THE KIRK OF KILDAIRE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

CARY, NC

www.kirkofkildaire.org

A sermon preached by Joseph Welker, Jr.

Helen, the Homeless and our Hospitality

Luke 15:11-32

July 22, 2007

It was after worship on ASP Mission trip Sunday when a woman was sent to me. I was heading to the church office. I could tell by her clothes and demeanor that she was likely going to ask for some help. (Later I found out she was sent to me by Stephanie because she had asked to talk to the minister.) To be honest, I simply wanted to go home. I was tired after the ASP mission week and an emotionally charged week as we said goodbye to Sara Saunders after her fight with cancer. I was tired simply because it was after worship and I'm always tired. But what do you do? You deal with the person, the opportunity, the child of God who is before you. She and I sat down in the office. I asked the usual questions- What is your name? Helen. Where are you from? She had lived in Charlotte for a number of years. How did you get to Cary? She is on the way back home to Michigan where she grew up. What do you need? Food and clothes. Her clothes had been stolen. She was homeless. I had to tell her that we didn't have any clothes closet here and that the agencies that normally help are closed on Sunday. But I could buy her a meal across the street. Wendy's or McDonalds? Wendy's. I took her over there where I bought combination number 8, I think-a Chicken sandwich. I also gave Helen the apples and grapes that were leftover from our refreshments after church. But can I tell you that I felt so inadequate and helpless to deal with her needs?

A couple of days later she showed up again at the office. This time I brought Stephanie and Bonnie in on the conversation. What might we do to help? I asked her where she had been sleeping. In the woods. We thought about WIHN but that is for families… and then Stephanie had the good idea to refer her to the Helen Wright Center… but she didn't want to be in a homeless shelter. Stephanie offered to drive her there. I'm not sure we could offer what she wanted from us.

On Thursday of that week, I saw Helen again… sitting on the bench at Trader Joes. I wondered, how had her week been… what must it like to live like that? How many are like her…living quietly all around us? [1]

I share that story of Helen because I have met the homeless from time to time at the church. Often they are transients. Some are mentally challenged and no longer have the support of a mental health care system. I'm sure some are looking for cash which we do not give away. I'm sure I've been "taken" by some. Such is the cost of grace in my book. I assume the homeless are no more and no less sinners or saints than those who live in homes. That is, than the rest of us.

I assume that were I homeless, I might even try some manipulating to make ends meet. I don't know. I've never been homeless. I was smart enough to be born into a family that was stable, living at 2818 Grand Avenue in a 1700 square foot house, with educated parents who made sure education was a priority… who had the means to send me to college. Man, was I smart to be born into that family!

In preparing for this sermon I learned even more about the homeless- you can see more details in the bulletin. What jumped out to me is that in Wake County 1235 people were counted as living in shelters in a snapshot survey of homelessness. Another 102 like Helen were found outdoors or living in the streets. Another 15,000 people were living doubled up with family and friends because they couldn't afford on minimum wage the average rent of $800 a month it takes to live in Raleigh. Even people earning twice the minimum wage are having a hard time finding affordable housing. Those who do often end up spending more than half of their pretax income on rent which means they might have a roof over their head but it comes at the cost of food, clothing and medical care. Perhaps what really saddens me is to realize the number of children who are homeless. 25% of the homeless are children and youth under 18 years old. 42% of those are under 5 years old. We see many of those children here at the Kirk when WIHN comes to visit.

I don't think I understand how hard it must be for single mothers and families trying to live in poverty. I know I don't understand how close many of the working poor are to being homeless.

When I'm told that 22% of children in NC live below the poverty line and when I learn that the poverty line for a family of three is $17,000 a year. I wonder, how in the world do they do it?

Of course it is easy to get lost in those statistics, isn't it? Truth is, I am getting to know more about the homeless thanks to WIHN and my trips to places like Washington and visits to Wake Urban ministries and people who come to the Kirk looking for help.

Like you I have seen the homeless hold the signs asking for food on the highway exit ramps and passed by them in downtowns all over this country. Like you, I have wondered how many are homeless because they cannot help it and how many are homeless because they choose to be homeless. Up close and personal I see that the statistics seem to be true… that many are single mothers with children. Look up close and personal and do you see what I see?

Of course, the question for us in the Christian faith is not so much about what you or I see. It is about what God sees. I wonder if I see and you see what God sees. That each one is a child of God. Each one is every bit as precious as we are to God. And I wonder if God worries about them in a unique way… as we would worry if any one of our own children were left homeless and alone on some street.

