This summer, I keep mulling over Ian McEwan’s most recent book entitled What We Can Know. The novel envisions a post-apocalyptic Britain reshaped by ‘The Great Inundation’ — a catastrophic climate event that has shattered modern technology and flooded much of the world. Future historians look back on our current era and label it “The Derangement” — a period defined by collective blindness, ecological collapse, and global conflict. It’s a sobering fictional description, yet it compels us to look in the mirror. We are left to ask: will we be remembered for that derangement, or for how we chose to respond to it as people of hope, prayer and action?
This diagnosis is no longer just a plot point in a book; it is the landscape we currently inhabit. Whether we want to admit, deny or ignore it, we are living in our own version of that era — a time of socio-political conflict and ecological breakdown.
This reality inevitably brings me to some hard questions that many of you may also be asking:
- How shall I order my life?
- How do I best use my time, talent and treasure to feed my soul, inspire my spirit, and make the world a better place to live?
- How do I do my part in such a time as this?
In searching for answers, I find myself grounded by the ancient wisdom of our faith, which consistently calls us to move beyond our own anxiety and into action.
The prophet Micah tells us what God expects from us: Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly. These action verbs require us to get out of our chair, stand up, and help our neighbors.
The writer of James instructs that faith without works is dead. As the old church camp song reminds us: when we work side by side with each other, we guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.
Matthew’s Jesus makes the gospel really clear. When we feed, shelter, clothe, visit, and advocate for the most vulnerable among us, we feed, shelter, clothe, visit and advocate for Christ himself.
Friends – I know that some of you, perhaps many of you, are feeling pretty hopeless about the state of the nation and the world – the derangement of the 21st century – and your ability to make a difference. Hanna Reichel, Professor of Theology at Princeton Seminary and a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church has written what she calls “an emergency devotional” entitled For Such a Time as This.
Professor Reichel reminds us that “hope is not an object that can be misplaced or taken away…[It’s not] an emotion that you may or may not feel…[Nor is] hope a positive outlook that may be hard to come by.” Rather, “hope is a practice, a discipline, a horizon.”
Hope is about finding purpose, projects, and people that invite and allow us to participate in taking positive action in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. Hope is about making friends, making amends, and even making art and music in prison or a homeless camp. Hope is about tending a garden or cooking and serving a meal for someone who is hungry for both food and companionship. Hope is about cleaning up a beach or building a house with others, including those who will swim or live there.
I’ve come to believe that no one person can solve the global climate crisis, but we can all do our part in reducing individual landfill, energy and water usage. We can learn more about the climate crisis and bravely refute the propoganda that it’s not real. We can invest in companies and contribute to organizations that are working to remediate climate change. We can vote for and then hold accountable politicians who support good environmental policies.
You and I can’t single-handedly stop the wars in the Middle East, Ukraine, Africa, Latin America or elsewhere around the globe. No one can do that. Nor can we on our own reduce our national crisis of gun violence or sex and drug trafficking And, no one individual can solve the economic problems in our country. But, we can make significant systemic change when we vote for politicians, advocate for public policies, and invest our money in businesses and organizations that promote global peace, gun control, economic justice, and human rights.
Moreover, we can make our own communities better: equitable, healthy and peaceful places to live. We can support local businesses, local farmers, and local food producers. We can reduce local gun violence, improve local education, and increase local public and bicycle transportation. We can build local affordable housing and reduce homelessness on a local level.
This is where the ‘hard questions’ find their answers. We don’t have to carry the burden of the entire world on our shoulders; we only need to tend the plot of ground where we are planted. In other words, we are not powerless; we can think globally and act locally.
Let me give you two examples of this work and its impact. For years, we have collected food and given money to the Wellfleet Food Pantry. We have also encouraged chapel members to serve as pantry volunteers. At a patio conversation last summer, representatives from the Food Pantry spoke to us about the growing need and space for their work. As a result of that presentation, a number of you started donating your time, talent and food to the Pantry, and several others have made significant capital contributions toward the building of a new facility.
Since its establishment in 1988, the Chapel of St. James the Fisherman has supported financially the work of Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod. In doing so, we have added our dollars to the construction of fifteen homes that have helped address the Cape’s affordable housing crisis. Last year, we not only contributed money, but for two hot mornings in July and August, Chapel members helped to build houses off of Long Pond Road. I actually learned how to shingle, something I’ve always been curious about.
Earlier in this summer, a couple joined us for Sunday worship; and in the receiving line, they introduced themselves to me as new residents of one of the Habitat houses that we helped to fund and build. One member of this household, Lisa Davis, told me that she was a cradle Episcopalian and wanted to not only join the chapel but also to say thanks. Lisa, welcome to the pulpit.
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Thank you Reverend Tracey. Good morning to all of you here this morning at St. James the Fisherman. I Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you this morning, and for the warm welcome my family and I have received this summer from this congregation.
I would like to start off with two pieces of scripture that I feel exemplify this parish. The first passage is from First Thessalonians
We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God your work provided by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The next reading is from Hebrews 6:10
God is Not unjust God will not forget your work and the love you have shown as you have helped God’s people and continue to help them.
Last July and August members of this congregation volunteered to help at the Old Kings Highway build here in Wellfleet. The days that people from St. James volunteered were two of the hottest days of last summer.
I did not work on the build on weekdays as I was at my regular job and did my sweat equity hours at the Restore in Yarmouth. I did not have the opportunity to meet many of the people who helped to build our house and to build our neighborhood.
I have greatly appreciated when I have had the opportunity to thank people for what they have done in helping to complete the journey from homelessness to a homeowner with me. It is an honor to be able to thank you all for the labor that you did on those hot days in July and in August. Your labor is much appreciated. The financial donations that this church has donated have helped many families here on the Cape to achieve the dream of home ownership through Habitat for Humanity.
I stand here this morning and ask you to continue your tradition of working and serving in the community. And I ask you to continue your tradition of donating to the worthy organizations that this congregation has sponsored. The people of the outer Cape are fortunate to have the support of this church and the organizations here today as they navigate all that comes their way in this beautiful peninsula that is home.
I have one last reading to share with you today. It is from John 13
A new command I give you: love one another as I have loved you so you must love one another.
Today, we invite you to stay for the Outreach Fair, visit with the organizations represented, and find a way that you can not only give your money but also share your time and talent, and in doing so, practice hope in what might seem to be a hopeless time.