The hardest part of
not being the pastor of a congregation is finding a place to worship. I battle with that decision every week. Where should I go to receive a message that
challenges me to remain faithful to my calling? Where should I go to be
reminded that the work of the Church matters?
To be frank, it has been a challenge. It’s not the fault of the places I’ve gone to
remain connected after walking away for a season. I’ve found lively worship that left me
rekindled after a week filled with stress.
I’ve heard sermons that inspired me not to give up after grappling with
doubt. I’ve gained much, but something
was missing.
That changed on Sunday.
“Because of you, we are able to help a family
from Lincoln Apartments pay the deposit and cover the cost for them to move,”
Frederick Davis, pastor at First Calvary Church shared. “This is possible because
of you.”
Davis went on to share the support of the
congregation for a family that lost everything in a fire. “We sent a car load
of clothes,” he said.
I wanted to scream a declarative amen. That’s what’s been missing. The mission of First Calvary was present throughout
the worship service. It was clear. It was known and celebrated by the entire
congregation. Everyone understood there
is more to being a church than gathering each week to impress people with
hairdo’s and wardrobes. I left feeling
connected to a mission to reach out to those who needed more than a spiritual
message.
“There are consequences to decisions we make,”
Davis stated in his sermon. “First
Calvary will have to answer to some of the decisions we have made. We have not been placed here to stay in a
pretty building and not take care of what is around us.”
That’s when the chills hit. You can’t depend on those pretty buildings to
speak. Yes, Jesus said the rocks will
speak if we refuse, but the people need more than a message from the
bricks. They need love. They need compassion. They need food and shelter. They need prayers, but they need more than
prayers. They need answers. They need more than judgment, they need hope.
“This is why we need you to give,” Davis
stated. First Calvary was able to help a
family evicted from the Lincoln Apartments because of the mission and giving of
its membership. That’s faith in
action. That’s real ministry. It’s what
the Bible means when the question was raised, “Can these dry bone live?”
What happened to the tenants at the Lincoln
Apartments is tragic. On Sept. 28, residents
were informed by the Lincoln Hospital Foundation, which owns the apartments,
they planned to terminate all leases and close the 150-unit complex. Since then residents have been told they can
remain until January, but that’s not easy when money is tight and you have to
make arrangements to move.
The tenants marched in protest on Oct. 29,
claiming the closure would leave 152 people homeless. It’s no surprise that the community came to
the rescue. Administrators for both city and county government forced
conversations to give tenants more time.
Housing for New Hope has matched up to $5,000 in contributions to pay deposits
for rent and utilities. The Durham Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance has
committed to assisting Lincoln residents.
Many have chipped in to help.
The support coming from First Calvary isn’t
abnormal. Other congregations have done
the same. What made Sunday different is
the way the announcement was normal for First Calvary. They do more than their share of helping
those in need. It’s part of their
culture. It’s their mission. It’s their faith in action.
Yes, there’s that beautiful building on
Morehead Avenue that seems to be out of place. I’ve been critical of building fancy
structures when the people have no food to eat. It seems like a crave
contradiction, our impressive edifices juxtaposed against prevailing
poverty. It seems like a waste of
resources when so many are in need.
That’s why the confession Davis made is so
powerful. “We have to answer to
decisions we have made,” he stated. Don’t
all of us have to do the same? Haven’t our personal decisions impacted our
ability to give more?
So, I have a message for Pastor Davis and the
members at First Calvary Baptist Church.
You are the light of the world.
You are a reminder that life emerges from the ashes. You are a tower representing the strength of
a community. You are hope in
action. You challenge us to do more than
we have before. Just like that amazing
temple on Morehead Avenue – it seems out of place, but it’s not!
And, I have a message for those broken. Look to those hills where your help comes
from. Troubles only endure for the
night, they say. Joy comes in the morning.
Mine came on Sunday morning, and it happened
on a hill called Calvary.
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