Isaiah 11: 1-10
Matthew 3: 1-2
Second Sunday of Advent (A)

Judah was not the peaceable kingdom when Isaiah wrote of his utopian vision of peace where the wolf lies down with the lamb, the leopard lies down with the kid, and the calf, lion, and fattling are together. No it was not like this in Judah.  This tiny kingdom, established on ancient eastern trading routes, was always under threat from whichever surrounding power in ascendancy.  Isaiah lived at a time when Judah was under imminent  threat from the growing Assyrian empire who destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel and came right to the gates of Jerusalem.

In the midst of threats and war, Isaiah writes words of hope for Godıs people.  A shoot will come from what seems to be the dead tree stump - a leader on whom Godıs spirit will rest.  This leader  will not only come from Davidıs line, but will also be of Davidıs heart - committed to justice, righteous, and peace.  This ruler will give regard to the poor and the meek, ruling with a perception that goes beyond the senses of seeing and hearing. This leader will preside over fundamental changes to the violent cultures of the earth, including beasts in the wilderness.  This coming age will be so peaceful that even the most vulnerable children will wander in the wilderness as safe as if nestled in a mother or fatherıs arms.  A child will lead in this new reign of God, moving all to act on behalf of what is just.

Isnıt this what all hope for - a world where there are no wars and fighting, where even those who might be natural enemies can get along, a world where even the most vulnerable will be safe,  a peaceable kingdom? This is the hope we all look forward to.  It is the hope we wait for during advent. we sing about and pray for.  How can this vision and hope be controversial?

How can such a simple thing like living peacefully with our neighbors near and far be controversial?  How can setting aside divisions, prejudices, and fears be controversial?  How can extending welcome and hospitality to all Godıs children, no matter who they are or where they are on lifeıs journey be controversial?  Well, we found out this week that putting the vision of a peaceable kingdom into practice, can be controversial.

On Wednesday afternoon I was in my office, getting ready to make some e-mails on my computer.  I checked incoming  e-mail messages and found a very disturbing one from the Maine Conference office which stated that NBC and CBS had refused to run our UCC ads that are a part of the God is Stilling Speaking campaign.  Nationally and locally churches have been getting ready all year for December 1 and the start of our national ad campaign.  The ad campaign is designed to get the message out that we are a welcoming church and that there is a place in our churches for you - no matter who you are or where you are on your life journey.

Our church has been getting ready to welcome new folks to our church. Dave traveled to our national church headquarters in Cleveland last winter to learn about the God is Still Speaking campaign.  Members from our congregation have met Ron Buford, the creator of the campaign.  Others have attended God is Still Speaking workshops.  Our youth heard Ron Buford at the National Youth Event.  The deacons have been working to get ready for Ronıs visit with us next week.  Our church is on the God is Still Speaking web site.  Our church web site has comas on it that link to the  Still Speaking web site.  Hospitality (a new team) is helping us be welcoming. Many of you filled out the hospitality survey last week; the results are in your bulletins today and some results are visible  adready. Did you notice the narthex? And of course we have our big God is Still Speaking banner outside.

I have been looking forward to the ad campaign because I feel we have an important message of welcome and hospitality to share about our UCC . When I read the e-mail from the conference I was very angry. NBC and CBS refused to run the ads because  they felt they were too controversial. How could national networks refuse to run our ads - ads that we have paid for - in a nation that guarantees the freedom of speech?

Have you seen the ads?  If you havenıt seen the ads we will have them playing during fellowship time in the fellowship hall after church. The debut 30 second ad features two bouncers standing guard outside a fabled, picturesque church and selecting which persons are permitted to attend Sunday services. People of color, a disabled man and a pair of men are among those turned away.  The image dissolves into a text statement -²Jesus didnıt turn people away,  Neither do we.  After more images of people appear on the screen, an announcer explains, ³No matter who you are, or where you are on lifeıs journey, you are welcome here.

CBS and NBC did not welcome our ads extending welcome and hospitality. Just what was so controversial?  CBS announced, ³Because the commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other organizations, and the fact that the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the CBS and UPN networks. NBC was concerned that the spot was too controversial.

Ron Buford, who master minded the God is Still Speaking campaign responded, when interviewed by Aaron Brown on CNN Wednesday, ³Nothing in our spot deals with gay marriage.  However, it does deal with exclusion. . . ³I think the most controversial thing is whether or not weıre going to be denied free expression of the practice of our religion or freedom of speech. This is the most controversial of all.²

John Thomas, general minister and president of the United Church of Christ, is having a hard time figuring out why the same broadcasters that profited so handsomely from airing vicious and divisive attack advertisements during the recent campaign are now refusing to air an advertisement from his denomination that celebrates respect for one another and inclusiveness.

³Its ironic that after a political season awash in commercials based on fear and deception from both parties seen on all major networks, an ad with a message of welcome and inclusion is deemed too controversial.  Whatıs going on here?²  Thomas asks.

Larry Holton, who leads the national advertising effort for the United Methodist Church, said, the networksı rejection of the UCCıs ad was baseless,  even ³chilling.²

³The reasons given by the networks for rejecting this message should bring a chill to everyone who supports freedom of religious expression because they are saying that a fundamental tenet of Christian belief is politically unacceptable for the public dialogue.  The belief that God loves every person without condition is so basic to Christian teaching that if a denomination cannot make this assertion what can it say?  Such decisions shut out the Christian community from the national conversation.²

Hopefully you will hear more about the latest developments in the ad campaign this week.  We are in the process of contacting local papers, radio, tv to get the word out.  Letters to CBS and NBC written by the deacons in narthex to sign.  Ron Buford,  will be our guest preacher next Sunday and will be here on Saturday to meet with folks Saturday morning and be at our Three Church Dinner Saturday night .  Please get the word out that Ron will be here and invite your friends and family.

Is the peaceable kingdom possible?  We might begin to wonder after all the controversy about the ads.

Edward Hicks helps us imagine what the peaceable kingdom might look like.  Edward Hicks, an artist and Quaker Minister from Pennsylvania, painted over 100 paintings of the Peaceable Kingdom.  In these paintings he tells two stories.  In one part of Hickıs Peaceable Kingdom he paints Isaiahıs vision of the peaceable kingdom.   So you will see certain animals, cows and lions, lambs and wolves, goats and leopards living in harmony.  In the other part, he paints a historical story. You will also see in almost all of his paintings William Penn making peace with the Delaware Indians. Pennıs settlement (Pennsylvania) was often known as a practical attempt to make real the kingdom of God on earth.   Hicks, like Isaiah, had a vision of a peaceful world, where all would live in harmony.

John the Baptist calls us to prepare the way for the one who didnıt turn people away when they came to him.  John the Baptist calls us to prepare the way for Jesus  the fulfillment of Isaiahıs prophecy.

Ron Buford in a message to all the churches in the UCC gives us hope. ı³Prepare the way of the Lord, make Godıs path straightı. . . Donıt underestimate the power of God in this moment.  Pray with us.  Be a voice. Recall the courage in the struggle for justice and peace by our forebears. Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy . . . Thanks be to God for all of you, for your congregations, for this comma time of challenge, of opportunity, for the grace we have to live and serve in this time, for the United Church of Christ and all who find it . . .or fall in love with it all over again.  Amen.  Rejoice!²

Sources Used:
Maine Conference All Conference Email:  Dec. 2, 2004
² United Church of Christ Website: Dec. 2, 2004
³ Seasons of the Spirit 2004-2005:  Background and Reflection for Dec. 5, 2004