Youth Sunday Sermon
Sam Arny
Pentecost/Youth Sunday
5/19/24
Good morning everyone. My name is Sam Arny, a senior from McLean High School. I normally attend the 8:00am service, so this is a slightly bigger crowd than I’m used to. I started attending St. George’s in 2013 but left for 3 years as I moved to France until 2017.
When we came back, we were welcomed back into the church and have been here ever since, even during COVID when we had those online services. But as a member of St. George’s for all of these years I’ve heard countless sermons, maybe zoned out during a couple of them more times than I’d like to admit, and I didn’t want to add my sermon to that list for you. I had a couple ideas on how to avoid that, such as getting everyone standing up and singing, doing call and response, or even walking through the aisle with Paddy and splashing some Holy Water on everybody. However, after some long talks with Paddy and Shearon about St. George’s customs and rules, and a lot of self-restraint, I’ve decided to stick to the script. So bear with me for a couple minutes.
So I wanted to come up here and discuss what it’s been like growing up in the church and how much of an impact St. George’s and this community has had on my life, and then I wanted to tie in the readings of today so that everyone can try and take something away from the long and lengthy speech I’m about to give.
Although I’ve been attending St. George’s for the past 7 years now, it wasn’t really until the past few when I really opened myself up to God, and this church was the main reason for that. It really started almost 3 years ago, when I joined 7 others and attended the first church service project we did out in Appalachia, led by Crystal Hardin, Reverend at the time. Before then I hadn’t really had much connection to the church in terms of the people. I knew a lot of people but I didn’t really connect to them on a spiritual level. I remember I was very skeptical about the trip before going, and to be honest I wasn’t very excited. I mean I was going into my junior year, thought my high school career was coming to an end, and wanted to spend my summer at the beach and with friends, not on a service trip of all things. But boy was I wrong. That trip really opened my eyes to the magnitude of the Holy Spirit, and how God is everywhere. It made me so much more grateful for the life that I live and I really wanted to embrace it to the fullest and give back more. So that following fall I went through the classes and lessons to confirm my faith. And ever since then my connection to God has only grown and become a much more important part of my life and who I am.
Another big part of St. George’s, if not the biggest, is the community. I would not be so involved and eager to come to church if it wasn’t for the people. First I’d like to acknowledge Reverend Paddy and Reverend Shearon. Shearon, who is currently on sabbatical, has always been really the rock of St. George’s, as she’s been here since day 1 and has been a statue of unwavering faith and discipline with God. And then of course, Reverend Paddy. What is there not to say about Paddy? Over the years as I’ve been a member of the church, we’ve gotten a good amount of seminarians, many of which, if not all of them, move on to their own churches as they look to become deacons. But not Paddy. Ever since Reverend Crystal stepped down a little over a year ago, Paddy has become such an important part of not only the church, but my life, and the lives of everyone here. Paddy, I’d like to thank you for everything you’ve done for me, not only as a mentor but as a friend. Your support and kindness have truly transformed my life and helped me to strengthen my relationship with God. I’m looking forward to this next chapter in my life and I’m heading into it with confidence thanks to the lessons I’ve learned from you and Reverend Shearon, but I know that no reverend will be able to come close to both of you and the impact that you’ve had on me, so thank you both.
Lastly I really wanted to give a big thank you to the youth leaders that I’ve had throughout the years. Ms Liza Lowe, Darren, and Jimmy and Sarah. I never really stopped to say thank you for all that you guys did, not just for me but for all the youth. Taking the time out of your busy schedules and time with your families to come and try and guide the youth like me, it was really remarkable. You have all made such a big impact on me and the EYC program, and I know that it's in great hands with Ariel, Nick and Rebecca. But thank you to all of you, especially for changing coming to church as an obligation to a choice that I was excited and proud to make.
Today’s reading was about Pentecost. Pentecost is described as the celebration when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples after Jeus’s ascension - when Jesus ascended into heaven to join God at his right hand. But why is it celebrated? Because it was much more than an ascension. Jesus is physically leaving the disciples - but he isn’t leaving them spiritually. He will never leave them because he has left them with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus does not forsake them, but gives them a calling. Pentecost is a calling to his disciples. Today’s gospel read; “Jesus said to his disciples, “When the advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You are also to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.” This is Jesus calling upon his disciples to become more than followers, but advocates for him. It’s the same with us. Before I looked into Pentecost, I didn’t really understand its significance, besides the fact that Jesus ascended into heaven. But Pentecost may be one of the most important parts of Jesus’s life, as it was foretold for hundreds of years before. The Old Testament prophesied Pentecost. Numbers 11:29 with Moses states; “Would that all the Lord’s people might be prophets when the Lord would put His Spirit upon them.” That’s the message of Pentecost. Jesus is calling us to become more than followers, but advocates for the Holy Spirit. That doesn’t mean we have to go door-to-door preaching the Gospel, but to spread the Holy Spirit through love and kindness towards others, strangers and friends alike. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as themselves.
Now this calling might seem a little nerve racking, maybe there's a little bit of doubt. When I was younger I would see people like Reverend Shearon or Paddy, and wonder how they had so much faith - especially in something they couldn’t see. But after the years I’ve spent with the church and with all you amazing people, it makes sense now. The Holy Spirit. It lives in all of us - Jesus lives in all of us. He might not be standing physically next to you, but he is always there, always listening. And that alone might bring some doubt itself. Maybe you’ve said a prayer and it wasn’t answered how you thought it would be. Maybe you’re studying for a test, finishing a report for work, maybe there's someone in your life that is really pushing you. “God please, give me patience with this person.” Now, does God give you patience, or does he give you the opportunity to be patient? If God snapped his fingers and made all your test choices correct, finished your report, gave you patience with that person, would you grow? Would you change for the better? Pentecost is the calling to become more than followers. We can never stop being students and servants of God, because God is always teaching us how to grow with the Holy Spirit. And that takes patience. And a whole lot of faith. But in the end, it's all worth it. Because God answers all prayers.
I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me stronger. I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve. I asked for courage and God gave me dangers to overcome. I asked for love and God gave me troubled people to help. My prayers were answered. Amen.