I ended my thoughts to the congregation on Sunday with a proposal.What if we replace our pews with sycamore trees? You know, the trees made famous in the story of Jesus and the vertically challenged Zacchaeus. (I even shared my "wishful thinking" that possibly our pews were made of the wood of this holy, unpredictable, in cahoots with Jesus, tree.)
I know this seem like a radical idea but think about it...
a sycamore orchard in our church would have many advantages.
It certainly would give our church some attention. It is one thing to tell people we are a multicultural church. When I share with folks about our church they find it interesting but their interest seldom gets them to church for a visit. Telling them we have planted a sycamore orchard in our sanctuary - now that would be an irresistible "come and see." I guess usher duties would include tree trimming and some cultivation training.
Another plus - I understand that the sycamore tree that Zuccheaus climbed produced a fig like fruit. This could be a great fund raiser for the youth. They could set up a stand at the farmers market selling "sanctified sycamore figs." It might also encourage a switch from grape to fig juice. Fresh fig juice must be good for you. One of the drawbacks is the fact that only this one kind of little wasp can fertilize the fruit of the tree but I can see another youth fund raiser coming on... insect repellent?
I could see there would be more advantages. With all that extra oxygen trees produce it would be much easier for people to say awake during sermons and we would not have to drive anywhere to have a church picnic.
Now, understanding how the church works, there will have to be committees formed to deal with new issues posed by our unique sanctuary furnishings. There would mostly likely be a "tree cushion fund" committee formed and of course a liturgical decoration committee that will have to figure out how to decorate our trees for the Advent season (ornaments? lights? fake snow?). We will also have to figure out ways to receive the offering with folks sitting in trees (long handles attached to the collection plates? a sophisticated pulley system? paper airplanes?)
Now this is all very interesting to me but let me get back to why I made my proposal.
It seemed to me that the reason Jesus called out to Zacchaeus was because he was so ready for Him. Here's Zacchaeus, robe pulled up to his knees, dropping all pretensions, up in the trees with the children of the village, hanging over the road, waiting for Jesus.
I don't think he had any idea where this would lead but it he was ready. When Jesus does call to him he about falls out of the tree and after breaking bread with Jesus in his home he enters a new place in his life.
That day Zacchaeus was welcomed at the table of the family of God (a child of Abraham) and he moved from the
That salvation came to Zacchaeus' house that day was not only good news for his family but good news for the whole village. What with 1/2 of the richest man in town's money being fed into the social welfare system all those poor kids would now have proper health care. That would be good news in any land.
I have an active imagination. Before I made my proposal of an orchard in the sanctuary I could already see my people perched on their sycamore branches, waiting for Jesus' call, anticipating where God would lead them next. It made my words more important. You are careful of what you say when you think people are listening.
It seems to me that this is the way we should be coming to church. The church pews should be a dangerous place where we have put ourselves within ear shot, within sight, of Jesus' words that shake the world and shake our lives. We should be sitting on the edge of our pews, like sycamore branches we have climbed, teetering on every word Jesus says, and we should be ready to climb down from the pew when called that we might enter into the good work God is doing in the world.
reporting from my small sycamore branch in the world
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