Dear friends, fellow travelers, siblings in Christ. Today, we don’t just gather for worship, we gather for a party. A holy party. A centenary celebration. And as with all good parties… someone should probably offer a toast. So, here it is.
To the United Church of Canada—cheers to 100 years! To a bold and beautiful experiment that began in 1925 when some brave souls thought, “What if we actually got together as churches instead of staying apart?” Wild idea, I know. It was, quite honestly, a very Pentecostal moment.
Ian reminded us of the Pentecost scene from Acts 2 in this morning’s reading. The Spirit blows in like a holy hurricane, tongues of fire dance on foreheads (no permits needed), and suddenly the disciples start speaking in every language under the sun. People are bewildered. Amazed. Confused. They are bewildered, amazed and confused because they each (for the first time) actually understand the other! It was a moment of Pentecost.
One in the crowd asks, “Are they drunk?” And Peter, who we have been following through the past several weeks in our series on Acts replies, “No. They aren’t drunk. It’s only nine in the morning!” (A line that always makes me think: Peter didn’t say “they’re never drunk”... just “not yet.” But that’s a consideration for another day!
But in all seriousness, that day, God’s Spirit crashed the party of human expectation. God said: “This good news isn’t just for some—it’s for all.” Young and old. Men and women. Insiders and outsiders. People with accents and people who’ve never heard the story. And if we’re honest, the United Church has always had a bit of that same spirit: A little bold. A little bewildering. A little beautiful. At times it took ‘this marriage’, this denomination a while to adjust…but we got there! And keep trying to ‘get there!’ as we create tables of inclusion and welcome.
So today, in that spirit, I raise a few “anniversary toasts” as we think about tables of welcome. Could we raise a glass and toast to “The Table Set for All”. To the communities who said, “Let’s put more chairs around the table.” Who made space for women in ministry, for 2S LGBTQ2IA folks, for children and elders, for seekers and doubters. For bread broken in basements and laughter shared in church kitchens. To the times we’ve said: You are welcome here. You are part of this story. Even when we weren’t quite sure what that meant yet. To the ever-widening table—cheers.
I wonder if we might raise a glass and toast “the Holy Mess-Ups” Let’s be honest: 100 years is a long time. And we haven’t always gotten it right. There have been deep harms—especially in our complicity in residential schools and colonial systems. There have been moments of pride, silence, and exclusion. We name them—not to bring down the mood, but because deep and authentic healing requires truth. And yet even in our worst moments, the Spirit has not given up on us. God keeps showing up with wind and fire and second chances. And so to grace that refuses to quit, we say: “cheers.”
Would you also raise a glass as we toast “the Spirit Still Speaking”. Today we celebrate a centenary. But, friends, this isn’t the end of the party. This is just the intermission. If Pentecost teaches us anything, it’s that the Church is always being born again. It doesn’t stay put. It doesn’t retire at 100. I have a retired clergy friend whose email signature is “retired…but not tired”. As we prepare to move into our next 100 years ahead, may we celebrate a church that still listens, still dreams, and still moves where the Spirit leads next. Today, we’re not just celebrating a church that was. We’re celebrating a church that will be. Where young people will dream dreams. Where old folks will see visions. Where prophets will rise, and poetry will spill from the pulpit and the picket line.Will you raise a glass and celebrate with me the next 100 years…cheers.
No anniversary would be complete without a fitting gift for the celebration. But what does one give at 100 years? At 25 years, we celebrate with silver; at 50 years we celebrate with gold; and diamonds are used to honour 60 and 75 years. How does one celebrate at 100? Our denomination is encouraging us to celebrate with a table as they are now launching their 100 tables celebration ministry program. The Board and I have just received this project idea from the Growth Animator, Rev. Scott Reynolds. The project is meant to be unique to each of our congregational contexts. Essentially the question we answer is ‘what does our neighbourhood look like and how do we welcome the neighbourhood around the table?’ The National Church is providing a gift card for the purchase of a picnic table at a local Rona store and encouraging us, in our unique context, to consider who is not (yet) at the table. Some will actually welcome a new picnic table to their property; others, will take the idea more ‘symbolically’ and consider how we welcome the neighbourhood. Symbolic or literal, the question around welcome and hospitality is consistent.
Over the past few weeks, we have been having similar considerations as we have unpacked the demographics of our neighbourhood. Fleetwood is a rapidly growing area with a rich tapestry of culture! We spoke a few weeks ago about the demographics of the community we are called to serve. Fleetwood is made up of 38% South Asian, 25% Caucasian, 10% Chinese, 9% Filipino, and 18% Other. On top of that diversity, there are some exciting projections of growth coming out of “The Fleetwood Plan” that many of us have been following. We are expecting an increase in population of 100,000 by 2031 and an additional 100,000 by 2036. A new skytrain line will be complimenting this area and many new apartment and housing units as new builds continue. And in all of this diversity and growth, we imagine the table…Is there a place for others around the table? Is there a place for the growing community? Is there a place for the wonderful cultural mosaic surrounding it?
So, will you to join me in this sacred centenary toast: Here’s to the United Church of Canada. A church not perfect, but persistent. Not finished, but faithful. Not done, but dreaming. Here’s to the Spirit-wind in our sails, the Spirit-fire in our bones, and God’s love at our core. Here’s to the Spirit—wild and wonderful, who is far from done with us yet.
Amen.