fred Roger’s would say something like. “Remember, there is no person in the world just like you. And I like you just the way you are,”
We have our own way of saying that here— “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.”
Then Fred would sing a song with the words, “It’s such a good feeling to know your alive. It’s such a happy feeling your growing in side. And when you wake up ready to say, I think I’ll make a snappy new day. It’s such a good feeling, a very good feeling to know that we are friends.”
As a stay-at-home dad, back in the days before it was cool, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood was my time, time to be in community, time to be nurtured, time to be told that I was valuable even if I wasn’t bringing in a paycheck.
Why do I mention this? Why did I change into my sweater and comfortable shoes? It’s because Fred Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian Minister and whether you noticed it or not, he was preaching the gospel. Love your neighbor. Companion with those who suffer. Gently teach those who need instruction.
Oh yea, I also meant to mention, there once was a follower of Jesus by the name of Paul. He was kind of a hip dude who had a backroad conversion and changed his name, although not by much. Saul to Paul. And Paul although I cannot imagine him wearing a zip up cardigan, was very much Like Fred in that he sandwiched his messages with affirmations of love.
Listen to his Love Letter to the people of Thessalonica:
3:9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you?
3:10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.
3:11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you.
3:12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.
(Gordon then breaks into song, singing “There Are Many Ways to Say I Love You” by Fred Rogers.)
There are many ways to say I love you, there are many ways to say how much I care. Many ways, many ways, many ways to say, I love you.
This is our hope.
