A Life Full of Life
The Church of the Wayfarer
Dr. Norm Mowery, Pastor
May 1, 2011 Scholarship Sunday
John 13:34-35
“After growing up as a pastor’s kid, it would be easy for me to claim a faith in Christ just because my parents are Christians. Yet this faith is not just my religion…..it is my relationship with Jesus….who gave me a life full of fulfillment on earth—a life full of life.”
When I read those words by Melanie Hong I said to myself, “There is a sermon here someplace!”
Immediately I picked up the phone and asked her for permission to use ‘A Life Full of Life’ as my title today. In fact, I think I woke her up.
I love it!
A Life Full of Life! These are good words for all of us to take home with us today.
Are you living ‘a life full of life’?
This week I read about two people who are not living a life full of life. They are the only two people in the whole world who speak the indigenous Ayapaneco tongue a dialect in southern Mexico. This dialect will no longer exist when these two persons die.
The sad thing is that the two are not on speaking terms!
What does it mean to live a life full of life?
I wonder. Are Kate and Will living a life full of life on their honeymoon? I understand it is delayed.
I wonder. Is Gabrielle Giffords able to live a life full of life as she recovers from gun shot wounds inflicted by a mad man?
I wonder. Have the people living near Chernobyl for the past 25 years since the nuclear reactor meltdown been living lives full of life all these years?
I wonder. Are the people running the Big Sur Marathon today on one of the most beautiful roads in the world living a life full of life? Are they noticing the beauty as they run?
Each of the students who are receiving a scholarship this morning was asked to ‘comment on what your Christian background has meant to you.’
I am very impressed with each of their statements and will be sharing from them this morning.
The students were also asked to write a paragraph ‘explaining why this scholarship is important to you.’
I was impressed with what Sophie Claudel wrote in response to this question.
“This scholarship is important to me because it is not strictly a reward for what I have accomplished, but an affirmation of my faith…to live out the words of Christ,
‘A new command I give you:
love one another as I have loved you.
You must love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
if you love one another.’
This Scholarship represents my dedication to living the way of Christ.”
Sophie, I selected this passage from the Gospel of John as our text for this morning because I think that these words answer the question, “What does it mean to live a life full of life?” By the way, I talked with your youth minister at the ribbon cutting yesterday.
Living a life full of life means that we ‘love one another as Christ loves us.’
Love is less what you feel than what you do. We know what Christ has done for us. What are we doing for others?
Allison Bales says, “I have grown up in a Christian household which resulted in me being shown love from all different directions.”
I think I know that some proud parents are hearing those words!
When we are shown ‘love from all different directions’ we are living a life full of life.
Nearly thirty years ago a visionary pastor and nine passionate lay persons decided that they wanted to have the Church of the Wayfarer live a life full of life and show it by helping students financially.
With much passion, hard work and enthusiasm the Church of the Wayfarer Foundation was founded as an independent corporation to administer the scholarship funds.
We heard earlier from Mr. John Carley how successful this has been in making it possible to give away hundreds of thousands of dollars to hundreds of students.
Lewis Alabaster was one of the original nine members of the Foundation. He was not only an accomplished pianist but he donated early funds for the scholarships.
Persons who wanted to make a difference and who wanted to live ‘a life full of life’ gave with passion and within a few years tens of thousands of dollars were given out honoring many saints whose lives were remembered by these memorial gifts.
People like:
Barbara Anker, wife of former pastor Charles Anker
Douglas Baker, son of Rev. Dale and Jean Baker
Lloyd and Emma Dixon
Mildred Hoeffel, aunt of Dr. Woudenberg
Pat Lewis, husband of Yvonne Lewis
Joyce Lindgren, first wife of Jim Lindgren
Amy Maroun, first wife of General Autrey Maroun
Amy Lynn Meadows, daughter of Lucy Fillmore
Pearl Pike, long time church secretary
Judge and Mrs. George E Shafer
William Hartman, husband of Ann
Elizabeth Truscott, daughter of Wesley and Gari Ann
Diane McEwen, wife of Alton
Generous donors who wanted to touch lives of young people including the students who are here today included:
LaVerne Ostermeyer
Hilda Pearson
Dr. Rolf and Rhea Ullstead
Woody and Barbara Wood
The George Dean Family
Bruce and Evelyn Freet
Roasbelle Hamann
Robert and Charlotte LaKamp
Over the years many more people have contributed to the Church of the Wayfarer Scholarship Ministry including the Monterey Peninsula Foundation Youth Fund.
