Sermon by Dr. George Bryant Wirth
Annual Meeting Sunday
May 6, 2007
FIRST THINGS FIRST!
Scripture: Luke
14:28-33
INTRODUCTION
As most of you know, we’ve
launched a major Capital Fund Campaign to raise the resources required to
renovate the old and worn out buildings and facilities here at the corner of 16th
and Peachtree Streets.
Our campaign co-chairs Doug
and Florida Ellis, made the official announcement in worship last Sunday, and
on Tuesday morning, we celebrated all the good things happening in this
congregation with a breakfast meeting at the
In searching for a theme to undergird
this endeavor, someone suggested that we use the phrase: “If you don’t fix it
up, it is going to fall down.” Realizing
that sounded somewhat severe, Craig Goodrich recommended something more
pleasing to our ears: “First Things First,” and that describes exactly what we
have in mind – to refurbish and restore this sacred place to the glory of God.
And the text which I believe
can help set all of this in motion and get us going in the right direction, is
taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the sixth chapter of
Matthew, which says: Strive first for the
kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you
as well (Matthew 6:33).
I
Now some folks might say that
what Jesus was talking about was the journey of faith, not fund raising
campaigns. They could even say that “The
Kingdom of God” which the Lord proclaimed has more to do with our souls and
spiritual truth than with HVAC systems, crumbling sandstones and the repair of
leaking roofs.
In fact, that’s the basic
notion which Tom Ehrich, a church consultant and Episcopal priest from Durham,
North Carolina was writing about in the Atlanta Journal Constitution last
week. You may have seen the article
entitled: “Start a Church – How Jesus Would,” and one of the questions Rev.
Ehrich asked was this:
“Does the church need a home? The so-called ‘emerging church’ movement gets
by with meeting each week in whatever space is available and letting one
another know by e-mail. The old rule for
church start-ups was six acres and a down payment on a building. Do land and mortgages actually nurture faith
communities?” (“Start a Church – How
Jesus Would” by Tom Ehrich, The
It would appear the answer
implied by that question is “No,” and the prevailing wind in our culture today
seems to blow against what has been called “the edifice complex”: big church
buildings, construction mortgages and debts, and the overwhelming problems of
upkeep and deferred maintenance.
But if we are going to be
good stewards of the gifts God has given to us, and take care of the sacred
places that we have inherited from our forbears, then these buildings and
facilities can actually become vessels of God’s grace that do help to nurture
and to strengthen our faith.
I have told you before about
the Nassau Presbyterian Church where I served as a student assistant during my
years at Princeton Seminary, and the words written by Professor Charles Osgood
who worshipped in that historic sanctuary many years ago:
“Have you ever wandered into this
church on a weekday, when it is empty and silent and you are alone? As you walked quietly about the aisles, or
dropped into a pew and sat there for a moment, have you ever thought of all
that has taken place under this roof? Of
the uncounted thousands who, generation after generation, have gathered here
for prayer and worship? Of the happy
relations of family and neighbors and friends which have in this place been
exalted and hallowed? Of the grand sum
of thoughts and feelings, where here in this place have thrilled men and women
to the depths of their souls, or raised them higher than they ever dreamed
possible? Of the burdens and doubts, the
grief and pain of heart and body which nowhere else but here can be transformed
into peace of mind?”
Do you see, this sanctuary
and all of our facilities are not ends in themselves, but rather channels of
God’s Spirit which have been created to enhance the worship, work and witness
of this Christian community called First Presbyterian Church. And the time has come, in fact it’s long
overdue, for us to pay more attention to this jewel of a building which the
Lord has strategically located here in the heart of our city. And that’s why we are putting “First Things
First.”
II
Now there are others who
might wonder, “Why aren’t we raising all of this money for ministry and
mission”? When Jesus said Seek first, strive first for the
To tell you the truth, if it
were a matter of either/or, that is, concentrating our resources either
on the needs of people or the renovation and upkeep of facilities, then
most of us would probably say “Give it to the people – people matter more than
property,” and that is a Biblical priority.
