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By the river, there was a place of prayer. Isn’t that a wonderful image? In today’s epistle reading, Paul finds some soon to be Christian converts gathered at the river to pray. Perhaps Macedonia lacked a synagogue. Whatever. The river was a fine place to offer thanks and praise to God. For most of us it isn’t hard to visualize such a place. …

We have many places of prayer, more than we realize. We have more places of prayer because we pray more than we realize. Prayer isn’t always, or for some of us, often, an experience of quiet solitude breathing deep, sheltered from interruptions.

I suppose its part guilt and apology that I, a minister, admit that I do not discipline myself to quietly meditate. It is a failure of discipline. It’s not difficult to pause and focus on the sacred within and all around us. Actually, I feel pretty good about my doing that. I do have the nurturing habit of paying attention to God incognito. What I don’t have is the discipline to create a time and place for quiet, quality prayer in the form of meditation.

Thankfully, many of you do. The Organic Spirituality groups led by Nae and Sarah; the meditation folk who gather in the morning or evening throughout the week; Jim, whose calm and diminished ego I credit to his finding and being found by God’s messenger, Buddha, comfortable in a Christian robe; and all of you that meditate – this is good. The world needs more of you.

The brief point I want to make, and have made before, is that meditating is one form of prayer. If we don’t meditate, it does not mean we do not pray. The art of praying is at some point recognizing that we are in relationship with God, with Jesus, the Holy Spirit, whatever language you employ to name the sacred. In those moments, fleeting and sustained, questioning and cursing, weary and energized, grateful and humbled, when we engage with God, we are praying. On the beltway, in the kitchen, at the computer, or on the porch, these are frequent places of prayer. Perhaps a poignant Mother’s Day card would read, “Enclosed is a one week spiritual retreat for quiet meditation.” A more realistic card might read, “Thanks Mom for holding all of us in prayer instead of at knife point.”

By the river, there was a place to pray. Our Christian scripture this morning tells a story of Paul thinking he was headed one place and finding out God wanted him to go to a different place. This was not new phenomenon for Paul. It happens to you and to me when we pay attention to the Spirit’s leading. Paul had a dream or a vision that altered his itinerary. Scratch Asia. Go to Europe.

Paul and crew arrived in Greece, finding themselves in the city of Philippi, in the Roman district of Macedonia. On the Sabbath they went outside the gate of the city, and found the place of prayer - by the river. Why a river? Why not a circle of stones or a grove of trees?

There is not an answer in this particular text. It’s unlikely that the listeners and later readers of this story asked, Why a river?  For me, the answer is: Because the river represents life, literally and figuratively. Ezekiel, as we heard earlier, is led into the river just outside the Temple that ultimately flows into the Dead Sea. “Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. …on the banks will grow trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary (Temple).”

Living water, anyone? In a dry climate or along seas of salt, a fresh water river is the difference between life and death. When it comes to praying, what is more inspiring, sitting indoors listening to someone talk or sitting outside listening to the river speak?

Paul meets up with a group of women. A certain woman named Lydia, a Gentile Jew, was there. She listened to what Paul had to say and “The Lord opened up her heart.” She and her household were baptized that day. The story concludes with Lydia inviting Paul and his companions to come stay at her home. As is usually the case, there is more here than meets the ear.

Who was Lydia? It’s all speculation but we do know she was a businesswoman, a seller of purple cloth. Was she married? Did she have children? Was she single? Some say she may have been a former slave. Who are those in her household that are mentioned? Most agree that whatever Lydia’s social status was, in this meeting Lydia is now wealthy.

What is different about this scenario compared to other Bible stories of conversion and faith community growth? Lydia is female. Lydia’s prominence is not linked with a male partner or master. Lydia has significant resources. A strong woman invites a strong man into her home and they establish together a house church. For all the grief Paul gets regarding his attitude toward women, you have to admit his acknowledgement of Lydia and his mention of the leadership of women in his letters is significant. Isn’t it ironic that the first recorded Christian conversion in Europe was that of a woman? A woman who became a house church leader and no doubt a preacher in her own right?

What is familiar about this scenario when it comes to the Spirit’s leading is that the chosen ones are outside the gate. It is always worthy to recall how throughout our Judeo-Christian faith journey, it is the marginalized or the ones outside the mainstream that are called into ministry. It is also the ones “outside the gate” with whom Jesus sought to minister. I have no basis, outside of my own need and prejudices, to imagine Lydia as a radical and inspiring example to all who knew of her. Lydia’s person and wealth were used to help build a faith community guided by the ethics of Jesus. Neither Jew nor Gentile, slave or free, rich or poor, male or female were separated from the inclusive love of God.

Let’s all gather by the river, shall we? Let’s all pray, listening for God’s leading. Christ Congregational Church is in transition. When is the church not in transition? (when it’s dead!) Jim’s retirement is less than 3 months away. The interim senior pastor search committee is hard at work. We have set before us strategic goals that seek to help us prioritize certain efforts. Volunteer leadership models are in need of reform. There is exciting energy in the hearts of our new members and in the hearts of those welcoming them. We today are celebrating our loving and gifted parish intern, Vicki Kemper. Vicki is no longer our intern but our seminary graduate, in-care, CCC member seeking ordination. The river we stand alongside is vibrant. Its waters are not stagnant. God’s waters are alive, giving life to all that dare to get wet.

Let’s all gather at the river, shall we?

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