I can't help but think of the Prodigal Son story. The Son who became homeless-and let's admit, in this case, it was mostly his own fault. His selfishness and greed and arrogance led to his homelessness. He threw it all away-a loving home, a loving father, a secure job and future… to try life all on his own. And he blew it.
And some would say that when he was left homeless and eating leftover slop from the pigs… he got exactly what he deserved. And many would say that the Father owed him nothing and that the older brother was right in being mad at the way his father welcomed him back home. The older brother might have said, he deserves to be homeless. But the father welcomes him home… gladly because the son that was lost-even if it was his own fault-has come home and is found. Jesus said, God is like that. And Jesus might say - we should be too.

The Homeless are God's children thereby making them our brothers and sisters. The story tells me that we have a couple of choices in dealing with the homeless. We can take the elder brother approach and simply resent them for getting another chance, or we can help our parent celebrate and welcome them home. We can offer them the gift of hospitality.

To me it is why Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network is a great ministry. More than simply give food and clothing to the homeless-we can offer grace and hospitality… moments of friendship and love in a world that often ignores them or wishes they'd go away. We have an opportunity several times a year to treat the homeless families under our roof as the children of God.

I don't know if you know this, but there are 124 similar programs across our nation. Last year almost 3000 families were served in churches and synagogues and communities across our nation. Of those who came, over 61% secured permanent housing and 19% secured transitional housing.

I'm also proud of the Kirk for supporting other ministries for the homeless through our budget like the Step-Up ministry that helps the unemployed find jobs and taught life skills that can lift them out of homelessness or prevent them from becoming homeless.
I'm grateful for our support for the Carying Place and the Kirk members committed to that ministry to provide transitional housing for the homeless.

I'm grateful for our support of the Helen Wright Center for Women as they try to reduce homelessness by providing temporary housing and support services. I'm so glad that groups of volunteers go there from the Kirk to share a meal and to extend God's grace to those living in crisis. Thank you. Last year over 520 homeless women were served.

I have no doubt God is pleased with us in those moments when we are able to leave the safety and security of our homes to engage with the homeless. Jesus even said that it is among those who are the most needy that we will meet him.

In Matthew's gospel as he talks about the final exam at the final judgment, he says as much. He says that when we serve the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner, welcome the stranger… we have done this to him. When we have ignored them, we have ignored him. And there may be hell to pay for that.

Those are strong words perhaps meant to shake the disciples up and help them focus on caring for those God cares for the most-his vulnerable children.

One of my favorite preachers Fred Craddock learned this lesson early in his ministry. He tells of reading for the first time Albert Schweitzer's book, Quest for the Historical Jesus. It's the kind of book our Faith and Theology SS class would study.

Craddock said that he was about 20 years old when he read the book. As he read it he thought, "This Christology is woeful material. It is water more than wine." As he read through the book he marked it up, crossing our paragraphs, putting big question marks in the margins. He said he was extremely critical. Not long after he read the book, he heard that Schweitzer was coming to this country from his missionary service in Africa. He was coming to play a dedicatory concert on a new organ in a big church in Cleveland. Remember Schweitzer was a philosopher, a theologian, a concert organist, a medical doctor and a pastor.

Fred Craddock was down in Knoxville, Tennessee. He bought a ticket on a Greyhound bus to go from Knoxville to Cleveland. He said that all the time he was on the bus traveling up there he had his book out, and he was going over his notes again. He had a pad of paper with him and he was writing down questions. He was including the page reference in his notes so that when he had a chance to talk to Schweitzer, he could say, "On page so and so, you said this, and I don't believe it" and then follow up with, "On page so and so, you said this and that contradicts the other." He was ready.

He went to the concert. It was a great concert. When it was over he ran into the fellowship hall, and sat down in the front row, because the announcement had said that there would be a time of refreshment and fellowship afterwards. He had all his questions laid out in his lap.

Finally Schweitzer walked in. He was a man with shaggy hair, a big white mustache, stooped over, 75 years old. He was carrying a little cup of tea and a small plate with a couple of goodies on it. Schweitzer walked up to the microphone in front of the room and said, "You have been so kind to me, so hospitable. I thank you very much. I can't stay very long. You see I operate a little medical clinic down in Labarene in Africa. My people are there. My people are dying. My people are hungry. My people are diseased. I need to go back. If any of you here have the love of Jesus in you, would you consider coming with me?"

Fred Craddock looked at the questions in his lap. They were utterly stupid. He said, "In that moment I was changed. I know what it was to be a Christian, and hoped someday I would be."

It was a moment of transformation-when Schweitzer helped Fred see that faith is about seeing the world God sees-a world with people in pain… and that faith is a means by which God reaches out to those who are hurting the most. The nice thing is that if you don't feel the call to go to Africa or can't for some reason or another… that's okay. They are right here in our county. Some weeks, they are downstairs in our fellowship hall. Shoot, some Sundays, they are right there in the narthex. Each and everyone, a child of God, an opportunity to share the message of God's love for them-especially when they need it most. Amen.

[1] The story of Helen is true but her real name was changed to allow anonymity.