The reality is that sometimes
we get confused about what the Bible says and calls us to do. The pastor of a church was hearing some
negative reports from parents concerning the quality of teaching their children
were receiving in the Sunday school. So
the pastor decided to investigate.
She dropped in unannounced
one Sunday morning on Miss Jones and her class of eight-year-old students. The lesson was on Joshua and the Battle of
Jericho. The pastor arrived just as Miss
Jones asked the class “Who knocked down the walls of
There was no response, so she
called on Harold in the back row.
Everybody knew he had a reputation as a mischief maker and he answered
defensively, “Don’t look at me teacher. I didn’t do it.” Well Miss Jones was intimidated by the
pastor’s presence and flustered by the answer, and all she could think to say
was “Harold, I’m sure you didn’t.”
The pastor was appalled. So she went right to the director of
Christian Education and recounted what had happened. “Can you believe it?” asked the pastor. “Miss Jones asked Harold Smith who knocked
down the walls of
The good reverend nearly had
apoplexy. And the following Tuesday
evening, she brought the matter up with the Session, telling the elders the
entire episode and asking in frustration, “What can we do about this
situation?”
The Clerk of Session stood
up, and said in a reassuring tone: “No problem pastor, if you’ll just get an
estimate of the damages to the wall, I’m sure the finance committee will take
care of it.”
You see, sometimes we get
confused about what the Bible says. But
when it comes to giving our resources, especially to children and to the poor,
the Scriptures are clear. The Lord has
called us to be good stewards of what we have received, and to share it with
those who are in need. That is our
priority as Christians. So if it is a
matter of either/or, we already have the answer.
But in this church, because
of God’s many blessings and your great generosity, we actually have the
capacity to do both – and, that is both ministry and mission with
people, and the maintenance, renovation and restoration of our property.
The Annual Giving Campaign
which we have just completed ($3.948 million from this generous congregation!) will
designate 40% of our giving to ministry, 30% to mission – more than $1.5
million – and 30% to maintenance. That’s
both/and, not either/or. And in this
Capital Campaign, we have designated another million for our Broadcast
Ministry, for the Presbyterian College in Kenya which is soon to become a
university, and for the African students who belong to this congregation while
they are studying for their degrees at I.T.C. – the Interdenominational
Theological Center in Atlanta – and that will be an endowed scholarship fund in
memory of our dear friend and former Missionary in Residence, Dr. James C.
Costen.
So as we launch our “First
Things First” Campaign, we are doing “both/and,” instead of “either/or”: both
much needed renovation and ministry and mission in the name of Jesus
Christ. And that is because God is
blessing us and because you are a very generous congregation.
CONCLUSION
Which leads to one final
question before we ordain and install our officers, hold our Annual Meeting and
then go out to the parking lot for our church picnic and carnival – and the
question is this: Whatever happened to
our master plan and the report from the Facilities Committee at the Annual
Meeting last year about increasing our parking, adding more Christian Education
space and building a multi-purpose recreation center?
The answer to that question
is found in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, and these words
from Jesus ring true to me as I hope they will to you:
For
which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate
the cost, so see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and
is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying “This
fellow began to build and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:28-30).
Taking those words and
translating them into our situation in 2007, we have a master plan with
projected costs of more than $40,000,000. But our fund raising consultants from
Alexander, Hass, Martin and Partners have taken a survey and they estimate that
it will be a stretch for us to raise about one fourth of that right now.
So because we are and will
continue to be “Good Stewards of God’s Gifts,” we have chosen to focus our
efforts on doing “First Things First” and completing these renovations. That’s what this church needs the most right
now, and I am grateful for the opportunity to join hearts and hands with you to
finish what God has called all of us to do.
When we are done, there will
be a great celebration. And having done
our best, then we will put the rest of our plans into the Lord’s hand and see
where He wants to lead us.
My friends – great things are
happening here – the Spirit of the Lord is at work here – peoples’ lives are
being transformed here – these are wonderful days for this grand old
church. So let’s press on with the vision
of finishing “First Things First,” and to God be the glory, both now and
forever!
In the name of the Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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