I wonder if you have ever felt, or seen the effect, of a significant earthquake. On January 12 of 2010, a catastrophic 7.0 quake rattled the small island country of Haiti, killing over one hundred thousand, and causing untold damage. In the fall of that year, I went with a team from the Greensburg United Methodist Church to this country that was deeply shaken, and has incredible economic insecurity . To see the collapsed presidential palace, the destroyed infrastructure, and to hear the stories of the noble people who lived there was overwhelming. Earthquakes reveal the fault lines in the planet, and can bring the inhabited world to its knees.
A different kind of earthquake shook the foundations of this country, and indeed, the world, on September 11, 2001. On that day, a terror attack occurred as two commercial jets toppled the twin World Trade Center towers in New York, and a third did considerable damage to the Pentagon in Washington, DC. A fourth airliner crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, unable to hit a presumed fourth target. This episode exposed a fault line of a different kind. It revealed the depths of a divide in the human community in such a way that many in this country could no longer ignore. It is a challenge we are still grappling to understand. That event shook many of us, and as we approach the anniversary this Sunday, it prompts to ask some necessary questions. And those questions have to include, “How severe is the fault line within our own country? Can we manage the shaky connection that seeks to hold us together?”
We’ll talk about this in worship on Sunday, the sermon is titled, “Shaking Foundations and Deplorable Words: How Shall We Respond?” The sermon title draws on language from C. S. Lewis, and the sermon itself flows arises from Isaiah 24: 18-23, and from Acts 16: 25-31. Patrick Conklin, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman, will offer a solo. And we should note that this is Matthew’s final Sunday with us. We’ll sing together, have a moment for children, and share in a time of prayer.
If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream. To join online, visit www.smumc.church at 10:30 AM, and click on the Live Stream banner.