Well Connected
Rev. Dr. George Hollingshead

           In our age “being connected” is a fact of life whether we like it or not.  Globally we are connected in ways that we never would have thought even a few years ago.  There is a constant debate going on in our society about who is tracking our movements, our phone calls, our emails, our use of our credit cards, even tracking of our driving with our “easy passes”.  We know that with a small camera attached to computer work stations we not only can send messages but we can be seen and talk to most any one anywhere.  We can hardly hide.

          A while back received a phone call from a person in Germany who over twenty years before was but a child in our neighborhood in Yardley , PA.   At the time of this phone call she was able to find on the web where I have moved and my phone number even though we had not been in contact for over twenty years.  Her sudden and abrupt call shocked me.  She just wanted to chat and reminisce about her past!!

          Yet being well connected is an aim in life to which some people aspire.  The idea is not to just be connected but to be connected to the right people and the right organizations, to be in the right place with the right people!!  But then the idea is to let others about that wonderful connection, of their relationship with the rich and the famous.  Read over the obituaries in the newspapers and see how people’s lives are interconnected with family, business, social organizations, political parties, universities, clubs, and the like.

          Anyone who does not seek to be socially connected is easily dubbed as a loner, a quiet one, who lives to him or herself.  Obviously there is nothing wrong with that lifestyle but it is unusual because we humans are often not content to be alone and in isolation.  Rather, we choose to live in a great many different families all at the same time.  We have not only our biological families, but we also have our vocational, social, religious and fraternal families.  And maybe there are more. 

          We, who gather here each week, in this important place, come here because we are connected in three unique ways.  I want to suggest to you that we greatly desire these connections because in them we find life and these connections are ones that we truly can talk about with others.  First let us begin with the Scriptures.

I.

          Jesus says, “I am the vine and you are the branches.”  We know from our gardening experiences that branches are attached to the main vine.  Branches can not do what they are supposed to do unless they are connected.  In fact, branches which are separated from the vine are not good for anything and so they are cast into the fire and burned, or in our society, we put them out for the trash people to carry them away.  It is the purpose of branches to bring forth fruit and the energy that it takes to produce that fruit comes not from the branch itself but from the vine.  Branches, no matter how great they think they are, can not produce fruit by themselves. 

          So it is that in the same way we are connected to our Lord.  We have not volunteered ourselves to be so connected, just as a branch does not look around for a vine to be connected.  Rather the vine itself decides where and when its branches will come forth.  The vine gives birth to its branches.  So, we too are connected to the Lord of our lives not by our choice by but God’s providence long before we became aware of God in our lives.  For that reason and others we baptize infants who, we believe, also belong to God.  They do not even know that they are chosen by God. 

          The vine infuses life into the branches.  All that the vine has does it give to the branches so that they might become strong and produce the best possible fruit or flowers.  When the vine gives off meager strength then the branches wilt.  But in our case, we know that all that Christ has he has given to us.  He does not withhold anything in order that we would be able to do the good works of righteousness and that our “joy would be complete.”  Further, branches are often praised for their wonderful flowers or fruit but the praise and thanks ought to go not to the branch but to the vine that made the flower possible.

          This, my friends is our first and most important connection.

II.

          Secondly, as a Presbyterian congregation we are also well connected.  Let me remind you that this is not an independent congregation, but is very much a part of a wider connectional church that has it roots in the reforming efforts of John Calvin, who in 1539, in Geneva , Switzerland produced his epic work entitled The Institutes of Christian Religion. Later his disciple, John Knox, brought these reforming ideas to Scotland .  Eventually the Scots, the Irish, the French and the Hungarians came to American shores bringing with them our Reformed, our Presbyterian heritage. 

          Technically, this congregation is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and of it’s Presbytery of Philadelphia established in 1706, the oldest Presbytery in our nation.  In this way we are connected to about 140 congregations in the five county Philadelphia region. 

          For us Presbyterians, the presbytery acts as a kind of corporate bishop.  Most often members of congregations get to know about the presbytery when it is time to search for a new pastor.  The many and arduous steps toward finding a new pastor are the mandates not of the presbytery but of the Book of Order of our denomination.  Some here have served on a pastor nomination committee and know all about how much information is asked about the congregation long before the search can begin.  To some it sounds oppressive.  Yet, there is great value in that pastor-congregation-presbytery relation.

          Our Presbytery of Philadelphia has taken a purposeful mission to be a pastoral support to congregations.  You are looking at just that when you see me.   The Committee on Ministry came to me and said that they thought that I could be of help to the Marple church.  There was concern in that committee heart.  As any pastor has concern for a member going through tough times, so this Presbytery has concern for congregations.  I am glad that I can be supported by the staff and the committees of the presbytery.  I have conversations at least once a week with members there because they want Marple to thrive.  The Baptists don’t have such support. 

          Perhaps this congregation also received support from the presbytery for some of the costs for the construction of some of these buildings.  When I was the pastor of the Woodside Presbyterian Church in Yardley the Presbytery made a significant loan to that church when it was about to build its first sanctuary.    

          Dianne Hirt is the clerk of the session here.  Every year in every congregation the clerk of the session has to turn in to the presbytery the minutes of the session and the congregation’s membership record book.  There are requirements about how those records are kept.  I say that this again is a very real pastoral ministry to congregations.  Those important records can not be kept willy-nilly.  Over the years our denomination has learned that very serious problems can occur when records are poorly kept.  Further, these records are documents the history of actions. 

          Looking beyond all this, our presbytery and our denomination help to link us to a vast array of mission programs near and far.  Many of us know about the ministry at Chester Eastside Ministry and the John Gloucester House.  We are part of a vast hunger task force network. 

          One final note is that through our denomination we are well connected to many dedicated people like Ted and Sue Wright.  Ted was once the pastor of the Langhorne Presbyterian Church and who with his wife now serve our Lord on behalf of our church in South Central Africa.  There are dozens more who on our behalf reach out to the needy far beyond Broomall and Philadelphia .

III.

          So you see how well we are connected, but we also celebrate a third connection today.  Perhaps this connection is one that you have already considered.  It is the connection that we have in Christ with each other here in this congregation.  This connection also can not be understated.  Although we all have different personal histories, come from different families, although we do not always see eye to eye, value different activities, we are bound to one another in a deeply spiritual way that allows the fruits of our relationships be seen. 

          In the gospel reading this morning Jesus speaks about the fruit of the vine.  But then suddenly Jesus stops thinking about vines and branches and talks about love.  “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love…love one another as I have loved you.”  The fruit of our connection with Jesus is seen in the love we have for others.  The God of love calls us to be in relationship with him so that love may aboud.

          Together we celebrate new babies born and rejoice in their baptisms.  Here we celebrate the lives of the sints in their death and offer up our prayers of great thanksgiving.  Here we celebrate new members who bring with them great new talents.

Here we celebrate taking flowers to those who are shut in and celebrate our prayers for those who of this church family are not well. 

          It is here that we have a mission together – to reach out in the name of our Lord.  We read how we can donate human organs to those in great need.  Together we reach out the the military troops. 

                   And here we come together to celebrate that wonderful Christian season of Advent and rejoice once again in the birth of our Lord at Christmas.  Here, together, we fast at Lent, weep on Good Friday, and rejoice in Easter. 

                   Yes my friends we are well connected in all these wonderful ways through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Today we make our sacrifices of love and of great thanksgiving.  Alleluia.  Alleluia.  Amen.

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Last modified: September 28, 2008