If I were to give you two words and have you choose one to describe yourself, I daresay I know which one you’d pick.  The two words are “ordinary” and “prophet.”  You chose “ordinary”, right?  After all, “ordinary” means regular, normal, unexceptional, common, and that’s no doubt the way you see yourself.  You’re an ordinary person going about your everyday tasks in a non-sensational way doing your best to make this world a better place.  Prophets are people that are truth-telling, future-seeing, outspoken people found in the scriptures, and maybe in some churches.  I suspect you wouldn’t introduce yourself with that word or include it in a description of who you are.

          You’re an ordinary person and probably plan on remaining that way. 

          But I wouldn’t describe any of you sitting in this room as ordinary.  I have an uneasy feeling using that word, and perhaps some of you do, too.  You see, you have already moved beyond the ordinary by just being here this week.  You’re not satisfied with the ordinary.  You have given a week of your time, traveled here, and made the commitment to participate in what will be at times an intense time of study and reflection.  You were chosen by those who didn’t see the ordinary in you, but saw the gifts you have to offer.  You have been noticed and chosen to leave the ordinary and come here to make a difference.

          What is it that called you to this place at this time?  How is it that you have been able to go beyond the ordinary and say yes to this call? 

          There are probably as many answers to these questions as there are people in this room.  Some of you have heard for years about National Seminars, and eagerly said “yes” when you were called. 

          The first time I heard about this event was maybe twenty-thirty years ago.  I can remember the excitement of the woman who reported on it.  She traveled to Chico, California, and came home with enthusiasm and commitment to the organization and to a cause.  The cause for Joan was peace, and through the years, she has worked tirelessly for ways to make that happen in her community and beyond.  She traveled several times to Vieques Puerto Rico to protest the military action of the United States there.  She also organized her community churches to protest a planned march of the Ku Klux Klan in her town.  In my mind, Joan has moved way beyond the ordinary.

          And so, maybe some of you are like me—hearing about National Seminar—knowing some who have attended, and were eager to experience it for yourself.

          Others here may have little or no knowledge of what this quadrennial event has meant to the organization of United Methodist Women, but you said “yes” when you were called, knowing there would be times of study, worship, and fun.

          Nonetheless, we are a group of United Methodist Women who are called to go beyond the ordinary.  You are stepping out to make a difference in the world.  And, as we progress through the week, you will find ways for that to happen.

          But you may have a question that begs an answer.  “What empowers people to go beyond the ordinary?” 

          To go beyond the ordinary you need to first have a strong faith in God.  God has spoken through the years to those whose ears and hearts and minds were open.  The scriptures are full of accounts of people who listened to the word and acted on it.  God guided them and showed them the way.  Today we need to take the time to listen—really listen—to God.

          Being grounded in the scriptures will teach us how we can live a Christ-like life—going beyond what we can do ourselves, and becoming empowered by his example and his presence.  The hymn “More About Jesus” says:  “More about Jesus let me learn, More of his holy will discern, Spirit of God, my teacher be, Showing the things of Christ to me.”  Daily study of God’s word will help us move beyond the ordinary.

          The organization of United Methodist Women empowers us also on our journey.  We are strengthened by our history and move into the future with the knowledge that together we can accomplish great things for God.  If one United Methodist Woman like Joan can stop a Klan rally in her town, think of what a million women could do!   The support of other United Methodist Women is a vital part of our going beyond the ordinary.

          This morning we’ve heard that we need to listen to the prophets.  We know they were not ordinary people—or were they?  Prophets were people that listened to God and spoke God’s truth.  They took risks.  Sometimes they were hesitant, not wanting to cause a stir, but they always they felt the nudge of the God that would not let them go.  Habakkuk was a person who communicated with God—asking God questions—listening for responses.  He was a man who saw that the poor were being oppressed.  He wasn’t afraid of speaking the truth to those around him.  He went beyond the ordinary and became a prophet. 

          So—my question to you is this:  can you see yourself as someone like Habakkuk?

          Let’s look at some of our history and how some ordinary women did some extraordinary things.

