Sermon for 3/3/02

Good Morning. I am Grace Northington. This morning’s gospel centers around the theme of hearing, believing and living the word of our Lord God. Those who hear but do not believe, wait impatiently for tangible proof. But the truth is, we are living proof. We are the Lord’s sheep, and he uses each and every one of us daily to help others "hear his voice". People around us must see our Lord working in our daily lives. We love because Jesus first loved us. Therefore it is our duty to show and teach others his way. The best way is through actions. As the cliche goes ‘Actions speak louder than words’. No matter where you go, or who you are, people are ALWAYS going to be watching you. Show them that Christ lives in you and you in him. Remember Jesus said "He is the vine and we are the branches". We are not alone. We are ONE with him. So just let him work through you.

It has been through watching others, and learning from them that I have formed a living and loving relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Many different people have aided in my walk. For those of you whom I don’t know, I have grown up in the St. Stephen’s Parish. St. Stephen’s has become some sort of second home to me over the past 18 years. With a mom who works at the church, for my sisters and me it has been a little too much of a family at times. I have formed so many wonderful memories right here in this Parish, that I will take with me to college next year. Sunday School, Mrs. Royal ALWAYS brought the best snacks! Logos with Jay & Kay as my table parents. JR. Choir. Liz Jeffreys and I being DOVES in the Christmas Play, and our wings getting stuck together. Bible School. Teaching Sunday School and Bible School. EYC. The Bush Gardens Trip where Max’s nose was cut open. Caroling with the Carrols. Rite 13, with Mr. & Mrs. Saylors and Mrs. Jeffreys. Jamie & Adam. And so many more. Throughout my childhood and growing up within a Church Family, I always believed in Jesus, and I always thought I had a relationship with him. It wasn’t until my sophomore year in high school, that I came to realize what walking with the Lord as your light really meant. The fall of my sophomore year, the program Young Life was formed at my school, and I attended my first Happening weekend (a weekend retreat for high school students through the Episcopal Diocese). These two programs truly changed my life. My Young Life Leaders, Bryan and Lindsay Hancock have taught me so much about life and helped me to become stronger in my faith. Lindsay is now one of my best friends, and is there with encouragement any day I need it. Young Life is a program developed to teach high school students about the Good News of Jesus Christ. To show us that your life will become 1000 times better with Christ at the center, not the other way around. Now, Happening. I know many of you have heard about Happening from youth or adults from this Parish. And everyone always talks about how it transforms you into something new. Well, it does. The Happening weekend itself and the friendships I have gained from the experience hold a special part in my life. Happening occurs twice a year, and it always renews my Faith. At my first Happening, it was very comforting to learn that many other people my age were going through the same struggles as I was. I was also shown that though there are hardships all around me, the blessings in my life out-weigh them all. The church family, here, that I have been blessed with, is amazing. Each one of you have brightened my days in so many various ways. Thank you for that. I have been blessed with the most wonderful group of friends. Each one of them in their own unique way has helped form me into who I am today. For those of you here, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I have also been blessed with an incredible family. To my sisters; She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child. -- And I have two of them!! Thank you for daily challenging me to be the best that I can be. For those of you who don’t know, my parents are Jim and Adrienne Northington. My dad although we always give him a hard time about spending WAY too much time at the golf course, is ALWAYS there encouraging my sisters and me on the soccer field or volleyball court. And it’s made the world of difference. My mom, has got to be the most unselfish woman I know. She puts EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE’S needs in front of her own. She is always there to help, without even being asked. I don’t show my appreciation enough. Thank you for everything. I love you both.
Next year, while I am at UNC the memories I have made here at St. Stephen’s will always be with me. Thank you for helping to make my childhood here, the best it could be. And remember; actions speak louder than words.

My name is Rob Cagle. It is my experience that growing up in a church affords lots of opportunities for special memories and friendships. I was baptized in a small Episcopal mission church that my grandfather helped to nurture and where my father was baptized and served as an Acolyte. The church that I grew up in is where my mother was baptized, where my parents were married and my other grandfather is a former Elder. The gospel reading this morning spoke of our being the branches of the vine. This branch is indeed deeply rooted in the family of the church.

Memories of my church life are varied and diverse. My first performance with the childrens choir when I was 5 was in the musical Moses and the Freedom Fanatics and I played the part of a frog.no speaking part, I just hopped around.I was a part of a plague. My fellow frogs are also preparing to graduate from high school this year. Weve come a long way!

