A beautiful climbing floral trumpet vine lives right outside my front gate, welcoming all guests with bright red flowers. At first it was only two feet above its pot. Llast summer some of the tendrils found their way to the lattice and started climbing. This spring it reached the top of the gate sharing glorious flowers. Vines have a way of spreading, starting with the slightest of stems. A vine does not need to create strong branches that will support its weight. A vine may use rock exposures, other plants, or other supports for growth rather than investing energy in a lot of supportive tissue, enabling the plant to reach sunlight with a minimum investment of energy. These resourceful plants have a habit of trailing- sending little runners out into the world to see where they might expand. This is true for floral vines and grapevines. Interestingly in the United Kingdom, vine means grapevine while all other vines are called climbers. Whatever the name, as long as they remain connected to their trunk, the source of nutrients and water, they can flourish.
Our gospel speaks of vines and branches. Twice Jesus said, “I am the vine;” the first time connecting to God the Father, the vine grower, and the second time connecting to us. Jesus is the living connection between us and God. The beauty of God being the vine grower is that we can trust that God has everything right where it is to be. God’s providence is made manifest in God’s watchful care. Today we celebrate fifty years as a church- as the body of Christ in this place. Some of you here today and some who were with us last night remember this church when it had 300 plus people, two services and youth in all corners. I think it is safe to say St. Andrew has been pruned. Now we can lament that, or we can trust that God the vine grower has a plan. You see the word “prune” comes from the same root word as the word used “to cleanse” when Jesus washed the disciples feet. Jesus had a purpose then calling disciples together and setting an example of humble service and God has a purpose now. After such pruning I trust God, the God of love, to bring forth new life. We all know that when properly trimmed a plant will come back with a flourish. Creator God, the vine grower, knows exactly how to trim and I think I see a few buds setting.
Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the branches… apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5). I certainly have experienced this truth. At times I want to do things on my own, following my will. I usually get anxious and try to control and I get tripped up every time. When I rest in God’s love and abide in Christ’s care things just flow. That happens on a larger scale as well. When we as a church trust in God’s love we can be the support that Christ the vine uses to reach out to more people. Jesus is the vine and vines can only grow when they climb up structures, get support from other things. I always thought the branches were part of the vine – but maybe we are branches of other plants, the structures that Christ’s vine climbs upon. St. Andrew Presbyterian Church is the support that allows the vine of Jesus to grow and reach out to our community.
The founding pastor of this church, Rev. Bob Thomas certainly abided in Christ and offered a support for the vine of Christ to flourish in Aptos. He gathered twelve families to support in planting Christ’s vine right here. Al and Mary Cheney and Marvin and Dorothy Glaum were founding families whose faithfulness endures. Allen and June Ray, Tom and Bunny Schmida and Jim and Margery Wylie helped to charter the church and strengthen us still. Jane Thomas helped spread roots into the community with the founding of St. Andrew Cooperative Preschool caring for children with Christ’s love reaching back generations. Rev. John Tritenbach nurtured Family Clusters like the SCAMPS and Ambassadors creating a sense all were Children of God; part the vine connected to Christ. Rev. Bob Bowles tended Christ’s vine of outreach to youth with the LOGOS program; invigorating the leadership and helping to form disciples.
The vine of Christ needs more than pastors and programs to spread into new areas. One of the first stories I heard, before I even decided to come was how Walley Phister greeted visitors in the parking lot so that everyone felt welcomed in our church. Walley supported Christ’s vine. Mimi Young was the vine of Christ reaching all the way to Long Island to gather me into this congregation. Debi Caldwell jumped in whereever she was needed; supporting the vine of Christ. Marian Allen supports the vine of Christ at every turn. The point is we are all part of the lattice that Christ’s vine climbs upon. Christ climbs upon you. Christ’s love spreads because you support his mission. If you are not there the vine will have to work extra hard to reach its next spot. Each one of us is vital to support Christ’s mission in the world and we all have a part to play!!! Because as 1 John declares, “What we will be has not yet been revealed” (1 Jn 3:2). What will the next fifty years at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church hold? God only knows.
Will we be a homeless shelter again, feeding and sheltering people in our community? Something the Session is seriously considering.
Will God bless our outreach to youth inspiring more young families to call St. Andrew their church home?
How will God, the great vine grower, surprise us with new ways to love, new ways to grow, new ways to be supportive of Christ’s vine? I don’t have that answer, but I am confident that if we abide in Christ, being his hands and feet in the world, St. Andrew Church will continue to bear fruit and continue to make disciples!
So let us come to the vine, come to Christ’s table, come to God’s love as we join together in the strength of community all bound together by Christ. “I am the vine and you are the branches.” May we be the kind of branches that support Christ’s loving vine reaching out to our hurting and broken world. AMEN.