          Eight women gathered almost 135 years ago and although they didn’t know it at the time, they were about to cross that line and take on a different role.  They started speaking for a cause, and that cause turned into a movement and that movement became what we are today:  a million women organized for mission.  Our predecessors saw and spoke the truth: women and children in parts of the world were not receiving education or medical care.  And those ordinary women wanted to participate in God’s mission by sending missionaries. 

          The idea seemed simple, but resistance to it began immediately.  No way, some said, could enough money be raised for such a project, and even if it were raised, no way could the women manage the money.  The male leaders of the church were adamant about that!  But the women persisted, and even though there was opposition, history shows us that the first missionary societies were successful because of these truth-telling women.

          Today the church has recognized that women are not only educated about God’s mission they are educated for God’s mission. Women participate in God’s mission by studying and praying. .  They volunteer their time at schools and neighborhood centers, so they are educated through involvement in God’s mission. Women have shown the church how it can be in mission.

          Women have also led the denomination in its work against racism.  It hasn’t been easy, nor has it been quick.  In 1952 A Charter for Racial Policies was adopted by the Woman’s Division of Christian Service.  You can do the math.  That was 51 years ago!  In 1978 this was reaffirmed and a new Charter of Racial Policy was adopted.  It wasn’t until 1980 that the Charter was adopted by the whole denomination.  General Conference adoption constitutes a strengthened mandate to work for the speedy implementation within each level of the church.  We continue to call with urgency on all units of United Methodist Women to study and act on the principles and goals stated in the Charter. 

          This short history lesson doesn’t begin to tell the story of the struggle of the women in the church to make others aware of the sin of racism.  It was—it is a continuous process that involves education, commitment and prayer, and much work.  We are educating the church about global racism and environmental racism as well.  Our work is ongoing because the sin of racism is rampant in our world, our country and our church.

          These are just two examples of how those who thought of themselves as ordinary did extraordinary things.

          Today the organization of United Methodist Women and the church in general need women who will step up, speak out, and challenge others to work for change in the world.  We know that we have done much in the area of justice ministries, but we must do more.  We are called to move beyond our concern to action.

          We need to see the difference between charity and justice.  I would suspect that your local unit of United Methodist Women does a bang up job in the area of charity.  Health kits and sewing kits and school kits and layettes are assembled and gathered for distribution to various places.  Cans of food are collected for the food shelf in the community.  You may go down to the soup kitchen and prepare and serve meals.  Maybe you volunteer at your local school. And when the plate is passed, we manage to put in yet another dollar.

          Acts of charity are a vital part of being a Christian.  Christ admonished us that whenever we feed the hungry, house and clothe the homeless or visit the sick and those in prison, we do it to him.  We are Christ’s hands here on earth.  But Christ also was a justice seeker.

          You see, even though people are fed and goods are distributed, nothing really changes.  People remain hungry and homeless.  Violence continues to be rampant.  There is still racism in our society.   Children are without health care.  Education remains under funded.  Air and water remain polluted.  And the world knows no peace.

            As Christians we need to move beyond the ordinary way of doing business and change the way business is conducted.  We need to be advocates to change systems—systems that keep the poor, poor; systems that spend billions for the military and a fraction of that on healthcare and education.

          William Sloane Coffin has said, “Had I but one wish for the Christian churches of America, I think it would be that they come to see the difference between charity and justice.  Charity is a matter of personal attributes; justice a matter of public policy.  Charity seeks to alleviate the effects of injustice; justice seeks to eliminate the causes of it.  Charity in no way affects the status quo, while justice leads inevitably to political confrontation.”

          God is calling us to action, and we need to listen. We need to move beyond the comfortable feeling of giving and toward the painful, bumpy road of justice.  We need to find ways to move from poverty to abundance; from war to peace; from oppression to freedom; from inequality to equality; from hurting to wholeness.  We need to speak the truth, even if it means that others will criticize us.  Christ showed us by example the way we should live and the way we should act towards others.

          We are here this week, called to move—called to grow beyond the ordinary—called to find ways to move from charity to justice.  We are here this week called to listen—to the concerns—to the issues—to each other—but most of all to the voice of God. 

          Welcome to YOUR calling!