“…you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.”

 

The imagery in this morning’s Epistle lesson comes from ancient architecture, in which the cornerstone was the most important stone laid.  Most buildings were constructed out of stones that were hewn by axes which created rough edges and irregular angles rather than the smooth-sided, evenly-proportioned blocks available today.  But the stone that was placed in the corner had to be precisely cut, perfectly square, and indestructible because the integrity of the entire building depended on it.  If the cornerstone were not of enduring material, or if the two walls leading from it were not straight and true, the building could become an architectural nightmare. 

 

This church has two cornerstones.

 

The first is ceremonial, as most cornerstones are in this day and age of precision masonry.  You pass this church’s ceremonial cornerstone, perhaps unknowingly, every time you enter the upper doorway to this building.  It is a block inscribed with the year 1957 and was set in that prominent location when construction first began here 50 years ago.  With that cornerstone went into the bricks and mortar a box containing items related to the church, including an historical sketch going back to our beginnings in 1744, a message by the pastor Rev. Robert MacLeod, and personal remembrances and photographs from members of this congregation – perhaps some of you. 

 

We can imagine that these papers expressed the hopes, dreams, and vision of this church family as it moved forward in faith and commenced construction on this building -- the hopes, dreams, and vision that this would be a sacred space to worship God, to learn about Christ, and to be transformed by the Holy Spirit; that this would be a holy place to love one another as Christ commands in this morning’s Gospel lesson and to show that love by serving and reaching out to those within and beyond these walls; and that the First Congregational Church would continue to be a cornerstone of faith in the Stoughton community and the world.  That is this church’s ceremonial cornerstone. 

 

The spiritual Cornerstone of this church is Christ, our immoveable, enduring Lord.  He is the perfectly cut stone, through whom this church is held together and whose love we proclaim and embody.  As spiritual building blocks of this, God’s house, we connect with each other in relation to our Cornerstone, and it is love and service in His name which cements us together. 

 

It is a sad fact that, in many churches, the physical building is stronger than the spiritual one.  I am happy to say that is not the case here in this family of faith.  When I first met you two and a half years ago, I was immediately struck by your love for your church, and your love for each other.  What a wonderful foundation on which to build!

 

In our case, it is our physical, rather than our spiritual, building which is in need of attention, and that is why we have launched our “Restore ~ Renew ~ Rejoice” Capital Campaign.  You’ve heard from many people already about this important undertaking.  At our March 18 Congregational Meeting, Marcia Olson spoke eloquently about taking care of this church building, and you responded by giving unanimous approval to go ahead with the campaign.  Over the past several Sundays during worship, you have heard Charlene Smith and Joe Dawe articulate our need for your participation in this effort.  And those of you who enjoyed last night’s celebration heard more specifics about the repairs and improvements to be done and the money it will take to restore and renew this building. 

 

The First Congregational Church of Stoughton has been given to us by generations of the faithful, who have entrusted into our hands not only the gift of this spiritual church, but also its physical building.  And now is the time to honor that cloud of witnesses by taking care of this legacy so that we may pass it along to the generations that follow us, because the faithfulness we demonstrate through our “Restore ~ Renew ~ Rejoice” campaign will have an impact on the people who sit in these pews long after we are gone. 

 

Our commitment to raise the money needed for this important project will shape the souls and spirits of the members and friends of this congregation for the next fifty years to come and beyond.  Our support and generous giving to this campaign will speak volumes about who we are and how important our church is in our lives, as individuals and as a family of faith.

 

A few minutes ago, as a congregation bound together in Christ’s love, we shared the gifts of God.  These simple elements remind us that when a common loaf of bread and simple cup is passed among us, we are changed and empowered to do great things.  When we share this holy meal, we are reminded that the task ahead of us is never greater than the power behind us.

 

Fifty years ago, the good people of this church had a hope and dream.  As citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, let us honor their vision, renewing our commitment to Christ, the cornerstone of our faith, and also to this building, a cornerstone of our faith life together.  Amen.