Alexandra McCallum

Sermon 10/24/10

It was 6 in the morning, and it was incredibly cold. I was standing with my J2A pilgrimage group on the shaded grassy side of the east transept of Canterbury Cathedral completely overwhelmed by the instantaneous feeling of connection to those who had been there, those who were there, and those who were yet to come. We were utterly exhausted. We had taken an overnight bus ride through France and into Canterbury, and because we were teenagers there was obviously little sleep involved. My mind was hazey, my eyes were droopy, yet when we arrived, and grabbed our bags off the bus I blinked, and before me was a sight so grand that it was almost unbelievable. Through the crisp air and the sleepy haze and the excitement of our continuing pilgrimage my feelings were: Wow. Canterbury Cathedral is massive! Standing in the shadow of the church I felt so miniscule, and yet so far from insignificant. It is hard to travel to Canterbury and not fall in love with the church; to not fall in love with the feeling that wraps around you, by simply standing outside the church. As you have probably already realized my immediate love for this place only deepened upon entrance into the church itself. It was welcoming. It was warm. It was comfortable. I belonged. I was home. I had just stepped into one of the most meaningful communities that I could ever imagine, the community of love.

In the British ensemble movie Love Actually the realities of love and community are explored. At the beginning of the movie, while a montage of images of love are being shown: a couple hugging and kissing after an absence, a mother reuniting with her two young daughters, two old girlfriends catching up and so forth, we hear a voice over by Hugh Grant saying,

“Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport. General opinion makes out that we live in a world of hatred and greed I don't see that. Seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy but it's always there. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, none of the phone calls from people on board were messages of hate or revenge, they were all messages of love. lf you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.”

The quote sounds a lot better when said by Hugh Grant himself with his lovely British accent. This movie is my favorite movie because each time I watch it I am reminded of how God wants us to live, to live in community with love. Community is what keeps us connected to our humanity and to our potential. Through community, we are able to grow with each other, support one another, and love one another. When I stood on the grass outside of Canterbury Cathedral, I became aware of the greater human community. I believe that this moment was made possible because of my roots, and my first home and community. My family at home and my family here at St. Philip’s helped to form me. All of you here, the community of St. Philip’s helped me. You helped me to grow. You made and continue to make possible opportunities in the children and youth programs here such as youth groups, culminating in the experience of J2A pilgrimage to Taize, France and Canterbury, England. St. Philip’s, you, have given me a place to grow and the unbelievable chance to experience a new world that I had no idea existed. I am forever thankful to all who made the pilgrimage possible because it was a life-altering experience.

Here at St. Philip’s the After School Music and Homework help program, for those of you who are unaware, gives a musical education and homework help to kids from Rio Vista and Hollaway Elementary schools. Statistically we know that after school is one of the times of greatest risks for kids who are left unsupervised. This program offers these children and their families a safety net. I first began helping out in the after school program during the program’s first year. I signed up as a volunteer because the idea of helping others drew me in. This isn’t just babysitting. This is about helping children to learn life skills that will stand them in good stead, discipline, solid reading and math skills, and creating new friendships. When I help out in the After School Music and Homework Help program, I feel that I am able to reach out and touch these wonderful children, in the same way that I was touched by the people and programs of St. Philip’s. I was given an unbelievable opportunity, and I want to be able to give that back to these kids in some way. However this is not a one way street. Even though I give so much to them, they in return give so much to me, their joy, their humor, their love for life. I receive just as much from them, if not more, as they receive from me. By helping these kids, we are providing a safe and healthy haven so that they feel welcomed, they feel warmed, they feel comfortable, they feel as if they belong, they feel as if they are at home.

Do you know how you have touched people’s lives? Our lives? Each other? As a parish you have been committed to supporting our children and youth programs. And perhaps you didn’t really stop to think about it and how meaningful that was. When you purchased food at the J2A café, when you bought Christmas wreathes, when you attended the Lenten suppers, when you as vestry members voted to give monies to the pilgrimage fund, you each one of you reached out and supported us. When you volunteer as Sunday School teachers, you touch us. When youth group leaders led us through our countless sleepless lock-ins and ski trips, you touched us. This is community. This is love. And did you have any idea that in doing this we youth would be altered by our experiences? So now I hope to give that back, to pay it forward, to the children in the After School Music Program and to St. Philip’s at large. And who knows, in 10-12 years our after school music children may begin paying it forward as well. So this is our community of St. Philip’s, our community of love, and I thank you for what I have received from you. When I come here, just as at Canterbury, it is welcoming, it is warm, it is comfortable, I belong. I am home.

Amen