A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: VENTURING OUT TOGETHER
Grace and peace to you,
This Sunday, we take up the idea of being sent out as a spiritual practice of discipleship/apostleship.
I firmly believe that we are all called by God to 
some form of missional work whether that be what we do for a profession, or how we care for family and friends, or some type of volunteer service. We are all called to put our faith into action. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Now why might that be? Maybe it is that putting our faith into action involves some risk – we often find ourselves moving out of our comfort zone, conflict can arise if someone doesn’t agree with us, or we are asked to venture into unknown areas. I imagine that might be how the disciples felt when Jesus sends 72 of them out in pairs to every city and town where he was about to go. Kind of like an advance mission.
But it is the instructions that get me every time – you are lambs going out among the wolves! Don’t take a wallet or a change of clothes or even sandals – don’t take food! In other words, you who are being sent are vulnerable and defenseless – how is your faith now?
Yet even in their vulnerability and defenselessness – Jesus gives them a code – May peace be on this house and if there is a shared response in the affirmative that God’s peace is indeed in this house – that is the house where you will form your base of operations. There you will receive sustenance, but you will also give sustenance. One can imagine the stories the disciples heard and shared. If peace isn’t there or folks aren’t ready to receive the message, that isn’t on you – so shake the dust off and go on your way. The kin-dom is still near and available to all, but perhaps they just aren’t ready to receive it.
I wonder if we can do that – go out into the world in pairs (not alone – we are always supported) and deliver the good news in whatever way we are gifted to do so. How might we practice this notion of being sent? How might we practice the proclamation: “God’s kin-dom has come upon you”? Or “May peace be upon this house.” How might we say that in our modern way of speaking?
Come and see! Come and explore this Sunday in community!
Grace and peace to you,
Pastor Karen