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Paris Originals

5/01/2011

Paris OriginalsIf you and I had been alive on May 12, 1836, here’s what our world would look like…
  • Andrew Jackson is President.  
  • The 24th Congress is in session (The current Congress is the 112th).  
  • The Battle of the Alamo in Texas occurred barely two months ago.  
  • Less than a month ago Congress created the Wisconsin Territory.  
  • Arkansas is poised to become the 25th state in the Union.  
  • The federal government’s debt is 0. (Yes, you read that correctly.  1836 was the only year when there was no federal debt.)
  • The State of Illinois is less than two decades old.
  • Elgin is one year old and Kane County was established four months ago.  
  • A young man named Abraham Lincoln has just obtained his law license.
It was a different world when eleven settlers entered into a Congregational Covenant that day in the cabin of James Gifford.  It’s hard for me to imagine what life must have been like for them 175 years ago. 

And here we are in the year 2011, inheritors of such a grand tradition and storied history.  First Congregational Church has seen its share of joys and sorrows, victories and defeats, gains and losses.		 The numbers of people worshipping on Sundays has grown and dwindled numerous times.  Yet, we are still here — testimony to the continuing grace of God and the devotion of those who call this church “home.” 

As we begin to celebrate our 175th year, however, I am reminded of a documentary film I saw long ago which detailed a revival of religious fervor which swept through the country of Wales in the early 20th century, filling churches and changing lives. 

The film then moved on to an interview with a man who returned to Wales after years of service as a missionary to find the churches nearly empty and hymns only sung by spectators at soccer games with no clue as to the meaning of the words. 

The film was called “God Has No Grandchildren.”  The Christians in Wales thought their faith could be an inheritance to the next generation.  But it doesn’t work that way.  It hasn’t worked that way here at FCC.  We have inherited an illustrious heritage and the most beautiful church building in town.  But we have not inherited our faith like some family heirloom.  Those who came before us lived faithfully and gave us examples to follow so that we might choose for ourselves to follow Jesus.

So as we commemorate 175 years of discipleship, let’s remember that God has no grandchildren.  Our faithfulness today is the legacy we have to pass along.  The future of FCC is not in the hands of some future generation.  It’s in our hands — right here, right now.