David Wright, Fuengirola, South of Spain

SERMON 24 JANUARY 2002 EL ROSARIO WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.

Thank God for all the meetings Councils and events that have taken place in recent times to cooperate with the Power of God which transforms our comfortable and staid ways, to make progress in helping us to find that Unity that is God's will, in the church and in the world. Thank God for the faithful work of the leaders and local coordinators of Christs church for pushing onwards where ever opportunities beckon and doors open in what otherwise can be a slow business at times. Thank God for the faithful contribution to the ongoing world search for Unity that has been made by the European churches, including the work of the C.C.E.E. (EUROPEAN COUNCIL OF EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES) and the KEK ( formed by the representatives of the Conference of European churches from Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican, and Old Catholic member churches. And the many, many opportunities for us all to meet each other, beyond the divisions in our traditions and the discovery that things ARE on the move. In the Anglican sphere we are again having talks with the Methodist church which was born within the Anglican church in a Spirit of reform, but alas in time left the Anglican church in sorrow. All over the globe there is news of talks and meetings between churches to try to find a way of healing the divisions of centuries.

David Wright

In these sort of attempts to mend the separation of the past we are perhaps quite used to discover that wherever we meet to find ways to unite we find at 1~ two mind sets in those most energetically involved. There are those who are defending the integrity of the past. They who are most insistent that before we can agree we must get every statement just right, and who stress the need for absolute doctrinal agreement and need to find in each tradition proof of the marks and presence of the historic universal church, and there are in these ranks of these very analytic Christians, people who are men and women of the' Head'. One the other hand we have people who are more of the heart who are sometimes accused of mere sentimentality, who are more prepared to leave some it's undotted and it's uncrossed in their desire to be open to the Spirit and His work of reconciliation and trust., and who get excited when they learn and share and find signs of renewal and of new approaches in mission and service, because of the different ways in which people journey towards Christ. Certainly we shall wary of premature innovations in traditional methods, but where we find ministeries that lack something or are irregular, but are nevertheless open and trusting in the love of Christ and have that authentic mark of the presence of the spirit of God we may be encouraged. and agree to engage seriously.' Mind or Heart', we need to be honest about methodology and motivation and keep asking are we in touch with the mind of Christ. Are we able to welcome innovation and experiment if we are led by the Spirit? Let us be generous where we can be just as our Lord was generous with his attitude, to the prodigal Son, who repented, and who warmed to the Scribe who accepted his summary of the Law, but was unhappy with the more Orthodox disputants and angry with the harsh cold and rejecting Pharisees. May God help us to discuss with mind and heart. We need clarity but we also need warmth and openness.

The Autumn of this year has been dominated by Outrage and Hatred in the world and the fear that Christian, Jew, and Moslem would be sucked up in the War on Terror. But the New York attack did not start terror, that, it was seething well before 11 September. All the year through, in so many different parts of the world, in the Holy Land, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Rewanda, Yugoslavian republics, Iraq, Chechnia and so on Out of all that misery and the terrible cycle of hatred many were led to join in prayer reaching out to and including people from all the World Faith Communities. And here in Spain there were several Inter Faith services and one of them was here in this place and we are so grateful to Lux Mundi for their leadership organising that. In turning to God We in part sought to drown the War on Terror message by reminding anyone who would listen that terror does not remove terror but only postpone it till the next opportunity for it to emerge with even more hatred. Instead of that response we need to try understand each other and to share with others the basic needs of Justice Peace Food Water warmth, markets and fair trading and the respect that comes from eradicating poverty and promoting self sufficiency. Above all Justice.

Our week has as its symbol the Fountain of Life.. It comes from Psalm 36 verse 9 ' With You Is The Fountain of Life,' and the theme suggests that to unlock this secret we need to find our way to the place where the Fountain of life is. During the service we have dwelt on the place' Water; holds as one of Christs special themes and the place Baptism has in the life of all the churches that share the Trinitarian faith. We celebrate the increasing mutual recognition of one anothers Baptism, as the One Baptism into Christ. Faith, Prayer and Common action can make water spring up even from the desert rock of bitterness and cleanse the sin of division in the Church.

We have probably all been to a swimming pool where there has been a Fountain gushing clean bubbling water causing huge fun and enjoyment for children especially as its frothing Champagne cascades over several gussets, frothing and splashing with its undance and its innocent drenching of

young and old alike, reminding us all of water as a gift and symbol of life. God intends that life might

be like that and when it is we rejoice, St Paul catches the mood in Phillipians, ´ Rejoice and again

I say Rejoice! But we know that for so many and it isn´t like that. And it isn´t just the miserably deprived

that suffer but also the spoilt and surfeited who just don´t recognise this as life! for them, only

material goods are on offer and after the initial pleasure which so often reveals underneath a

superficial confidence trick that has no joy in it, but only a moments satisfaction that I have the latest,

and its bigger and better than yours….. but no joy, no satisfaction, no involvement or creative love.

So we must again point to the Lord Christ as the way to the secret of the Fountain of life. Because only

by repentance and turning to the Risen Christ, in whom is light, can we find the everlasting newness of life renewal,and the refreshing discovery that God gives to us all GIFTS that we can share with others, and one of those gifts is Unity, which follows the gift of sorrow and repentance and reconciliation.

The Body of Christ should be One Body,.... it is clearly stated in St John's Gospel ´May they all be One´. Brothers and Sisters how the Lord must weep over the Divided Body of the Church, for as the Saint said Christ has no other Body but ours and St Paul writes; ´ Now YOU are Christs Body and each of you a limb or Organ of it´. And in the matter of Unity we have let him down over the Centuries, and we have blamed each other. We have hid behind authority, doctrine and self righteousness. We have not been able to remove the splinter from the eye of our neighbour because of the plank in our own eyes. We have treasured our own church tradition but failed to see good in anyone elses tradition. We have not wanted to give credit to the courage and the warmth and hope and faithfulness of our brothers, who have often so much to give us which would inspire us. But thanks be to God all is not bad and dark. We owe so much to those who have had the courage to endure in times that were not easy, when there was little signs of warmth from others to warm them in the love of Jesus, and plenty of resistance to the call to be open to change. Change that would renew us and give us more credence in the world as the One Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who were brave and those who have been faithful to the, their belief in the Oneness of Christ were able to recall us to the Fountain of Life as being Christ in us and we in Christ. For within the Congregations and each of us in Christ is the Life of Christ refreshing and renewing all who turn to Christ.. We discover that God reveals himself. not when we decide we want unity and renewal, but He manifests himself where and when He. in his wisdom, decides it is right. When that happens we can be lifted up by grace, and be raised by the indwelling power of our Baptism in Christ, which lies like a Volcano quietly smoking, but when the Lord wills can, like a Fountain of Life, pour down its renewing power, and bring new life to the church, its Leaders, its Prophets, and all its disciples up with joy. A joy that turns its struggle against worldly weariness into a chorus of praise.

Like the Magi we fall before Him in Worship.; ´Come Lord into all your World and Reign'.