Before I was born my mom helped interview and hire a nursery attendant at the church in Wilmington. Mrs. Bryant is one of the first church people I remember. After we moved away, any time we returned to visit we always had to stop by the nursery because Mrs. Bryant expected a hug from me. She still likes to call me Uh Oh for reasons I cant explain.. Mrs. Bryant retired from the position last year after spending 18 years caring for the children in the nursery. She is one of those special memories from my early years in church.

We moved to Goldsboro I was in the 5^th grade, but every year since moving, I continued my contact with that church family. For each of the past 5 years, I have spent a week during the summer working for othersgiving my time and talents at Work Camps or Mission Trips. Seeing adults from the church in a different setting, working along side those we might share a pew with on Sunday has created my most special memories. Whether it was clearing trails at a conference center, painting a cabin at a church camp, digging drainage ditches to alleviate flooding problems, repairing siding on a house to create a warmer home, or building a new porch to provide access to a home; every experience helped remind me of the many blessings I have. Those weeks with a police officer or school principal or parent of a friend or even adults I had never met in close working situations forged friendships with special unique qualities. Simply put, we worked hard, we laughed hard and did the work of the Lord. I really have to say that Im very excited that Mrs. Northington has begun the process to hopefully have a group from St. Stephens participate in the Appalachia Service Project next summer. Please consider this opportunity when it is given to you.

St. Stephens is my 3^rd church family. Father Gene enlightened me to the intricacies of the Episcopal Church during Confirmation Class a couple of years ago and I was confirmed by Bishop Daniel here. I received my Boy Scout Eagle Scout Award here last May, so the church continues to be a part of my life. During all of this, Adam and Jamie Livengood, our EYC youth ministers, have helped me grow in the church and in Christ. For that I thank you.

In todays gospel, Jesus says If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. Young people of the church are truly the fruits of the vine. Please continue to nurture them. With that, heres Lizzie Royal with the conclusion of our Senior sermon.

by Lizzie Royal delivered on May 1, 2005

Hey Everyone! My name is Lizzie Royal and I’m also a senior at Eastern Wayne High School. About four years ago was my first time carrying the cross in our church service. I really liked carrying the torches because it was easier and there was someone else to do it with you. But it was time for me to learn how to crucifer so everyone was telling me just do it and it was okay if I messed up. So I thought to myself “I can do it. I have seen it done all my life. Nothing could go too bad right?” WRONG! It started out bad as I forgot the order to light the candles, which still happens to me today. Just as I thought things were going pretty good, it was time for me to get the gospel book. I didn’t even know which one to grab. There were two books that looked very similar, and I stood there for what seemed like forever trying to decide which one, finally I just grabbed one and luckily it was the right one. But it was still very obvious that I didn’t know what I was doing and I realized I was way in over my head. Communion wasn’t so bad either, unless you count getting the wine and the water confused five different times. Now I know this part wasn’t too bad, but the worst is yet to come. FINALLY, it was the ending processional. I was so glad and thinking about how I really needed to learn how to do this job right. While I was pondering about getting help, I totally forgot to extinguish the candles. I was just sitting there doing nothing and the hymn was almost over. I put them out as fast as I could, but just when I finished the last candle and bowed and went and got the cross, the hymn ended. I could not believe I had to walk down in front of the whole church in total silence, which all of you know, is like the most awkward thing to do. Even though I knew that no one really cared, and everyone knew that I tried, I still was so embarrassed. There is a woman in the bible that I imagine felt the same way, or probably worse. I will remind you of the story real quick. (John 8:1-11)

I love this story for two reasons. It shows us of Jesus’ unconditional love for us and it reminds me of the love I see from other people in my life. When the town people bring in the woman, she was already embarrassed enough just to be caught in something so horrible by people who were considered the” good people” of the town. Then brining her before Jesus Christ? That must have been horrible. But instead of shunning her like everyone else, Jesus tried to take the attention off of the woman by writing in the sand. Not only does this show his love, but then he just forgives her, right there. He doesn’t ask questions or wait a while and let her prove that she will not sin anymore, he just forgives her. Just like he forgives every one of us, everyday. Not only am I thankful that Jesus forgives the woman and every one of us but I am also thankful that he has given me forgiving friends and family that have stuck by me my whole life no matter what I did or didn’t do. No matter if I haven’t attended church in a long time, I am still welcomed here with open arms. No matter what I did my parents have also shown me their most love and have pushed me to be the best. I thank all of you for supporting me all these years through the thick and thin and even some of you that I haven’t known as long, I know that I have people to rely on the rest of my life, just like the woman, who now had Jesus in her life that she can turn to no matter what she had done.