[Propertalk] Proper 18 c 2016 - part 1

[Robert P Morrison]

Just finished the draft.
Bob

	THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF ST. ALBAN, ALBANY THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER
PENTECOST 

	JEREMIAH 18:1-11 PROPER 18 c 

	PHILEMON 1-21 4th SEPTEMBER, 2016 

	LUKE 14:25-33 PSALM 139:1-5, 12-17 

	 “What will you be when you grow up?” 

	 All Saints Church of England Infant School is in a far outer suburb
to the south of London. If you landed by plane at Gatwick Airport, as
opposed to the perhaps better-known Heathrow, you’d probably drive
past the school on your way into the City. The staff and students are
described as “an inclusive school that strives to create a
challenging learning environment in which every child can achieve
their potential. We promote an atmosphere of encouragement,
acceptance, respect for effort and achievements with sensitivity to
the individual needs of all children. Every teacher is a teacher of
children with special educational needs.” 1 

	 Sounds like a dream come true. I hope everyone is able to live up to
that! 

	 The description goes on, “As a parent, you are the expert about
your child and if you are concerned that he or she has special
educational needs, we encourage you to come and share your concerns
with the class teacher. Similarly, if we identify difficulties, we
will want to discuss them with you. Your child’s class teacher and
our Special Educational Needs Co-coordinator (SENCo) will meet with
you so that we can act together to respond to the needs of your child
and ensure that they receive high quality personalised provision.” 

	 That sounds remarkable. It’s been a while since I was in Primary
School, so my recollection is a little vague, but when was the last
time someone came out publicly and said that you were the expert in
your child’s needs and moods? When was the last time that an
invitation seemed to be offered to ensure that you had a serious input
into the education of your child? Yet, at the same time, note that
this is a two-way street. The Head Teacher and all the other staff
expect to be able to be completely frank with the parents on the
pluses and minuses of the child’s ongoing educational experience. 

	 It sounds so much like what is sometimes idealised as a former age,
tight-knit community of whatever size, a community that gave
completely of itself to help one another; a community which accepted
the responsibility and challenge of helping everyone realise her or
his fullest potential, advising but, within limits, seldom dictating,
letting the baby grow through an exciting, exploring childhood into
teen-aged years and into adulthood. Then, in turn, these people become
the advisors to the next group of babies and children. 

	 It’s an awesome task being human. It’s never been simple and it
never will be. There will ALWAYS be connectedness; there will ALWAYS
be responsibility; there will ALWAYS be questions with which to
wrestle. 

	 “What will you be when you grow up?” 

	 If you didn’t notice the bulletin illustration, this is the
question asked on the mural at that Infant School outside London. It
reminds us of our ability as humans to develop. It reminds us of our
responsibility as humans to develop, to use our souls, our minds, our
bodies to their fullest extent. It reminds us of our ability to change
and to grow. 

	 Some friends and I have been commenting on the first reading, about
the potter, working away at the wheel, trying to transfer from the
imagination the dreams of what the clay may become. 

	 Ann Fontaine, who preached at the Renewal of our New Ministries
several weeks ago, wrote, “I used to do pottery. When I took lessons
I was shocked to see the teacher throw a beautiful pot only to cut it
in half to see where the flaws might be. If you fire a pot with any
air bubbles in the clay – it will blow up. That is why the clay has
to be slammed about on the table over and over – to get all the air
out.” 2 

	 It’s amazing how many intricacies and techniques have to come into
play in order for the finished product to be presented and brought
into full. We take so much for granted, whether it’s about clay or
human beings. So often we don’t pay attention to what is happening
around us, to what we’re doing with our time and talents and it’s
just possible that we don’t think to engage God in our discussions. 

	 It’s interesting that it was the prophet who was invited to
consider what was going on at the Potters house. The word that came to
him didn’t say, “Get your congregation together and bring them
over here. It’ll be a fun field trip.” Jeremiah must have been at
his wit’s end quite often. He was convinced that God had spoken to
him. He thought he’d made plain what God sought – and God WAS,
indeed, asking a radical change in the attitude of the government and
the general population. But, at every turn, both the people and a
great many of the people, especially those with power and influence;
at every turn Jeremiah was ridiculed. He was accused of threatening
the security of the state, of being a traitor. He was told that since
they were God’s chosen, nothing would ever go against them. THAT’S
where the illustration of the Potter and the clay came into the
picture. The clay COULD be so damaged, so ill-formed, that it may need
severe reconfiguration. And if we don’t hold regular chats with God
about what’s going on in our personal and family lives, in our
neighbourhood and spiritual group lives; if we don’t allow the give
and take, even the praise and criticism that All Saints School seems
to encourage, then we may not benefit from the marvelous and loving
experience of God for our future. 

	 Rabbi Lawrence Kushner has a marvelous little story in which he
wrote about the house in which he lived.  

	 “Like all young couples moving into their first, and in our case,
only, home, we naturally developed a long list of modifications,
improvements, repairs – a wish list. … Always, near the bottom of
the list, was the chandelier in the dining room. It wasn’t broken
nor did it look particularly awful. We just didn’t like it very
much. It became a sort of family joke. Friends would tease, …. But
the chandelier remained.
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