Pentecost 20 (2 Timothy 1:1-14)  10/6/2013

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A few years ago, I noticed a seminary classmate of mine wearing a beautiful priest’s stole, designed of patch work fabric. I asked my friend about the stole and she told me that it was made in Africa by a group of women who had formed a cooperative to sell handmade products. The opportunities for women in Africa remain very challenging, and a group of women in Nairobi, Kenya, came together to help each other by forming a program for marginalized women, a sewing and training program to help them work together and grow. The group is called Amani ya Juu, which means “higher peace” in the Swahili language. I purchased a stole for myself and I am wearing it this morning. Since the time I purchased the stole, I think of these women and their families and I pray for them and their success. I also receive newsletters and updates of their work and their progress. This past Wednesday I received an email from the women of Amani and the subject line of the note read, “Westgate Attack in Kenya.” Two weeks ago this morning the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi was attacked by people who use violence to spread their sectarian religious beliefs and exert their forceful wills upon innocent, peace-loving people. The email from the women of Amani, who are centered in Nairobi, quoted Joyce Muraya, Kenya Country Director for the Amani women’s group: “It is hard to celebrate [that no one from Amani was harmed] when so many have lost their lives…On that Sunday, part of my family made its way to Nairobi hospital to donate blood. We stood in line with people of all races and faiths. As I lay there pumping away watching the red of my blood slowly flood the small translucent bag, next to me was a British lady…Her blood was red too. On the bed next to me my daughter Wamuyu filled her bottle rapidly with red blood. In the queue was a lovely Rwandan woman. We each received a sweet cool drink provided by a business man of Indian extraction. As we were leaving, two Muslim women…came in also to donate blood. Somehow this underlined our common humanity.”^[i] In the midst of violence and chaos, the strength and peace of God came from those who responded with compassion using the means available to them; Joyce Muraya’s message highlights this truth. The world in which we live can certainly be a very challenging place, but as we come together, the gifts of the full community of believers creates a positive and powerful force that can take up any challenge.

We hear in our Epistle reading this morning instructions from the apostle Paul to his beloved follower Timothy; instructions meant to be heard by Timothy and the community at large. Written with the insight of many years of Christian life together, our lesson this morning served to strengthen the community with the assurance that their lives in Christ would continue to flourish in the love of God, as long as they did not abandon their faithful trust in the Good News of Christ. Paul wrote, “For the reason [of your continued and sincere faith], I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you…for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Tim 1:6-7) Paul’s message to that early Christian community was a message of strength, and hope, and love, but it was also a message rooted in an understanding that the full blessings of God are realized in the gifts of the whole community. The gifts of the full Body of Christ, brought to bear against the challenges of this world, create a positive and powerful force that cannot be realized by any one individual. Paul continued, “But join with me in suffering for the Gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 1:8b-9) This powerful blessing is well understood by the marginalized African women of Amani and this blessing is ours as well, the blessing of the stewardship of our gifts from God.

Throughout this month I invite you to take up the work of intentional reflection on the stewardship of your gifts given from God. I say “intentional reflection” because the stewardship of our God given gifts is a year round endeavor, but thoughtful reflection on the past year and prayerful preparation for the coming months and years ahead is a good year-end practice; a practice that should be enlightening and uplifting to our personal and corporate spiritual lives. Although it may appear that the current season of stewardship is financially focused and at times all other aspects of stewardship take a reduced role or perhaps a backseat in our journey together, I cannot imagine a financial commitment to the church that does not closely reflect our personal commitment to time and talent; a thoughtful and prayerful desire to share all the gifts that come from God alone. As the women of Amani ya Juu sent out their notice of the Westgate Mall violence in Nairobi, they chose to place a quote from Mother Teresa at the top of their correspondence – the quote read, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong together.” We cannot forget that we belong together. There are many, many ways and opportunities to devote time and resources in our busy world, yet the Christian community remains among the few devoted to undertaking the hazardous job of transformation; transformation of both giver and receiver; transformation of this earthly world in the name of God’s eternal world; and transformation of both you and me through the shared gifts of our mutual ministry. We cannot forget that we belong together; we cannot forget that we are recipients of a “holy calling…according to God’s purpose and grace…a grace given to us in Christ Jesus.” Our invitation throughout this season of intentional reflection is to spend time in thoughtful prayer, strengthened in the knowledge and love of God, assured that we belong to each other. My patch work stole is a symbol for me of the women who have come to this understanding and have shared their gifts with others throughout the world. May you also come to know the power of God’s blessing and be strengthened in God’s love. AMEN.

Please visit the website of the women of Amani ya Juu: <select here>