Some of you know that I felt a strong call to ministry ever since I was about 10. I used to  read stories of missionaries, especially missionaries to Africa and dream of being one. Not knowing for many, many years, that Christianity was well rooted in Africa LONG before it came to Europe and then the Americas. But in all the stories I read, it was always the men who were the missionaries, the wives that went with them were often nurses or teachers, and I had NO desire to be either of those. Plus I never encountered a minister who was a woman, and so put away my sense of call… Obviously, God doesn’t give up easily, because here I am… not a missionary, but a minister.

And I don’t know about you, but whenever I feel a nudge from God now, I have two very strong reactions, its either YES!  Or NEVER! And when the call is truly from God, my never becomes a yes.

Our reading today ends with God asking Isaiah “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And Isaiah answers, “Here am I; send me!” Before we get to the reading, I want to give you a bit of context. Isaiah’s vision occurs around 740 BCE. King Uzziah had a long and prosperous reign in Judah but ended tragically due to leprosy, which was viewed as divine punishment for his pride. His death marked a period of uncertainty and political instability for Judah. Judah faced external threats from rising empires, particularly Assyria. Internally, there was social and moral decay, including injustice, idolatry, and neglect of the covenant with God. Let’s listen to this story of vision, repentance and call in Isaiah 6: 1-8:

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty, and the skirts of his robe filled the temple. ² Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³ And one called to another and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

⁴ The pivots^[a] on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. ⁵ And I said, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” ⁶ Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. ⁷ The seraph touched my mouth with it and said, “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” ⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”

Here I am, send me. We’re going to sing words to that effect shortly. 😉 When Isaiah sees that vision, that high and exalted, other worldly vision, he is overwhelmed. He’s also acutely aware of his own sin and the sinfulness of his people. A seraph touches his lips with a burning call, symbolizing purification, atonement and preparation for Isaiah’s prophetic mission. The passage underscores the importance of responding to God’s call, even in the face of daunting tasks.

I sent out an email to the congregation inviting them to tell me about feeling called to their particular work. With their permission, I’m going to share some of their stories.

I’ve summarized what they wrote, so if I have anything wrong, feel free to call me out on it!

Jen Adams had this to say: I actually struggled in my early twenties as I was feeling a call to ministry but didn’t feel it was a good fit because of the lifestyle and restrictions I felt I would be living under. Since I had always worked with children both in and out of the church through Sunday school, camps, etc., I realized I had a stronger call to education. I believe my call to “ministry” was meant to be in lay terms and I have always enjoyed being a part of supporting the church through the various leadership roles I have taken on and helping organize social and fundraising activities.

Jackie Clark had this to say: I am not doing what I had intended to do work-wise. My intended field was medicine, and then Michael happened. I was struggling with everything, as the IWK appointments were completely sucking the life out of me both trying to get him diagnosed and then, once he was, dealing with therapy appointments, doctors, doing therapy at home, etc. I stumbled upon an ad in the paper looking for court reporters to work at home (pretty sure God sent me that ad, as I normally didn’t read classifieds) and the rest, as they say, is history. I am not doing what I intended with my life, but I do like what I’m doing, thankfully. My life got turned upside down completely out of my control, but I was at least able to earn a living while tending to my high needs child, and he ended up being able to do far more than the doctors said he ever would, including walking.

Joan Clark had this to say: My first memory of compassion for suffering was at age 5, when I found a frog with one leg cut off and tried to comfort it by petting it. At 9, I insisted on attending my aunt’s nursing school graduation, impressed by the graduates in their white uniforms and the pride in their profession. At 15, during a hospital stay for an appendectomy, I saw firsthand the care of a wonderful nurse named Judy, whose compassion planted the seed for my dream of becoming a nurse. Despite being born with a hearing impairment, my parents supported me cautiously. At 16, I met with a nursing school director who encouraged me if I kept my grades up. A fellow nurse with a hearing impairment shared her challenges and inspired me to persevere. I prayed and studied hard, knowing success required effort and faith. The humbling prayer, “Not my will but yours be done,” shaped my journey. Accepted into university and nursing school, I faced challenges but never wanted to quit. Throughout my career, I was grateful to pursue my dream, caring for patients with compassion and supporting their families through joy and sorrow. Despite the demands, I never considered another profession and believe I made a difference.

Three different stories… Joan’s a story of sureness… Jen’s a story of wrestling with how she could best use her gifts… Jackie’s a story of her plans being upended by circumstances and yet still finding meaning and value in her work and life. God present in all of them.

Each one of us is called by God… sometimes to things that you will say an immediate no to! 😉

As I said at the beginning of worship, in the Bible, we find stories of people surprised by God’s call: Moses in the wilderness, Esther in the royal palace, the disciples on the shores of Galilee, and Paul on the road to Damascus. Each one was called in a unique way, often interrupting their plans with a new purpose.

Last spring, after I noticed Community Health Board grant application, I called Joan and Debra to see if we could quickly put a grant application together for Wellness Wednesdays… they responded with a yes… and for those of you who are participating in it, you know what a blessing it is. If Joan and Debra had said no, this program would never have gotten off the ground. Perhaps you are being called too.

This Interim Ministry period is partly about being called away from what was and called to something different. One of the things that is different is the way we organize ourselves and make decisions. Just a couple of weeks ago, we as a congregation, voted to adopt Governance as Spiritual Practice as our new governing body. I would like to pray about where God might be calling you to this ministry of leading St. James into the future. And also, I understand that some of you have questions about where you might fit since there will be no Session or Stewards.

I’ve created a really bad diagram on flip chart paper. The Transition Team is in the process of writing up some terms of reference for some of these smaller interlocking circles or groups. There is a place for everybody’s gifts, no matter how short a time you’ve been here or how long a time you’ve been here. When you feel that call, I invite you to make that known to Ralph Setttle, Chair of the OB until December 1^st, Joyce Wylie, Chair of the Transition Team, or myself. Or if you’d like to talk it through with me, I’d be happy to listen and ask questions.

Isaiah’s story speaks to us, reminding us that God’s call isn’t reserved for the perfect or the powerful but is open to anyone willing to respond. Often, when we feel most unworthy or incapable, God meets us with transforming grace, enabling us to see beyond our limitations. Being called by God means surrendering our own self-doubts and fears to the assurance that God will provide whatever we need to answer the call.

It’s about being open to God’s refining power and trusting that, like Isaiah, that saying “yes” to God may lead us to unexpected paths and challenges. God’s call often invites us out of comfort and into purpose, leading us to join in the work of love, justice, and healing. When we say, “Here I am; send me,” we are committing to be part of God’s mission in the world, trusting that, even in our imperfections, God can use us to bring hope and transformation.

Thanks be to God for the challenge and the opportunity, amen.

Isaiah 6: 1-8

November 17, 2024 – SJ

© Catherine MacDonald 2024