Homecomings and Birthdays

On this date (June 28) last year, Scott and I were wandering around London, especially the area around Bunhill Fields cemetery and Wesley's chapel.  It had been raining, hence the rain poncho I'm wearing in this picture, and as we paid our respects at the grave of John Wesley, it dawned on me that it was his birthday.  Looking around in the yard of the chapel, Scott noticed a tiny wildflower (ok, it was probably a weed, but it was all we could find), so I placed it on his grave while Scott snapped this photo.  We wished him a happy 314th birthday and took a few more pictures before continuing our meanderings across the city, congratulating ourselves that we had honored him with our humble floral tribute.  It was just the sort of thing that a Metho-nerd would do!

Today, I had the opportunity of sharing this story with a special group of people from a church I served many years ago.  Haymount United Methodist Church was my second appointment (1999-2004), and being their Associate Pastor was a blessing and a great joy.  Having been the pastor of two small churches for the previous 3 years, I now had the opportunity of being part of a large church staff, working as part of a team, and I learned things I could never have learned otherwise.  I would have happily served there for many more years, but one of the characteristics we have inherited from Father John is the itinerancy, so when the bishop moved me, I went.  In the intervening 14 years, I have served a number of other churches and due to "a strange chain of providences," as the Wesleys would say, I have now been at First Presbyterian now for nearly 7 years.

When we leave a church, we are supposed to really leave, not to pay pastoral calls on our former parishioners or officiate at their weddings or funerals or otherwise interfere with the ministry of the person who follows us.  There are exceptions, but these are meant to be rare and to take place only with the permission and at the invitation of the current pastor.  Because my ministry at Haymount is such a happy memory for me -- and for them -- I occasionally get the chance to be with them again, and today was one of those times.  I had been asked to speak to the Thursday gathering about my sabbatical, particularly about my Wesley research, and when I was introduced, the speaker simply said, "We want to welcome Donna home."  I talked and showed pictures and thoroughly enjoyed sharing my experiences with these dearly-loved friends.  We sang 2 of Charles Wesley's hymns, ate spaghetti and garlic bread, and even had cupcakes served on birthday plates in honor of Mr. Wesley!  It really was like being at home.

There is something precious about birthdays and homecomings because at their heart, these are family celebrations.  Laughing, telling stories, reliving shared memories, and hearing the news of what has taken place since you were last together -- these are what fill such occasions with moments of grace.  I told them that we are all Wesley's children and that we continue his legacy when we realize that we all have gifts that enable us to share the love of Christ with everyone we meet.  I can't help thinking that the Church and the world would be a much kinder place if we spent more time at the table with other people, discovering all that we have in common and rejoicing in the unity that exists in the midst of our rich diversity.  It reminds me of a hymn (not written by either Charles or John) that speaks to our oneness, echoing the words of the Apostle Paul:

One bread, one body,
one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many,
throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.

As I drove back down the hill towards the corner of Ann and Bow Streets, I was filled with joy and thanksgiving for the outpouring of love from my old church as well as from the one I now serve.  I don't know what Mr. Wesley would have thought about us celebrating his birthday in this way, but he would surely be pleased when we are able to see each other as part of that one body of our one Lord.  If we could just hold onto that essential Christian truth, what a wonderful birthday AND homecoming gift that would be!