One outstanding lay person, the only lay person of the original nine Trustees of the Foundation, who is still living locally, is Marian Clemens.
Marian, I would like to personally thank you for living ‘a life full of life’ by giving of your self to make these gifts to these students possible today. Ray Winstead is another of the early leaders of the Foundation.
Jade Hage says in her faith statement, “I am driven by the belief that I have a responsibility to God that I need to use the gifts that He has given me to serve society.”
Hearing that statement I think the donors of the funds would be proud right now. Thanks Jade.
“Without my Christian background, I wouldn’t be able to jump into my future as the Christian I am today” writes Danica Harootian.
I like that. Danica, I hope that we are all jumping to our future.
Jump!
Jump to it!
She continues, “My parents’ love reflects God’s love for a child like me.”
I think that that is what our Gospel lesson says as well.
Perry Choi, I deeply appreciate your musical abilities, but even more I appreciate what you wrote. You said, “Along with a new found passion for philanthropy, through my Keeping Music Alive program, I began to reconnect with our Father.”
Andrew Clark expresses God’s love in this way, “Socially, I try to be inclusive. I try to never let someone sit alone during lunch in the cafeteria.”
Like I said earlier, “Love is less what you feel than what you do.” Andrew, thanks for caring for the least, last and the lost.
“I’ve discovered that I have the possibility of making a positive impact on a global scale, and this is the goal towards which I am directing my future” writes Elizabeth Clark.
Yes, you can, Elizabeth! Yes, you will!
Katherine Congleton not only knows the words of the Gospel of John but she owns them as her own.
“I still can’t even begin to fathom God,
in all of His power and glory,
humbling Himself to became a man and die for me,
just because He loves me.”
Yes, Katherine, He does love you as though you are the only one to love!
Hee Ae Han affirms that, “He will never forsake me or present me with struggles I cannot handle.”
“God has changed my life from once a middle school student living in darkness to a high school senior living in the light” writes Savannah Lee.
Monica Miles, I especially like what you have written, “Being a Christian is no longer a title….it is my life!”
Erika Kreeger, thanks for affirming retired people in saying, “I became friends with many retired people whom I continue to be friends with today. They have listened to my silly stories and made it clear that they see great value in me.”
To the older people here this morning I ask, “Do you do that? Do you make young people feel important?”
“I try always to be a light in school and beyond,” says Enoch Matsumura. Enoch, if you haven’t yet met Barbara and Woody Wood you must do so today. They are the ones who have provided your scholarship and they are here today. Barbara and Woody are lights!
And Benjamin Regan sums it all up with, “The simplest way for me to say this is that I recognize Christ as my savior and I love him for that!” All I can say is AMEN!
A few years ago a 17-year old high-school senior from Fremont, California, achieved a perfect score on both sections of the SAT and a perfect 8000 on the tough University of California acceptance index. Never in history had any one student accomplished this feat.
In the news story about this young woman was an exchange between her and a reporter. He asked her, “What is the meaning of life?” She replied, “I have no idea.”
I don’t think that she knew what living a life full of life was all about.
I thank all of you for opening your hearts to the Church of the Wayfarer. We surround you with prayers for God’s light and love. We are indebted to you for helping with the message this morning. Thanks.
Know that you have a friend at the Wayfarer. I hope that we can keep in contact with you. We wish you the very best as you journey to your future.
A prayer I remember my Dad praying for me was that I would find the finer things in life. That is my prayer for you. There are good things and there are finer things. May you find the finest things in your life?
Remember, Jesus said, “A new command I give you: love one another as I have loved you.”
Go from here and live a life full of Life!
